Aretha Franklin

The reviewer by the name of Katchy hit the nail RIGHT on the head.

It is only natural for us to expect singers (especially those that are famous) to sound the same over the years, even if logic and common sense tell us that people don't age the same way for the same reasons.

Aretha is my favorite vocal artist, male or female, living or not, any genre. I love many of her albums. This is not one that I love even after many spins. But there is much that I like about it.

First off, let's talk about The Voice. Aretha's subtle nuances are still one of a kind and cannot be duplicated by anyone. As with much of Aretha's art, these nuances may not be obvious on the first listen but are very clear on the "dry-down."

Even on the controversial opener with the questionable and sometimes scary interpretation of the chorus, 'Angels We Have Heard On High', we can hear these not-so-obvious moments. Aretha is at her best now when she can take her time. "And the mountains ... in reply" is a beautifully phrased line, with the caramel of her voice coming through. The last line before the final chorus is also beautiful in its vocal and phrasing - "while our hearts, with love we praise." In that one line she takes it from sounding like a young innocent schoolgirl to a seasoned woman that can teach the young 'uns. The subtle melisma on the word "praise" is like the vocal equivalent to watching cake batter fold on itself as it's poured in the bowl.

That gorgeous billowy quality, first noticed on Aretha 1980, is not something I have ever heard in anyone else's voice. Time and possibly personal lifestyle choices may have cut down the number of times we hear that from Aretha, but that quality - among with many other good ones - are still there, in spite of some admittedly missed vocal opportunities with this set.

Production values and the background vocals and arrangements on this CD are classy, polished and tasteful. It's light on the elusive "soul" factor, but this is a work that is very contemporary yet will stand the test of time. Producer Tena Clark should be proud.

My recommendation is to take This Christmas Aretha in its proper context: a living legend who has been pushing her voice to the extreme for decades is still with us and sharing what she has left. Take these performances for what they are. Don't give in to the easy temptation to unfairly compare 2008 with 1968 and expect Aretha to holler and carry on like some of the younger ladies do.

You just may realize that this set - on its OWN merits - is far from perfect, but still asserts in more than a few ways that the Queen Of Soul is entitled to her crown.

Long Live Queen Ree.

If you are looking for Aretha of 1967 you won't find it here. Just as you did not find a young Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan at age 66. We have to let our artist age and learn to accept them for what and who they have become as artist. That said, I love this project. She poured her heart out on this and it really shines through. How could you not listen to "One night with the king" and not feel something? "Ave Maria" is one of the best renditions I've ever heard. "Grown up Christmas" list is my favorite on this cd.

I say go and get this and listen to Aretha of today, not yesterday and you will find substanse here.

I bought this CD to give as a Christmas present to an Aretha fan. The jewel case arrived damaged so I opened it, thinking I'd move it to another jewel case. Since it was open, I decided to listen to it. Of the over 50 Christmas CDs that I have in my collection, this is the #1 WORST CD I've ever heard. In particular, the tracks that Aretha produced are horrendous. You can barely understand the words she is singing as she wails through a song. Aretha delivered the lyrics in a lazy and self-indulgent way. In the credits on the CD cover, Aretha chides former record producers (including Clive Davis) for not letting her make this very album. After listening to it, I can understand why. After listening to all tracks three times,the first time in disbelief, I gave it away to a stranger on the street. I could not in good conscience give it as a Christmas gift unless I believed the recipient deserved a lump of coal.

Awful. In a word this CD is awful. Where once there was power and soul there is now only pain and striving to reach notes that once came easily (not always getting them, nor sustaininig them). Diction is terrible, which might be workable if you could understand the words she's singing.

Backups are fine and orchestration works. But if you're an Aretha fan, please don't buy this CD. I felt like I'd lost an old friend.

