AL GREEN / “Belle”

It’s been said that there actually was a “Belle.” Meaning, there actually was a woman who Al Green wanted, but decided he couldn’t or shouldn’t have because he was going to give himself to the Lord instead. Despite my hazy recollection of having once read the woman’s name somewhere, I’m not buying it. I know there’s something inherently Christian about self-denial (or did I just get that backwards?) but leaving aside the supposed chastity of Catholic priests, most Christians realize it’s both possible and healthy for true believers to have God and sex in their lives at the same time. So if Belle isn’t actually a woman, who or what is it? I think it’s fame. al green 15.jpg Listen to “Belle” thinking ‘fame’ instead of ‘woman’ and that much-quoted line “it’s you that I want but it’s Him that I need” sounds mature and well-considered…as opposed to self-flagellating and a little kooky as it sounds when you’re thinking that he’s talking to a woman. Similarly, it always seemed bizarre to me that Al was directly comparing this woman he’d found to God Himself. Near the end of “Belle” he sings, “I know you’re all of these things / But He’s such a greater joy,” and he repeats, “He’s such a greater…!” before succumbing to one of those high-pitched wails of emotion that translates to something like, “Ain’t no words for this.” Now, I’ve been in love and I’ve had sex. But I’ve never confused the woman I was in love with or having sex with as anything so all-encompassing that she or it threatened to eclipse my faith. Of course, I’ve never been Christian either. It’s not like Al doesn’t understand the concept of both/and as opposed to either/or. If you know his records well enough and have enough free time on your hands, you can make a decent case that Al’s whole career until the late Seventies was a case of the dichotomous in process. Or you could just hit the skip button three times and take a listen to “Georgia Boy.” Al sings, “Just because I’m thinking about New York City…don’t mean I ain’t thinking about Georgia too.” Al knows you can be in two places at one time—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and in the case of bi-coastal folk, even literally. But Al also knows that, at some point, every man has to make a choice. A couple of times during the proceedings, Al deviates from the script to ad-lib off-mic, saying stuff like, “It feels so good down in the South right here. I’m just a country boy.” So much for both/and. al green 16.jpg Photo by Jedd Haas - Gallery Tungsten  I once interviewed a now-ordinary but formerly very famous musician who told me that he’d done every drug he could find and lots of them and he’d had sex with so many woman that he’d long ago lost count, but none of it even came close to the feeling of being on stage with thousands of people screaming his name. He called being on stage ‘the ultimate high.’ Now that I can understand. And in retrospect, that may have been when I started revising my opinion of Al Green’s famous swan song, “Belle.” Make “Belle” a metaphor for fame, for ‘the ultimate high’ so to speak, and everything starts to make sense. Of course, I’m presupposing that the song, and Al, are supposed to make sense, which is sort of like assuming that we’re all supposed to get along or politicians are all supposed to serve honorably. The assumption isn’t really wrong as much as might be a little too optimistic. Coming soon, more sex, fame and God. —Mtume ya Salaam Bonus tracks: “Loving You” and “Georgia Boy,” both from The Belle Album. Buy it, people!!!           Fame is a drug          ...a drug most folk never taste. But once licked, sucked and swallowed, fame is highly addictive. Some people can enjoy it for a minute and then quietly kiss it goodbye. I should have said “a few people can…,” because as is painfully apparent when we watch Sixties groups with singers sixty years old trying to recapture their long ago glory days, for most of us, once we’ve been there (if we ever get there) we never want to leave it behind and constantly be trying for one more hit. Mtume, I can remember doing a gig at Aaron Davis Hall in New York City. I could see not one person in the audience, but I could hear them and I could feel the energy. The rush is real. I can imagine what happens when you get a hit record, a string of television appearances, a 76-city tour with in-store appearances. Now as for Reverend Green, I don’t think he ever kicked. It’s just that the dope he got now ain’t smoke. Marx called it the opiate of the masses. I think you need a finer mind than mine to be able to accurately detail the differences between a big city preacher and an entertainment personality. You know what I’m saying? One other thing: 'belle' rhymes with 'hell.' —Kalamu ya Salaam P.S. I believe you’re right about "Belle."

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2006 at 12:09 am and is filed under Classic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


6 Responses to “AL GREEN / “Belle””

The duke Says:
July 13th, 2010 at 11:40 am

Nice one never thought of that! like the thought.

keep on thinking


SkiNdN-Grrl Says:
September 15th, 2012 at 12:29 am

I don’t know if ‘Belle’ refurs to a woman, fame, drugs or a combination of all. (I mean it WAS the ’70’s!) I can only say that any could be a HUGE temptation & that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever. The Rev. Al has it! That man can sing & I bow to his talent.


Mother Mouse Says:
October 9th, 2012 at 11:11 am

I’m not sure that the song indicates that he’s breaking off the relationship. I understood it to mean that he’s telling his lady that although she is very important to him, that the Lord comes first — he’s setting the priorties straight, making sure she understands how close his relationship with the Lord is. Possibly explaining why he is wanting to remain celibate at this time (until their marriage). This would explain about “I’ve tried to act naturally,” he didn’t want her to think him odd or effeminate for choosing to not have sex yet, and “let’s not waste each other’s time,” meaning let’s get married right away. Reminding her that they need to keep the Lord in their home, in their life, in their relationship.

“Let’s you and I let the Love come down” . . . could be referring to the Holy Spirit, he’s saying, “We’re not just a couple, but a trio with inclusion of the Holy Spirit.”

OR, alternately, he COULD be breaking off the relationship because the girl is not a Christian, he perceives that she is not an appropriate life mate for him, because he would be, as the Scriptures warn again, “unequally yoked.” If she’s not a godly woman, she’s not the right one for him.

Seems to me the lyrics could go either way. This is a really old thread, and there may be no one to read it, oh well. . . lol


Belle Pierdon Says:
October 14th, 2012 at 6:01 am

I see this thread is very old, however, my name is Belle and I can tell you, which you might be aware of already, that the name “Belle” translated, means “beautiful”.
Perhaps Al Green did mean fame if he considers/considered fame as beautiful but perhaps his own meaning of “Belle” was just that as it stands; to give up the beautiful women that he could not resist? Maybe he “saw this as a sign”, after his girlfriend poured the boiling hot grits onto Al Green, and decided to stop messing around with more than one woman at a time..? I am just guessing here because I do see the odd way that “Belle” is sung in this song and it does not sound like he is singing to a singular female, but rather, the body of the beauties [plural].


Warren Carpenter Says:
December 6th, 2014 at 11:03 am

I don’t have anything prophetic to say, but I love the song. It reminds me of a girl I wanted but dare not have.


Julia Says:
December 19th, 2014 at 12:11 pm

It was explained to me that “Belle” was not a woman… Al was torn between circular music and gospel music. “Belle” represented circular music which is what he wanted to do and brought him fame/ fortune hence; the line in the song “it’s you that I want”. His roots however was gospel and he felt if he left he would be turning his back on the church/God hence; the line in song “it’s Him that I need”. Just another analogy.


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