Al Green is an American soul and gospel singer, celebrated as one of the greatest voices in R&B history. Born in Arkansas in 1946, he rose to fame in the early 1970s with a string of smooth, emotionally charged hits produced by Willie Mitchell at Hi Records in Memphis.
“Take Me to the River,” co-written by Green and guitarist Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, appears on his 1974 album Al Green Explores Your Mind. The song blends sensual longing with spiritual imagery of baptism and cleansing, and although Green did not release it as a single, it became a widely covered classic, most famously by Talking Heads.
- Ranked No. 117 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
- Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011
- Inspired major covers that brought it broader rock and pop audiences
Al Green and “Take Me to the River” remain a perfect example of soul music’s power to mix the earthly and the divine.