Be What You Are

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.

Be What You Are
Studio album by The Staple Singers
Released	September 1973
Recorded	1973
Genre	Soul
Length	51:56
Label	Stax
Producer	Al Bell
The Staple Singers chronology
Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (1972) Be What You Are (1973) City in the Sky (1974)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[2]

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]

Track listing

#	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

Personnel

• Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples, Yvonne Staples - lead and backing vocals
• Roebuck "Pops" Staples - vocals, guitar
• Jimmy Page - uncredited guitar (on track 11)

Charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
Billboard Top LPs[4]	102
Billboard Top Soul LPs[4]	13

Singles

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