Be What You Are is a soul album by the Staple Singers, released in September 1973. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart. The first single, "Be What You Are", fared poorly; however, the follow-up, "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)", was a top ten hit, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B Singles chart. The third single, "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" charting at number 23 on the Hot 100 and number three on the R&B chart in 1974.
Guitarist Jimmy Page played acoustic and electric guitars as well as a solo on the last song, "Heaven." Stax engineer Terry Manning was a friend of Page's and worked on Led Zeppelin III.[3]
| #
|
Title
|
Writer(s)
|
Time
|
| 1
|
"Be What You Are"
|
Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton
|
5:03
|
| 2
|
"If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)"
|
Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton
|
4:29
|
| 3
|
"Medley: Love Comes in All Colors/Tellin' Lies"
|
Bettye Crutcher/Carl Smith
|
8:51
|
| 4
|
"Touch a Hand, Make a Friend"
|
Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton
|
4:04
|
| 5
|
"Drown Yourself"
|
Bettye Crutcher
|
4:38
|
| 6
|
"I Ain't Raisin' No Sand"
|
Darryl Carter, Mack Rice
|
6:33
|
| 7
|
"Grandma's Hands"
|
Bill Withers
|
2:43
|
| 8
|
"Bridges Instead of Walls"
|
Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton
|
4:04
|
| 9
|
"I'm on Your Side"
|
Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton
|
4:00
|
| 10
|
"That's What Friends Are For"
|
Parsons, Penney, Mack Rice
|
4:16
|
| 11
|
"Heaven"
|
Terry Manning
|
3:36
|
| Year
|
Single
|
Chart positions[5]
|
US
Pop
|
US
Soul
|
| 1973
|
"Be What You Are"
|
66
|
18
|
| "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)"
|
9
|
1
|
| 1974
|
"Touch a Hand, Make a Friend"
|
23
|
3
|
