I Get Joy is a studio album by Al Green. It was released in 1989 by A&M Records. The album includes many non-religious songs, which was the first time since the 1970s that Al Green included such songs.
Production
Green wrote most of the songs. The song "As Long as We're Together" includes Al B. Sure! singing backup. Former member of Tempree, Jasper "Jabbo" Phillips, sings backup on "Tryin' to Do the Best I Can" and "Tryin' to Get Over You."
Critical reception
Robert Christgau wrote: "What makes this work special is its clear and direct presentation—no influences from other famous artists like The Supremes or James Taylor. Even the use of electrofunk is included." The Deseret News noted that Green "has the ability to write songs that can be understood in both romantic and religious ways." The Los Angeles Times suggested that "Green should focus on what he does best, which is religious music now." The New York Times described Green's voice as "the sound of someone alone offering quiet support and comfort through faith."
Track listing
List of Songs:
1. "You're Everything to Me" (Al Green, Denise Flippen) – 4:13
2. "All My Praise" (Green, Flippen) – 4:10
3. "The End Is Near" (Green, Flippen) – 4:06
4. "Mighty Clouds of Joy" (Buddy Buie, Robert Nix) – 4:16
5. "I Get Joy" (Green, Flippen) – 3:53
6. "As Long as We're Together" (Green) – 3:44
7. "Praise Him" (Green) – 3:06
8. "Blessed" (Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph) – 4:06
9. "Tryin' to Do the Best I Can" (Green) – 3:03
10. "Tryin' to Get Over You" (Green) – 2:04
Personnel
- Al Green – lead vocals and music arrangements for tracks 1 through 7, 9, and 10; backing vocals for tracks 6 and 8
- Lester Snell – keyboards for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- Wayne Perkins – acoustic piano for track 4; lead guitar for track 4
- Lawrence Mitchell – keyboards for track 6; horns for track 6
- Jimi Randolph – all instruments and music arrangements for track 8
- Johnny Brown – acoustic piano for track 9; organ for track 10
- Angelo Earl – guitars for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- Gregory McIntosh – lead guitar for tracks 9 and 10
- Jimi Kinnard – bass for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- George Jouringan – bass for tracks 4, 9, and 10
- Archie Mitchell – drums for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7; bass for track 6
- Tim Dancy – drums for track 10
- Dennis Bates – horns for track 9
- Berton Brown – backing vocals for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- William Brown III – backing vocals for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- Gloria Robinson – backing vocals for tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7
- Harvey Jones – backing vocals for tracks 4, 9, and 10
- Linda Jones – backing vocals for tracks 4, 9, and 10
- Monique Monan – backing vocals for track 4
- Reba Russell – backing vocals for track 4
- Michael Allen – backing vocals for track 6
- Denise Flippen – backing vocals for track 6
- John Benton – backing vocals for track 8
- Berkley Buckley – backing vocals for track 8
- Eban Kelly – backing vocals for track 8; music arrangements for track 8
- P. Leon Thomas – backing vocals for track 8
- Jasper "Jabbo" Phillips – backing vocals for tracks 9 and 10
- Al Green – main producer, producer, and engineer
- Paul Zeleski – producer
- Eban Kelly – producer for track 8; assistant engineer for track 8
- Jimi Randolph – producer for track 8; engineer for track 8
- William Brown III – engineer
- Willie Mitchell – engineer
- Robert Nix – engineer for track 4
- Kim Venable – engineer for track 4
- John Eberle – mastering
- Chuck Beeson – art direction and design
- Jeff Gold – art direction
- Howard Rosenberg – photography