I was hopeful this album would complement my large collection of more traditional Christmas albums. Every year I look forward to the time between Thanksgiving and the week after New Years, when I indulge in the songs of the season. I've been a huge fan of all kinds of Christmas songs -- from Handel's Messiah to Burl Ives, Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. This album does not disappoint. From beginning to end, Aretha puts her own soulful touch on such standards as Ave Maria and Silent Night with such mellifluous notes you'd swear you could drink them up. Especially for those of us who dive deep into the songs of the season, this is a welcome new addition. Thanks, Aretha!

Every once in a while you will come across a book, a cd, a picture, that just makes you thrilled to be alive to experience it. Cut No. 2 - "Oh, Happy Day" performed on this cd by Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples - is one of those songs. This emotional, soulful, joyful rendition of Edwin Hawkins' 70's song will have you on your feet, hand in the air, palm up, singing and rejoicing in being alive to hear it. What an experience! The cd would be worth twice the money just for that one song; however, the other songs on the cd are also very worthwhile. It is really not a Xmas cd despite a few old standbys. It is more a compilation of some unusual cuts by Aretha, who was in her glory days - voice rich, full of soul and talent. The Queen at her best. Don't miss it.

Well, this is an interesting compilation... make no mistake this CD was NOT a project. This is strictly a Sony compilation from Sony's vault... Actually the Christmas songs on this CD can be had on many other CD's that are currently out there. However, Aretha & Mavis Staple singing "Oh Happy Day" together is worth the price of admission!!! That's the gem on this compilation. AFter listening to that, I mailed my church my tithes!!!Also, "Over the Rainbow" sounds like a young Patti Labelle singing instead of Aretha. Aretha may be playing the piano, but it's DEFINITELY Patti vocals... Why Patti wasn't credit in the insert is befuddling... Patti, Sony just may owe you a check!!

Aretha's take on "Joy to the world" is one of the best I've heard. It is exactly what you would expect from her. I can never understand what makes her tick, but I guess that is what genius is. I've collected all these songs over the years on separate issues, but it's very nice to finally have them all on one disc.

What can you say, but simply fantastic! Can't imagine a holiday without her music.

As an Aretha aficionado, I enjoy 99.9% of everything she does. Girlfriend could sing the phone book to me and I'd be thrilled. This Holiday collection is nice...not all songs are related to the Season. Her duet with Mavis Staples is excellent and of course her Winter Wonderland is a classic. If anyone wants something a little different for the Holidays, this could be a nice CD as an alternative to what's on your normal playlist.

A nice set of Aretha Franklin songs. No 'best of' set will ever completely satisfy me or have every thing I want on it ... as I've been listening to her since the 1960's. Aretha Franklin's first song on "The Billboard Hot 100" was on February 27, 1961 with "Wont Be Long" #76. She reached the Billboard Hot 100's Top-Forty that same year with "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" #37. She's won multiple Grammy awards and is a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee. Aretha Franklin has proven her popularity, as Hillary Clinton did this year, by earning more votes in the 2008 Presidential Primary race than any other Presidential Primary candidate in the history of America.

Aretha Franklin has had more hits than tis, but how many are you going to find that have jump to it and who's zoomin who on the same album. If anyone knows speak up. These were 2 of my favorites and getting both on the same album is nearly impossible. By the way the sound quality is also good.

I love Aretha and this cd is the greatest, with hit after hit. The quality is great, too. The shipping was quick, too.

I loved this collection just as much as the boxed set for Atlantic Records! This is a good budget-conscious release for those who can't afford to plunk $50-60 for the wonderful 86-song set. The compilation producer smartly compiled Aretha's Atlantic hits from the 60s/70s and her Arista hits from the '80s. While not in chronological order, it does mix her hits in a sonic and cohesive way, how her soulful voice sings through the different songs, musicians, producers and arrangements. One song that I heard for the very first time was The House That Jack Built, a #6 charted hit that came between the Respect and Call Me hits period. It's just as superb a song as the more recognizable hits of Freeway of Love, Jump to It, Spanish Harlem, Daydreaming and many others. Still love the duet that she did with George Michael, 1986's I Knew You Were Waiting For Me. I heard a that lot during a road trip to Orlando, Florida in April 1987. At that time, it was a No. 1 pop hit. Throughout, this collection demonstrates why Aretha is a dynamic song stylist who can holler, whoop, and soar through these performances. A true testament of the Queen of Soul!

