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Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings

Aretha Franklin - Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings Audio CD

A fair review of the Aretha Franklin "Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Aretha Franklin reviews here, or go back to the Aretha Franklin tabs.

Band: Aretha Franklin
Title: Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings
Rating:

Release Date: 1992-09-29
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) 2: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man 3: Save Me 4: Respect 5: Baby, Baby, Baby 6: Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business) 7: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 8: Soul Serenade 9: Drown in My Own Tears 10: Chain of Fools 11: Baby, I Love You 12: Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around) 13: Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) 14: You Are My Sunshine 15: Going Down Slow 16: Never Let Me Go 17: I Wonder 18: Prove It 19: Good Times 20: Come Back Baby 21: Change 22: You're a Sweet Sweet Man 23: Good to Me as I Am to You 24: People Get Ready 25: Ain't No Way 26: Think 27: See Saw 28: House That Jack Built 29: Night Time Is the Right Time 30: I Say a Little Prayer 31: You Send Me 32: My Song 33: I Take What I Want 34: I Can't See Myself Leaving You 35: Night Life [Live] 36: Today I Sing the Blues 37: Pitiful 38: Tracks of My Tears 39: River's Invitation 40: Share Your Love With Me 41: It Ain't Fair 42: Sit Down and Cry 43: Honest I Do 44: Weight 45: When the Battle Is Over 46: Eleanor Rigby 47: One Way Ticket 48: Call Me 49: Pullin' 50: Son of a Preacher Man 51: Try Matty's 52: Thrill Is Gone [From Yesterday's Kiss] 53: Dark End of the Street 54: You and Me 55: Let It Be 56: Spirit in the Dark 57: Why I Sing the Blues 58: Don't Play That Song 59: Young, Gifted and Black 60: Border Song (Holy Moses) 61: Brand New Me 62: You're All I Need to Get By 63: Spanish Harlem 64: Rock Steady 65: Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby) 66: Day Dreaming 67: All the King's Horses 68: Bridge over Troubled Water 69: Angel 70: Spirit in the Dark (Reprise) [Live] - Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin 71: How I Got Over [Live] 72: So Swell When You're Well 73: Master of Eyes (The Deepness of Your Eyes) 74: Somewhere 75: I'm in Love 76: Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing 77: Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) 78: Every Natural Thing 79: Without Love - Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin 80: With Everything I Feel in Me 81: Mr. D.J. (5 for the D.J.) 82: Look into Your Heart 83: Sparkle 84: Rock With Me 85: Break It to Me Gently 86: Something He Can Feel

The ultimate Aretha package!
In her recordings, both in the studio and live, her story was told. What can be said about the dynamic (big understatement) impact that Aretha Franklin has had on not only R&B/soul music but music in general? Words simply cannot express what music can in every essence. With an inherent gospel fervor, she had brought the Church mainstream to make what Al Green refers secular music as "people's music," and like many before and since her, Aretha had topped them all. The bedrock of R&B is gospel and Aretha had never let that aspect be skewed. With her gospel piano-playing and musicianship backed by the mighty Muscle Shoals band, every ingredient was there to present that down-to-earth yet gutsy and soulful southern R&B sound. That was Aretha in her prime at Atlantic records.

Spanning four discs at 86 tracks, this may as well be THE Aretha set to own. All of her hit songs are here, plus many great album cuts and B-sides. Naming songs here is not essential, because if you can think of one or a few, they're likely to be there. Like all box sets, the material thins out somewhat at the end so that the latter end of the era covered is close to being scant. The last song is "Something He Can Feel" recorded in 1976, yet Aretha was with Atlantic for three more years. By that time, however, her records were charting lower and lower and were not altogether that memorable. Nevertheless, this is a very strong set complete with what'd you'd expect from a decade's worth of Aretha's prime material.

Included is a great booklet with great liner notes, numerous photos, quotes, discography, chart information, track by track annotation featuring recording and release dates and sessionography.

Anybody who is at least 10 years of age should know about Aretha Franklin and perhaps be encouraged to investigate further into this superb musical genre. Having recently seen her in concert three months ago in Baltimore, it can be said that she is still going strong and still does not fail to wow and engage an audience in such a captivating manner.

