1995
Search results
- "Respect" (1967) Photo : Michael Ochs Archives/Getty. Aretha Franklin’s signature anthem is a commanding cover of Otis Redding’s 1965 rave-up that captured the spirit of the country on multiple levels – particularly the civil rights movement, with writer Phyl Garland calling Franklin’s “Respect” “the new Negro national anthem” in the October 1967 issue of Ebony.
- "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (1967) Photo : Michael Ochs Archives/Getty. The title track of I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You was also the first song laid down by Franklin and her backing musicians during their very short January 1967 stint at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
- "Think" (1968) Photo : Michael Ochs Archives/Getty. On April 9, 1968, Franklin sang “Precious Lord” at the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta. Six days later, she sat at the piano at the New York studios of Atlantic Records, pounding the piano and singing about freedom.
- "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (1967) This Carole King and Gerry Goffin classic underlines the myth – sometimes celebrated, other times reductive – of Franklin as the epitome of earthy, “natural” womanhood.
- United Together
- Holdin’ on
- Freeway of Love
- It’S Gonna Get A Bit Better
- Something He Can Feel
- I Never Loved A Man
- A Rose Is Still A Rose
- Every Girl
- Soulville
- Night Life
In one sense, United Together is symbolic of what went wrong with Franklin’s career in the early 80s – it’s a high-gloss MOR ballad, a world away from the music that made her name. But you can’t get away from the fact that she sounds amazing, investing the lyric with undeniable power.
Her last album (after 23 years) on Arista, So Damn Happy made more concessions to Franklin’s past than its immediate predecessors: she played piano, wrote material and sounded more comfortable in her surroundings. You can hear it on Holdin’ On, co-written and arranged by Mary J Blige, proof that her vocal ability was undiminished in her 60s.
Laden with guest appearances, home to Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves, 1985’s Who’s Zoomin’ Who restored Franklin to the charts. The album’s production is very of its era: the 60s Motown pastiche Freeway of Love was remixed to appeal to “rock” – ie white – audiences. But it’s such a fantastic song, it hardly matters: Franklin, meanwhile, sounds...
Her audience seemed to think Franklin was lowering herself by making the disco album La Diva, but the reality is far better than its wretched reputation suggests, as evidenced by her version of this Lalomie Washburn song, far too funky and robust to feel like belated bandwagon-jumping.
The Curtis Mayfield-helmed soundtrack to the film Sparkleis an overlooked gem in Franklin’s catalogue, his songs great, the lush proto-disco sound a delight. Something He Can Feel was supposed to be part of the repertoire of the 60s girl group at the heart of the film, but it’s too well-written and subtle to sound like pastiche.
Finally allowed, by her new label Atlantic, to do whatever she wanted – “They just told me to sit at the piano and sing” – Franklin responded with the title track of her 10th album, a blues into which she appeared to pour all the pain of her marriage to the appalling Ted White.
The late 90s attempt to give Franklin a hip-hop/neo soul-influenced makeover didn’t really work, except on the album’s Lauryn Hill-penned title track. The beat and the lyrical references to “flossin’” are contemporary, but the singer sounds unfazed, delivering a coolly controlled performance.
Franklin’s early-80s albums don’t get a lot of love. They are certainly not unimpeachable classics to match her late 60s/early 70s imperial period, but they’re still studded with gems. From the Luther Vandross-produced LP Get It Right, Every Girl (Wants My Guy) is a fabulously sassy slice of post-disco boogie.
Columbia Records knew Franklin was talented, but not what to do with her, peppering her career with false starts. Occasionally, however, her full power was unleashed, as here. A frantic take on Dinah Washington’s 1963 hit, this is more edgy and exciting than the MOR and jazz-pop the label usually lumbered her with.
Franklin completely inhabits Willie Nelson’s song about his early career, struggling at the bottom of Nashville’s ladder. The backing perfectly conjures up a dingy club at 3am, her performance switching between weariness and a weird kind of relish: “The night life ain’t no good life, but you know it’s my life.”
People also ask
Does Aretha Franklin write her own songs?
What kind of music does Aretha Franklin sing?
How many number one hits did Aretha Franklin have?
Did Aretha Franklin ever record for Motown?
1. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) 2:45. Respect. 2:27. 3. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man. 3:16. 4. Dr. Feelgood (Love Is Serious Business) 3:22. 5. Save Me. 2:19. 6. Baby, I Love You. 2:36. 7. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. 2:44. 8. Chain of Fools. 2:47. 9. Sweet Sweet Baby (Since You've Been Gone) 2:27. 10. Ain't No Way. 4:12. 11
- Tom Eames
- Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) Aretha Franklin - Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) (Official Audio) Originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, his version remained unreleased until 10 years later.
- Freeway of Love. Aretha Franklin - Freeway Of Love (Official Music Video) This track sent Aretha back into the US top five in 1985, and also earned her a Grammy Award.
- Who's Zoomin' Who? Aretha Franklin - "Who's Zoomin Who" (Live) No, this wasn't Aretha singing about the difficulties of video meetings, but was rather a synthpop track that gave Aretha another hit in 1985.
- Chain of Fools. Aretha Franklin - Chain Of Fools Live (1968) Released in 1967, this song gave Aretha a number two hit in the US. Asked by producer Jerry Wexler to create songs for Otis Redding, songwriter Don Covay recorded a demo of this song, which he had written in his youth while singing gospel with his brothers and sisters.
1. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) 20M plays. 2:44. Respect. 132M plays. 2:29. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man. 3:15. DR. Feelgood. 3:19. 5. A Natural Woman. 64M plays. 2:42. 6. Chain of...
Aug 16, 2018 · The 10 Greatest Aretha Franklin Songs: Critic’s Picks. The 10 greatest classic-era songs recorded by Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, and maybe just the Queen of Music.
