Starting in 1971 with
Al Green Gets Next to You,
Al Green albums became necessities.
Livin' for You is
Green's sixth album, and the fourth to be certified gold. (Its predecessor, the classic
Call Me, was still on the charts when this was released.) Each of
Green's albums with
Willie Mitchell are singular, with their own distinct style, and
Livin' for You is no exception. It takes a more relaxed approach and offers some of his best ballads; the title track is
Green at his most engaging, even when he sang potentially mood-interrupting lines like "I'm tired of your bright ideas about leaving me." "Home Again" and "So Good to Be Here" are romantic if not hypnotic, offering subtle drumming, economical keyboards, and gentle vocals. The biggest track here, the proficient and smooth "Let's Get Married," has
Green being a little wishy-washy as he sings, "I didn't mean to say all the things I said/The way I felt in my heart it came out that way." Although the originals here rank with his best,
Green also did good cover work too. The often useless "Unchained Melody" shows up and benefits from
Green's methodical delivery. In many ways,
Livin' for You is the perfect, intimate album for his fans. ~ Jason Elias