# Soul Survivor (Al Green album)

Soul Survivor is a studio album by the American musician Al Green, released in 1987. The album peaked at No. 131 on the Billboard 200.

## Production

The cover of "You've Got a Friend" is a duet with Billy Preston. Green also covered the Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". A gospel choir backed Green on "The 23rd Psalm" and "Yield Not to Temptation".

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Robert Christgau | A− |
| The Gazette | 7.5/10 |
The Chicago Tribune deemed Soul Survivor "an album of richly moving and vibrant singing." The Gazette wrote that "it's nice to feel the power of [Green's] healing voice in real material again." The Globe and Mail called the album "a quixotic mixture [that] in every way reflects the rather schizophrenic nature of Green himself." The Dallas Morning News praised the "secular/funk texture" of the title track.

## Track listing

* "Everything's Gonna be Alright" (Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph) - 4:21
* "Jesus Will Fix It" (Al Green) - 3:24
* "You Know and I Know" (Green, Paul Zaleski) - 4:01
* "Yield Not to Temptation" (Traditional) - 3:35
* "So Real to Me" (Green) - 0:54
* "Soul Survivor" (Kelly, Randolph) - 4:43
* "You've Got a Friend" (Carole King) - 5:37 (duet with Billy Preston)
* "He Ain't Heavy" (Sidney Russell, Bobby Scott) - 4:03
* "23rd Psalm" (Green) - 3:46

## Personnel

* Al Green – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 3, 6), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 9), arrangements (2-5, 8, 9)
* Jimi Randolph – all other instruments (1), arrangements (1, 6), all instruments (6)
* P. Leon Thomas – keyboards (1)
* Debra Carter – organ (4, 9)
* Louis Paul – synthesizers (5)
* Jonathan Cobert – synthesizers (7)
* Billy Preston – Hammond B3 organ (7), lead vocals (7)
* Jerry Peters – keyboards (8)
* Michael Toles – electric guitar (2, 5), organ (5)
* Bobby Manuel – guitars (8)
* Paul Zaleski – bass (2), percussion (2, 3), keyboards (3)
* Francisco Centeno – bass (7)
* Willie Hall – drums (2-5, 9), percussion (5)
* Jeff Vilinsky – drums (7), arrangements (7)
* Steve Mergen – drums (8)
* Errol Thomas – arrangements (3, 8), bass (4, 8, 9)
* Deborah McDuffie – arrangements (7)
* Andrew Love – saxophone (8)
* Berkley Buckles – backing vocals (1)
* Eban Kelly – backing vocals (1, 6), arrangements (1, 6)
* Full Gospel Tabernacle Choir – backing vocals (4, 9)
* Andrea Blackwood – backing vocals (5)
* Donna Blackwood – backing vocals (5)
* Jeanie Hamilton – backing vocals (5)
* Michael Brown – backing vocals (7)
* Dennis Collins – backing vocals (7)
* Curtis King – backing vocals (7)
* Patrice Taylor – backing vocals (8)

## Production

* Producers – Eban Kelly and Jimi Randolph (Tracks 1 & 6); Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski (Tracks 2-5, 8 & 9); Deborah McDuffie (Track 7).
* Executive Producer – Al Green
* Engineers – Jimi Randolph (Tracks 1 & 6); Al Green, Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski (Tracks 2-5, 7, 8 & 9).
* Assistant Engineers – Eban Kelly (Tracks 1 & 6); Ron Dickerson, Tom Luani and Pat Taylor (Tracks 2-5, 7, 8 & 9).
* Recorded at Al Green Music Recording Studio and Ardent Studios (Memphis, TN); Startec (Washington D.C. ); Mayfair Recording Studios (New York, NY).
* Mixed at Al Green Music Recording Studio; Ardent Studios; Mayfair Recording Studios; Mission Control Studios (Boston, MA).
* Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
* Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
* Design – Donald Krieger
* Photography – Peter Nash