haaaa-bAYY-BAhh

Al Green, “Tired of Being Alone” | Al Green Gets Next to You, 1971

In the first one minute and 26 seconds of this classic, pining tune by Al Green, which reached No. 11 on Billboard charts in 1971, he unveils one half “baby” and three full “babies” that, between grooving horn stabs, guitar, organs, and gospel vocals, announces the song as the essence of one of those big “life moments.” It’s time to stop and pay attention. Feel. Say. Be. But in the next minute, in an almost conversational fashion, he delivers NINE additional “babies” that are all unique, and each one somehow expresses moderation while also displaying a natural and fluid athletic talent to bend the word — to bend our feelings to his poetic will.

Listed by their time stamp, they go like this:

:06 bAYYY

:34 bAYbeh

:45 bayyy-bEHHy ah

1:26 haaaa-bAYY-BAhh

1:36 bAYY-be

1:43 bAYY-beh

1:53 bAYbeh

2:01 bAyYybe

2:10 bAyYbeh

2:24 BAYbeh

2:32 bayba

2:34 BAYYb

2:36 bAYYy-buh