Friday Night with Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul. Sure, through the years, the hairstyle might have changed, but one thing that didn't was the unmistakable voice that rose from those lungs. Ms. Franklin was a minister's daughter who was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but moved around a bit in her childhood before the family settled in Detroit, Michigan. She sang in the church choir from a young age, and by her teens, was regularly given solos. Next month marks the 50th anniversary of the release of her first album on Columbia Records, Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo). It was a jazz-inspired pop album.

In March of 1967, she released her 9th studio album, and her first with Atlantic Records. The album took it's name from the first single, Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), which went to #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album was certified platinum in sales. It seethed and sizzled with trademark Aretha vocals, exploring her range and emotions every step of the way. I feel so lame speaking about the gift that is Aretha Franklin, so excuse me if there is more music than typing here. She just leaves me speechless.



The third single off the album not only made the Top 10, it went all the way to #1. It also became a trademark song for the singer, who had a career filled with vocal performances that were without equal. But with the first bar of Respect, everyone knew it was Aretha's song being sung. It earned Franklin the first of 18 Grammy Awards (20 if you include Special Grammies she has received) in 1968.



Late in 1967, Atlantic released a single prior to the album Lady Soul. The song was written by Carole King, Gerry Goffin and Jerry Wexler, written for the Queen of Soul to sing. That song was the amazing (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, which reached #8 on the Hot 100, and kicked off the album quite well.



Another single off the Lady Soul album, Chain of Fools, was an obvious hit from the start, and had classic written all over it. Franklin won her third Grammy in 1969 for this performance.



Written by Franklin and co-writer Teddy White, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone marks another performance that is impossible to top. It is yet another song off Lady Soul. It made it to #5 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues chart, and helped the album go #2 on the Billboard Pop Album chart.



Earlier this week, it was announced that the Queen of Soul is battling pancreatic cancer, and if there is anyone out there that could win, it must be Aretha Franklin. She has the soul, heart and bravado to take it an and keep on singing, entertaining us all. In the meantime, she will remain in my thoughts and in my heart.

Carole King - Tapestry

There are some albums I just feel inadequate to discuss, and Carole King's Tapestry is one of them. It is just plain amazing, and could be as close to perfection as it is possible to achieve. Released in 1971, the music just connected with so many hearts, the sales went through the roof. The album went to #1 on the Billboard album chart, and eventually sold over 11 million in the US, and over 25 million worldwide. Those are numbers few see in the Pop world now, let alone 39 years ago by a woman singer/songwriter.



Carole King started out as a songwriter, often pairing up with Gerry Goffin, whom she married. She started her career in the late 50s, and in 1960 had her first hit, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, sung by the Shirelles. She went on to co-write such hits as Some Kind of Wonderful, He Hit Me, Cryin' In The Rain, Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby, One Fine Day, Up On The Roof, Oh No, Not My Baby, Don't Bring Me Down and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. But it wasn't until 1970 that she started a recording career, releasing an album with little success. With her track record for making hit music, the studio gave her another chance, and in 1971, she released the great one, Tapestry. The first single was the beautiful and aching It's Too Late.



The B-Side of the song was one of my favorites, I Feel The Earth Move. It has great elements of Folk, Pop, and Rock, with a bit of the Blues thrown in for good measure.



The next single was the exceptional So Far Away. The song has such a strong sense of love displaced, of emotions frayed. Lightly produced, the emotional core of the song is emphasized more than the instrumentation, so you are listening to the singer communicate from the heart.



While not released as a official single, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman was an amazing reworking of a song already known by another artist. Aretha Franklin practically owned the song, that is, until the writer took it back, and gave it her own spin. And it was magic.



King also took back the song Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? from the Shirelles, and again worked some magic. It went from uptempo Do Wop song to a heartbreaking ballad.



Carole King is still touring today, recently with James Taylor. A song she wrote that was on Tapestry, You've Got A Friend, was a pretty big hit for JT. To find out more about Carole King, check out her official website here. And if you don't already have Tapestry in your collection, got get it now!