“F*ck pride,” is how boxer Butch was advised by crime lord Marcellus Wallace in a memorable scene from Pulp Fiction to act with pride. Recall that the hero of Bruce Willis had to merge the fight, content with an impressive fee. And the characters of the black comedy by Quentin Tarantino were talking to the soothing sounds of the composition “Let’s Stay Together”, Al Green’s calling card.
You probably know how further events developed in Pulp Fiction, so let’s immediately turn to the history of the track. The music for the upcoming song was composed by drummer Al Jackson Jr. and producer Willie Mitchell. They showed the melody to Al, who in five minutes sketched out words for it about unconditional love, capable of overcoming any difficulties in life.
After recording the track, Al Green was dissatisfied with the result. He categorically did not like his high voice. Willie Mitchell had a hard time convincing the musician to release the song:
The only argument we ever had was with “Let’s Stay Together” because he didn’t think “Let’s Stay Together” was a hit.
The studio version of “Let’s Stay Together” was completed on a Friday night in the fall of 1971. The album came out on Monday, and by Thursday the single was on the charts. Two weeks later, it rose to the top of the R&B charts and then topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the only top track in Al Green’s career.
In the further history of the song “Let’s Stay Together” there were dozens of covers from star performers. Tina Turner’s version was the most successful, with which the legendary singer topped the Billboard dance chart.
And now let’s watch an excerpt from the movie Pulp Fiction, in which “Let’s Stay Together” sounds.
Interesting Facts
- Producer Mitchell called the studio’s boobies to the studio so that Al Green could perform the song in front of a live audience.
- In addition to “Pulp Fiction”, the song was included in the soundtracks of the feature films “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days”, “Ladies’ Man”, “Hellboy” and other famous films.
- The track was included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
- On January 19, 2012, US President Barack Obama sang a line from “Let’s Stay Together” at a charity event at New York’s Apollo Theater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6uHR90Sq6k
Let’s Stay Together LyricsLet’s Stay Together LyricsLet’s stay together
What ever you want to do
Is all right with me
Cause you make me feel so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you
Whatever you want to do
I won’t mind
After all, thanks to you, I became a different person
And I want to spend my life with you Let me say that since, baby, since we’ve been together
Loving you forever is what I need
Let me be the one you come running to
I’ll never be untrue
All I need is eternal love for you
Let me be the only one you come to
I will always be true to you Oh baby
Let’s, let’s stay together
Lovin’ you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad
Let’s always be together
I will love you
In wealth and poverty, in sorrow and joy
In wealth and poverty, in sorrow and joy Why, why some people break up
Then turn around and make up
I just can’t see
You’d never do that to me (would you, baby)
Staying around you is all I see
(Here’s what I want us do) Why, why do people break up
Then they come back and reconcile
I do not understand
You won’t do this to me (really baby)
I just want to be next to you
(That’s what I want for us)
