The Belle Album

Infobox Album |
Name = The Belle Album
Type = Album
Artist = Al Green


Released = December 6, 1977
Recorded = 1977
Genre = Soul
Length = 39:38
Label = The Right Stuff Records
Hi/Motown
Producer = Al Green
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:d0tvad8kv8wn link]
* "Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/algreen/albums/album/305340/review/5945710/the_belle_album link]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=34&name=Al+Green link]
*"Q" (4/5) February 2000, p. 100|
Last album = "Have a Good Time"
(1976)
This album = "The Belle Album"
(1977)
Next album = "Al Green's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2"
(1977)

"The Belle Album" is a 1977 album by soul musician Al Green. It is his first album recorded without longtime producer Willie Mitchell, owner of Green's former label, Hi Records. With Mitchell and his label Green also abandoned the famed Hi Rhythm Section, which had previously played a large part in defining Green's distinctive musical style. This also marks the first instance in which Green plays lead guitar on his records.

"The Belle Album" is one of the last in a string of secular R&B recordings made by Green; he had recently converted to Christianity and had been ordained as a pastor, and thereafter he began creating gospel records exclusively.

LP track listing

All songs written by Al Green, Fred Jordan and Reuben Fairfax, Jr. except where noted.

ide one

#"Belle" – 4:50
#"Loving You" – 3:32
#"Feels Like Summer" – 3:42
#"Georgia Boy" – 7:01

ide two

#"I Feel Good" – 5:20
#"All N All" (A. Green, S. Green) – 3:39
#"Chariots of Fire" – 3:50
#"Dream" – 7:33

Personnel

*Al Green – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
*Reuben Fairfax, Jr. – bass guitar, bell lyre
*James Bass – electric guitar
*Margaret Foxworth, Linda Jones, Harvey Jones – background vocals
*Leon Thomas – clavinet, Fender Rhodes piano
*Johnny Brown – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes piano
*Fred Jordan – Fender Rhodes piano, Roland String Ensemble, Polyphonic Orchestration, trumpet, flugelhorn
*John Toney – drums, Syndrum
*Rob Payne – Syndrum
*Ardis Hardin – drums
*Buddy Jarrett – alto sax
*Darryl Neely – trumpet, flugelhorn
*Ron Echols – tenor and baritone sax