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Be Altitude: Respect Yourself

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Be Altitude: Respect Yourself
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 14, 1972
Recorded1971–1972
StudiosMuscle Shoals Sound Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama;[1] Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN[1]
GenreSoul
Length41:22
LabelStax
ProducerAl Bell
The Staple Singers chronology
The Staple Swingers
(1971)
Be Altitude: Respect Yourself
(1972)
Be What You Are
(1973)

Be Altitude: Respect Yourself is a soul album by The Staple Singers released on February 14, 1972. It includes the hit songs "I'll Take You There" and "Respect Yourself". The musicians are the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the Memphis Horns, augmented by overdubbed guitar, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron and harmonica by Terry Manning.

Background

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Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[2]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[3]

"We the People" was frequently used as a campaign song for U.S. President Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election in the United States.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."This World"
  • William Friedman
  • Herb Schapiro
3:36
2."Respect Yourself"4:54
3."Name the Missing Word"4:00
4."I'll Take You There"Alvertis Isbell4:43
5."This Old Town (People in This Town)"
4:39
6."We the People"
3:50
7."Are You Sure"
  • Banks
  • Jackson
4:27
8."Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ the Superstar)?"Pops Staples4:10
9."I'm Just Another Soldier"
  • Banks
  • Jackson
3:50
10."Who"3:13
Total length:41:22

Personnel

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Partial credits from Richard Buskin and Terry Manning.[1]

Musicians

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The Staple Singers

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  • Mavis Staples – vocals
  • Pops Staples – vocals
  • Cleotha Staples – harmony and backing vocals
  • Yvonne Staples – harmony and backing vocals

Additional musicians

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Production and technical staff

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  • Al Bell – arranger, producer
  • Johnny Allen – arranger
  • Terry Manning – engineer, additional production (uncredited), additional arrangements (uncredited)
  • Jerry Masters – engineer
  • Ralph Rhodes – engineer

Charts

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Chart (1972) Peak
position
Billboard Pop Albums[4] 19
Billboard Top Soul Albums[4] 3

Singles

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Year Single Chart positions[5]
US
Pop
US
Soul
1971 "Respect Yourself" 12 2
1972 "I'll Take You There" 1 1
"This World" 38 6
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References

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  1. 1 2 3 Buskin, Richard. "Classic Tracks: The Staple Singers 'I'll Take You There'". SoundOnSound. Sound On Sound. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ Bowman, Rob. The Staple Singers: Be Altitude: Respect Yourself > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  3. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. 1 2 "The Staple Singers US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ "The Staple Singers US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 7, 2011.