Let's Stay Together (Al Green song)

"Let's Stay Together"
A-side label of US vinyl single
Single by Al Green
from the album Let's Stay Together
B-side "Tomorrow's Dream"
Released November 1971
Format Vinyl
Recorded 1971
Genre
Length 3:16
Label Hi (2202)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Al Green
  • Willie Mitchell
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Let's Stay Together" is a song by American singer Al Green from his 1972 album of the same name. It was produced and recorded by Willie Mitchell, and mixed by Mitchell and Terry Manning. Released as a single in 1971, "Let's Stay Together" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained on the chart for 16 weeks and also topped Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks.[1] Billboard ranked it as the number 11 song of 1972.[2]

It was ranked the 60th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[3]

It was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4] The song went on to claim the number-one position on the Billboard Year-End chart as an R&B song for 1972.

Appearance in other media

The song was used in the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction (1994),[5] the John Singleton film Higher Learning (1995), the 2004 film Hellboy and the 2005 film Munich. It was also used in the 2003 romantic comedy film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and can be heard in the films Down to You (2000), Jersey Girl (2004), and the 2012 romantic comedy Hope Springs features the song.

On television, the song was featured in various shows. It was played in the Parks and Recreation episode "Road Trip". During Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt's road trip, as assigned by Chris Traeger, they listen to a series of unusual songs, until Let's Stay Together plays. It is later confirmed that Ann Perkins had burned the song in order to get them together. It was parodied by The Fringemunks to recap Fringe episode 2.06, "Earthling",[6] and performed in an episode of Ally McBeal. Kermit Ruffins and his band cover the song in season 2, episode 9 of the HBO series Treme. Likewise, an instrumental version of the song appears in episode 23 of the anime adaptation of Monster. Additionally, the song has also featured twice in the UK version of Stars in Their Eyes. The first, notably by soul and swing singer George Anthony in 1998's episode 4 and also the series 9 Grand Final in the same year.

United States President Barack Obama performed a brief phrase of the song during an appearance at the Apollo Theater in New York City on January 19, 2012, for a campaign fundraiser that included Al Green as an opening act.[7] In the week following, sales of Green's recording of the song increased by 490%.

Movie actor Samuel L. Jackson performed Green's song in a 2017 TV Commercial for Capital One.

Charts

Cover versions

"Let's Stay Together" has been covered by Margie Joseph (who had also recorded in Memphis contemporaneous to Green, but offered a Philly-inspired version produced by Arif Mardin), Al Jarreau, Billy Paul, Roberta Flack,[15] Ms. Marilyn Marshall (Club version), Donny Osmond, Jimmy Smith, Seal, Michelle Williams, Ian Moss, Boyz II Men, Bobby Ross Avila, Big Mountain, Isaac Hayes, Robin Thicke, Brian Kennedy, Maroon 5, Terry Manning, as well as by At Last on the first season of America's Got Talent, who performed it a cappella. It has also been covered by soul singer Lemar. Shirley Bassey covered the song on her 1995 album Sings the Movies. An instrumental version very close to the Al Green original was recorded by The Memphis Horns. Organist Ronnie Foster also recorded an instrumental version for his studio album Two Headed Freap. Saxophonist Eric Alexander recorded a jazz instrumental version for his studio album Alexander the Great. The song has been performed on American Idol by Justin Guarini. On December 15, 2010 on The Sing-Off, it was performed a cappella by season 2 winners Committed. It has also been covered by Trenyce, Leah LaBelle, Joseph Murena, and Elise Testone. Australian soul singer Guy Sebastian recorded a cover version on his covers album The Memphis Album. British singer Craig David covers his very own version of the song on his album Signed Sealed Delivered. Michael Bolton covered the song on his 1999 album Timeless: The Classics Vol. 2. In 1989, The Rippingtons released an album titled Tourist in Paradise, on that album is featured the song "Let's Stay Together".[16] In 2004, saxophonist Eric Darius performed a rendition of "Let's Stay Together". Eric's version was from the album Night on the Town.[17] Ian Moss released a version of "Let's Stay Together" as the lead single from his sixth studio album, Soul on West 53rd. [18] Lynda Carter covered this song for her 2011 album Crazy Little Things. American pop singer Katy Perry performed the song at Barack Obama Fundraising Concert in Best Buy Theater, New York City on October 7, 2012. This song was also covered by former Hong Kong singer Yvonne Lau Man-Kuen (Chinese: 劉文娟) under the title "Don't leave gaps when young" (Chinese: 年輕不要留白) in 1991.

