Aretha Franklin - Soul '69 [1969]

One of her most overlooked '60s albums, on which she presented some of her jazziest material, despite the title. None of these cuts were significant hits, and none were Aretha originals; she displayed her characteristically eclectic taste in the choice of cover material, handling compositions by Percy Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, and, at the most pop-oriented end of her spectrum, John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind" and Bob Lind's "Elusive Butterfly." Her vocals are consistently passionate and first-rate, though, as is the musicianship; besides contributions from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, session players include respected jazzmen Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, David Newman, and Joe Zawinul.

Track list:

01.Ramblin'
02. Today I Sing The Blues
03.River's Invitation
04.Pitiful
05.Crazy He Calls Me
06.Bring It On Home To Me
07.Tracks Of My Tears
08.If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody
09.Gentle On My Mind
10.So Long
11.I'll Never Be Free
12. Elusive Butterfly

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Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul [1968]

Appearing after a blockbuster debut and a sophomore set that was rather disappointing (in comparison), 1968's Lady Soul proved Aretha Franklin, the pop sensation, was no fluke. Her performances were more impassioned than on her debut, and the material just as strong, an inspired blend of covers and originals from the best songwriters in soul and pop music. The opener, "Chain of Fools," became the biggest hit, driven by a chorus of cascading echoes by Franklin and her bedrock backing vocalists, the Sweet Impressions, plus the unforgettable, earthy guitar work of guest Joe South. The album's showpiece, though, was "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," a song written expressly for her by Brill Building pop stalwarts Gerry Goffin and Carole King, based on a title coined by producer Jerry Wexler. One of the landmark performances in pop music, the song floats serenely through the verses until, swept up by Ralph Burns' stirring string arrangement again and again, Franklin opens up on the choruses with one of the most transcendent vocals of her career. And just as she'd previously transformed a soul classic (Otis Redding's "Respect") into a signature piece of her own, Franklin courageously reimagined songs by heavyweights James Brown, Ray Charles, and the Impressions. Brown's "Money Won't Change You" is smooth and kinetic, her testifying constantly reinforced by interjections from the Sweet Inspirations. Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready," a 1965 civil-rights anthem and a hit for the Impressions, is taken at a slower pace than the original; after a quiet verse, Franklin lets loose amidst a magisterial brass arrangement by Arif Mardin. Powered by three hit singles (each nested in the upper reaches of the pop Top Ten), Lady Soul became Aretha Franklin's second gold LP and remained on the charts for over a year.

Track list:

01.Chain of Fools
02.Money Won't Change You
03.People Get Ready
04.Niki Hoeky
05.(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
06.Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)
07.Good To Me As I Am To You
08.Come Back Baby
09.Groovin'
10.Ain't No Way
11.Chain Of Fools (Unedited Version)
12.(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Mono Single Version)
13.Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) (Mono Single Version)
14.Ain't No Way (Mono Single Version)

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