Monday, May 24, 2010

#83: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You- Aretha Franklin

Listened to: CD

And here it is, ladies and gents. The album that brought the world Aretha. I can remember exactly where I bought this album. The Tower Records off of Sunrise Highway, along with Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, and we listened to both in John Luther’s basement the same day. It…it was a weird day.

The album kicks off with Aretha’s anthem. A song which kicked down the dors of female oppression, and is considered to be one of the most important pieces of art in the history of the women’s movement. It’s being written originally by a man (soul master Otis Redding) seems no to factor into the equation. And really, this IS Aretha’s song. Like how Jimi jacked Watchtower, Tina Turner took Proud Mary, and Johnny Cash claimed Hurt, Aretha took “Respect” and made it hers. “Respect” is a flawless single, it alone would be a masterpiece, but followed by Aretha’s unbeatable rendition of “Drown In My Own Tears” (Sorry, Ray Charles, but I prefer Ms. Franklin’s), it is only the most shining diamond in a pile of precious jewels.

The title track speaks to a feeling we’ve all had. Being in love with someone who’s just no damn good. The verse all feature Aretha berating the man for how bad he is, but in the chorus, she admits she’s “never loved a man the way that {she} love{s} {him}”. Just listen to the horn section blast while she wails it out at the end of this track. Aretha is a queen, and she can blast you away, or cradle you in her gentle tones, on a track like “Soul Serenade”. It’s less popular, more emotional tracks like these where the listener gets a real appreciation for Aretha’s voice, not her power. “Respect” and “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” may be tracks with more life, but this track has enough soul to match. So maybe she’s not howling, or getting pissed, or burning the air with the beat. Aretha carries this track the same way she does with the next two (“Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” and “Baby, Baby, Baby”). With the sheer beauty and range of her voice. There’s an emotion, soul to her voice that has never been matched by a female vocalist in the history of recorded music, in my opinion. There have been prettier voices, raspier voices, but for her genre, Aretha can not be dethroned. Aretha is to soul what Janis is for rock and Patti is to punk. Perfection.

It is unfortunate that for many of us (myself included), getting up to the track “Dr. Feel good (Love Is A Serious Business)” leads to us having the desire to listen to Motley Crue. I implore you to hold out at least until the album’s conclusion, or you’re gonna miss some great stuff, including this forgotten track. The organ, the piano, the saxophone, they all work as a perfect frame to Aretha’s emotive performance. Especially on tracks like this, that in other hands would have just been ok, you discover Aretha to be one of the master song interpreters, on the level of the King himself. The next track, “Good Times” is one that, for one of only two times on this album, I prefer a different cover version (in this case, The Rolling Stones). However, it is still a great performance of a Sam Cooke classic.

“Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” is one of the more sentimental of the album’s tracks, and one where Aretha’s voice seems most like it’s gliding, rather than attacking. If you ever want to show the range of one of music’s greatest women, look no further than this album. Go from something like the title track to this, and the skill, the mastery, and beauty and the brilliance are undeniable. “Save Me” brings the rock feel back to the album, with the best bass line of any song on this collection. The album closes on the Sam Cooke classic “A Change Is Gonna Come”. While I prefer the Otis Redding cover, it’s undeniable that Aretha brings her own unique panash to the a song, and it’s a great way to close a brilliant album.

This album contains some of the greatest soul songs ever composed, and performed by one of the greatest and most influential soul singers to ever live (though not THE greatest. Sorry, Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Rock And Roll Singers list. Nobody’s buying it). It’s virtually flawless, and THE definitive Aretha album. This is a shining example of a gifted performer at her peak. For those who only see Aretha as the woman with the funny things on her head at various ceremonies, do yourself a favor and look this one up. A true classic.

-Mike

Next up, one of the greatest, #6: What’s going On by Marvin Gaye.

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