There will never be another Queen of Soul; it is only Aretha Franklin!.

Soul Sister Number One
Franklin has more tags than a yard sale, black singer, female singer, soul singer, gospel singer, blues singer - but whether you call her diva, Queen of Soul, the preacher's daughter, soul sister number one, or re-re; no tag will ever be enough - she is, quite simply, one of the premier singers ever. Keith Richards once described Aretha Franklin's voice as the "greatest natural instrument" he'd ever heard. When Franklin launched her career everyone wanted to claim her. To blacks she was a symbol of black pride. To women she was a feminist icon. Top 40 kids thought she was a party on wax. Of course, gospel purists viewed her as a prodigy who'd crossed over to the dark side and was singing the "devil's" music. Franklin's power, range, expressiveness, and sense of unqualified joy and fun caused America to embrace her unequivocally. Her years at Atlantic were one long succession of hits.

Soul has always been somewhat slippery to define, but whatever it was, listeners knew she had a whole truckload of it outside and could go all night. Franklin moved effortlessly between raw, hard blues, Dr. Feelgood & Night Life, breathtaking torch ballads, Ain't No Way & My Song, upbeat, catchy pop, I Say A Little Prayer & Son Of A Preacher Man, funk, Rock Steady & Mr. D. J. , and even pure gospel; in fact CD #4 of this essential anthology has a perfect example with full choir, How I Got Over - if that don't get you testifyin' and talkin' about it then man - you're Swiss.

With Franklin it is tempting to focus on her technical abilities, which are truly overwhelming. She moves all over her vocal range with such finesse that you never stop and notice that what she's doing is practically impossible. Like other virtuoso performers before her, she makes it all seem so easy, and what you're left with is her ability to use this miraculous instrument to communicate whatever she feels and make you feel it too. So much of this music is full of spunk, vinegar, and rambunctious fun, it's ebullient. But when she says, "Everybody wants to know why I sing the blues," the authenticity almost stings. Ultimately that is what makes Franklin timeless, her ability to be completely honest in everything she does, and introduce you to rooms in your heart you didn't know were there. Other Aretha Franklin anthologies are available - make sure this is the one you get.

arethra--box set
You will soon find yourself humming and maybe singing right out loud with almost every song that comes through the speakers. anyone that grew up with aretha will need to have this box set. .

A "must have" for all Aretha fans
It has all of the classics and some hidden treasures as well. This is the definitive collection. I was initially worried that it would have all the standards and not much beyond that, but not true. There are enough new pieces and all the ones you already know and love that it makes the perfect combination. If you were to own only one CD or CD set of Aretha Franklin, this is the one. .

"Simply,THE TRUTH!"
At times I've listened to each disc on it's own and enjoyed it. I've had this box set for a while. Recently, I had to drive a lot over the Memorial Day weekend (to my daughters travel basketball games) and decided that I'd listen to the whole box set, starting at disc one through disc four. The experience was a revelation. Aretha is one of the greatest vocalist ever to record. And when she sings, she simply "tells the truth. " When she says she, "Never Loved a Man," "the way that I love you," that's what she means. When she wants a "Do Right Man," because she'll be a "do right woman," that's what she means. You hear it in her voice when she talks about being a "Natural Woman," telling her man to "Think," and saying she wants "R-E-S-P-E-C-T;" you know what she's talking about. And it's not just the classic, old jams she vocalizes the truth on. It could be lesser known gems, such as "Try Matty's," "The House that Jack Built," or "Don't Play that Song. " When she says "Rock Steady," I'm up and grooving, rockin' steady. When she says she'll be that "Bridge Over Troubled Water," it's spiritual. And when she sings "Call Me," or "Until You Come Back to Me," the urgency in her voice sends chills through me. My Dad loved Aretha and I grew up listening, but not appreciating Aretha. Once you get to be my age though, all you're looking for is truth and honesty and if you purchase this box set, you will definitely get it! I love this four disc CD set. I recommend it for anybody needing an intro to Aretha's greatness or anybody who needs to hear it TOLD LIKE IT IS!.

You can see a complete list of all Aretha Franklin discography, or go back to the Aretha Franklin tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.