Tina Turner version

"Let's Stay Together"
One of cover arts
Single by Tina Turner
from the album Private Dancer
B-side "I Wrote a Letter"
Released November 7, 1983 (1983-11-07) (UK)[19]
Format
Recorded 1983
Genre
Length

5:16 (album version)

3:36 (single edit)
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Tina Turner singles chronology
"Ball of Confusion"
(1982)		 "Let's Stay Together"
(1983)		 "Help!"
(1984)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Let's Stay Together" was later covered by Tina Turner, her second collaboration with the British Heaven 17 and British Electric Foundation production team after "Ball of Confusion" in 1982, and served as her comeback single in late 1983, charting at number 26 on the US Hot 100.[20] It placed number 6 in the UK (one place higher than Al Green's original) and became the third time she reached the UK top ten, the first two being with former husband Ike Turner on "River Deep, Mountain High" and "Nutbush City Limits". Tina Turner's version also hit number one on the US Dance Chart.[21] At the time, the song was the most successful solo single she had released and it was included on her multi-platinum selling album Private Dancer, released a few months later in the spring of 1984. The music video was directed by David Mallet. The cover photography was by Norman Seeff.

Personnel

Production

  • Greg Walsh – producer & engineer
  • Martyn Ware – producer
  • Walter Samuel – engineer
  • Alan Yoshida – mastering
  • Akira Taguchi – compilation producer
  • Sam Gay – creative director
  • Roy Kohara – art direction
  • John O'Brien – design
  • Peter Ashworth – photography
  • Roger Davies – management
  • Chip Lightman – management

Formats and track listings

Worldwide 7" single

  1. "Let's Stay Together" (Edit) – 3:36
  2. "I Wrote a Letter" – 3:24

Worldwide 12" single

  1. "Let's Stay Together" – 5:14
  2. "I Wrote a Letter" – 3:24

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1983–84) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[22] 19
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 7
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] 43
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 20
Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 18
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 28
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[31] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[32] 26
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[33] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (1983) Rank
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 46
Chart (1984) Rank
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[36] 30
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[37] 30
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[37] 36

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Silver 250,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 237.
  2. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972
  3. ↑ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone.
  4. ↑ "The National Recording Registry 2010". Library of Congress. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Surf Music and Seventies Soul: The Songs of 'Pulp Fiction'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "Fringemunks Web site". Davidwumusic.com. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  7. ↑ Michael A. Memoli (January 20, 2012). "Obama, crooner in chief, sings some Al Green at N.Y. fundraiser". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Al Green Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Al Green Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ "American TOP 40 singles of 1972" Archived September 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine., Music and Years.
  12. ↑ "Top 100 1972", UK Charts Top Source.
  13. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972", Music Outfitters.
  14. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1972". Archived October 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ Robert Flack album, Roberta, released 1994. See Roberta (album)
  16. ↑ The Rippingtons (1989-05-15). ""Tourist in Paradise 1989" from". Answers.com. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  17. ↑ "Night on the Town - Eric Darius" from Billboard.com.
  18. ↑ "Shake/ Let's Stay Together". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  19. ↑ British release date
  20. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 593.
  21. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 265.
  22. ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. Australia: St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  23. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tina Turner – Let's Stay Together" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4454." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Singlet 1983-12 joulukuu" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Tina Turner - Top Titel" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  27. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Let's Stay Together". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Charts.nz – Tina Turner – Let's Stay Together". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tina Turner – Let's Stay Together". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Tina Turner: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Tina Turner Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  33. 1 2 "Tina Turner Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  34. ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1984). "Top 100 singles: 1983". BPI Year Book 1984. British Phonographic Industry. pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-906154-04-9.
  35. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1984". RIANZ. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  37. 1 2 "The Year in Music: 1984" (PDF). Billboard. December 22, 1984. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  38. ↑ "British single certifications – Tina Turner – Let's Stay Together". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Let's Stay Together in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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