Call Me

Al Green

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 8, 1994)
• Original Release Date: July 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002TP3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,594 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Call Me is the masterpiece from America's last great soul singer, a vulnerable, sensual, spiritual, and sexy album. Sent soaring by the bluesy accents of the Memphis Horns and held to Earth by the rock-solid, wide-open groove of drummer Al Jackson, the subject here is nothing less than Green's soul, a battle expressed beautifully in his otherworldly voice--crying and praying on the title track, despairing on his cover of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," both bitter and resigned on his version of "Funny How Time Slips Away"--a voice as true as anything short of heaven. And on the closing "Jesus Is Waiting," we even get to hear that. --David Cantwell

Product Description
1973 album with another hit title track. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Godfather of Sweet Soul Music, July 30, 2001

By	Allan Ostermann "allan" (Portland (the one on the left)) - See all my reviews

If you want the definition of not just soul, but sweet soul music, look no further than Al Green. I can't even pick a favorite amongst the Hi Records recordings done with Willie Mitchell. If I was pressed to choose, I'd say Still In Love With You, Call Me, and Livin' For You. They actually sound like a continuation of one beautiful yet funky vibe.

This album could be my favorite, though. "Call Me" is a wonderful, kind of haunting song. But I think Your Love Is Like the Morning Sun personifies everything early 70s Al Green is about. It's like gospel, but without references to God; just love (unlike his later recordings, or the inspirational "Jesus is Waiting", on this album). It's simply mesmerizing. It gets inside you. And I love how the song ends with him creating verses based on previous titles ("I'm tired of being alone/I'm still in love with you/Let's stay together").

If you like Marvin Gaye, the Staples Singers, or perhaps Curtis Mayfield, buy this album. Sweet soul is not Lionel Richie or Ashford and Simpson or Peaches and Herb or Anita Baker or any of that crossover stuff. It's right here.

It's Hi Records. It's Willie Mitchell. It's Al Green. Thank you, sir, for years of listening pleasure.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars smooth as vaseline, rich and creamy, September 26, 2000

By	guy peters (diepenbeek, belgium) - See all my reviews

Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, they were all residing in my cd collection when I bought this Al Green-cd on a trip to New York, a few years ago. I expected lots from it, but not that it would stand as my favourite soul-album as for today. Otis is grittier, Aretha creates more db's, marvin made superior records, but for me, they cannot make an impact such as Al Green. Nine beautiful arranged songs, dealing with such quintessential topics such as love, religion and sexuality. Nine achingly delicious chants by the true master of soft soul. I still can't believe my own exaltation when I play "Jesus is waiting" or "Here I am", or "Call Me" again. It's slick, smooth, cheesy, corny, mucky, call it what you want, but in the meantime it's also one of the most passionately felt records I ever heard: Green LIVES his songs. You want your heart broken? Let Al do it, and you'll be thankful.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Righteous Al, September 7, 2000

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Al Green doesn't just sing a song, he inhabits it. He can be pleading like in the title track or in the brilliant "You Ought To Be With Me" or forceful as in "Here I Am" & "Stand Up". Being from the south, he wasn't just influenced by gospel, but country music as well. His interpretations of the country standards "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Funny How Time Slips Away" are soulful and show his incredible range. The creme-de-la-creme of the album is the closing track "Jesus Is Waiting". Mr. Green is an ordained minister and part of what makes his music so interesting is his devotion to both God & sex. "Jesus Is Waiting" is a dirge that is sung with all the sexual urgency of any of his great love songs and is just an amazing song. You can't go wrong with any of Al Green's early to mid 70's albums, but if you had to choose one, Call Me should be your first choice.