Chart entered : 8 June 1967
Chart peak : 10
Number of hits : 28
Another artist who's had more hits as a "legend" than during her hey-day, I will try to be fair to the "Queen of Soul" as her music doesn't hold much appeal for me.
Aretha was born in 1942 in Tennessee. Her father was an itinerant preacher with a growing reputation while her mother sang and played the piano. Aretha learned to play it by ear. She started singing at the New Bethel Baptist Church which her father had founded in Detroit. She had her first baby aged 12 in 1955. The following year her father arranged a deal with a record shop owner Joe Von Battle to record her singing and playing at his church. This led to her album "Songs Of Faith" in 1956 on JVB Records. A single "Never Grow Old" was put out to attract gospel stations. If you like sparse, waily gospel , primitively recorded with a less than respectful audience in the background ( one guy sounds like he's breaking sticks all the way through the song ) it might have some appeal. In 1957 she had another child, aged 14. In the meantime JVB were bought out by Checker who tried to re-ignite interest in the LP by releasing "Precious Lord Parts 1 and 2" as a single in February 1960. The same description applies although the audience is a bit quieter.
At this point Aretha told her father she wanted to be a pop singer like his friend Sam Cooke. Her father produced a demo which soon got her on to the books of Columbia; Tamla were interested but he didn't think they were big enough yet. Her first single was Curtis Lewis's "Today I Sing The Blues" in September 1960. It's a slow blues number with a nagging guitar from Lord Westbrook and was a taster for her second LP "Aretha : With The Ray Bryant Combo" a few months later. Also on the LP was her next single "Won't Be Long" , more of a jazz number about waiting for the train to bring her man back. Her voice is already in fine fettle on these early recordings.
"Won't Be Long" made an encouraging showing on the US chart where it reached number 76. Her next single in April 1961 was an uptempo pop number, "Are You Sure" with gospel-tinged lyrics and an interesting percussion track. It didn't chart.
Her next single in September 1961, was a version of the old musical number "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody " which is an interesting change in style. Her voice works surprisingly well with the swinging big band arrangement and I like the trombones. It reached number 37 and also made an impression in Australia and Canada.
Her first single of 1962 was a lively version of Bung Crosby's "I Surrender Dear" with a good string arrangement by Robert Mersey. It reached number 87. By contrast "Don't Cry Baby" sounds a bit overcooked and stalled at 92. She then did a pre-Otis MOR version of "Try A Little Tenderness" which dropped exactly on the 100 position. "Trouble In Mind " an uptempo jazz number with an inventive brass arrangement reached number 86.
In May 1963 the MOR smoocher "Here's Where I Came In" didn't chart nor did her version of the jazz standard "Skylark" . Her Christmas single "Kissin By The Mistletoe" also drew a blank.
1964 began with the slow jazz of "Unforgettable" in tribute to Dinah Washington. She quickly followed it up with another Washington song "Soulville " in an uptempo R & B vein with an urgent organ and excellent drumming. Aretha also recorded the backing vocals on the track.
However it was the next one "Runnin Out Of Fools" that got her back on track commercially , a jazz-inflected pop number that got to number 57 despite not having any chorus. Her version of " Winter Wonderland " proved an unwise follow-up.
"Can't You Just See Me" proved to be her last hit while still on the label , peaking at 96 in January 1965. It's a funky R & B number but without her voice there'd be no distinguishing features." One Step Ahead " is a low-key ballad with some nice guitar work. "Sweet Bitter Love" is more of the same written by Van McCoy. November's "You Made Me Love You" is back to jazz with drowsy horns but no hooks.
By 1966 Columbia were willing to let her follow her inclination towards soul and "Tighten Up Your Tie, Button Up Your Jacket" heads off in a Motown direction although the song is very average. September's "Cry Like A Baby" was written by Ashford and Simpson and is an unmemorable soul ballad.
It marked the end of her time with Columbia. Her contract had expired and, frustrated at their inability to take her up to the next level, she went to Atlantic. Her first single "I Never Loved A Man" was recorded at Muscle Shoals. Written by the little-known Ronnie Shannon it's a slow-burning soul groove with Aretha blasting off at her fickle fellow in fine style. It reached number nine in the US charts and gave her the recognition that had been delayed for so long.
"Respect" was her next , double Grammy - winning single. It was written and first recorded by Otis Redding in 1965 and could be basely interpreted as a hard working man telling his woman he expects sex when he gets home. Aretha's changes included spelling out the title for a chorus hook, apparently at the suggestion of her sister Carolyn, which changes the whole complexion of the song to a strong woman outlining her demands from the relationship. Aretha's vocal is a string of tightly-wound indignant yelps . Her sisters Erma and Carolyn bolster her stance on backing vocals while the music is a mid-paced rumble piano rumble punctuated by horns. Whether Aretha meant it as a feminist anthem or was just celebrating a more congenial situation after years of frustration at Columbia doesn't really matter. Nor does my wondering what all the fuss is about.
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