This CD has it all! This is the best of all songs recorded by Aretha, if you are a fan, you can't pass this one up!

This debut album from Aretha Franklin probably ranks with the greatest pop albums of all time (and yes, that group includes Ray Charles, James Brown, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Barbra Striesand, Jimmi Hendryx, Janis Joplin, The Supremes, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Tina Turner and even Bruce Springsteen)! From the scintillating "Respect" (a classic that successive, international generations will continue to rediscover and cherish long after the Queen of Soul is gone) to the heart-rending gospel of the title cut and "Drown in My Tears," to the country-soul of "Do Right Woman" to the gospel-samba of "Don't Let Me Lose this Dream," and the honky-tonk blues of "Good Times," this album is an astonishing and surprisingly varied showcase of an artist who sang what she lived. Though she was once a near-unmatchable gospel singer (and one of the hardest working secular singers), she was also the only female singer in the 1960's who could match the wondrous power of Barbra Striesand. What set Aretha apart from nearly all other singers of her era was her uncanny ability to make great music from less than stellar, or even weak material (although the material on this album is consistently top notch).

Certainly on this album, you can actually feel the grit, the soul, the gospel, the heartache in just about every track here. The legendary stories about her ability to bring hardened, redneck White men (who made up the infamous Muscle Shoals rhythm section, which is also featured prominently on this album) to tears are no joke! Even if she had never made another album, I think this one would have sealed her fate as the Queen of Soul. If you do not buy or listen to anything else of Aretha Franklin, this is the album to get. . .and keep!

Or should I say 'The One That Started It All!' After this Legendary Album Aretha has NEVER had a dry spell and/or looked back (Over 5 Decades of #1 Hits And Countless Top Ten Hits). Starting with the #1 Smash Title Track,
Aretha come back with even a BIGGER Hit: "Respect" that has become the All-Time Female Anthem. Tucked away B-Sides: "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man" & "Dr. Feelgood", along with Album Killers: "Baby, Baby, Baby",
"Drown In My Own Tears" & "A Change Is Gonna Come" Aretha was offically
off and running!!! Just for the History Records: This Album has NEVER been Out Of Print since it first seen the light of day. The down side to this Compact Disc Reissue is that it is presented in Mono with the exception of: "Respect", "I Never Loved A Man" & "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man" being Repeated (They call them 'Bonus Tracks'???). This I don't understand when this entire project was Released In Stereo back in the day (Yes!, I still have my Stereo Vinyl/Record of it!). In the meantime this is a Must-Have for ANY Collection, and who knows, maybe one day we'll get a Massive Box Set Of Aretha's Complete Atlantic Outpet of ALL of Her Recordings for the label...Wouldn't that be nice????

this album is a killer. Aretha smokes on this one!!! She's made some excellent albums and had a seemingly inexhaustable run on various singles charts, but the fire, energy, and intensity she puts forth here takes some beating, and is a joy to behold. Is this the best soul album of all time? Probably would spark a huge debate, but I tell you what, in my humble opinion, it's close. Released 40 years ago (I bought the album when it first came out-oops, hahaha) and it's STILL an incredible listen today. I know what you're waiting for so I'll say it: "It's a classic."

What could I possibly say about Aretha Franklin that haven't been said before. We all know she's a tremendous singer with huge impact on Soul music, just mentioning her name is Respect giving. Aretha probably got the most recognizable female voice in history and one of the greatest too. But she also had a huge impact for female solo singers and women in general. Many of her anthems dealt with woman's emancipation in the turbulence of the late 60's just aswell as plenty of political songs for the civil rights movement. Aretha comes out as a strong independent woman with alot to say that craves respect from anyone, but she was actually one of the first female Soul/R&B singers to make it solo. Based on her magnificient voice it isn't hard to see why but back in the day there were few female singers. Most were stuck in diffrent kind of manufacted groups singing music that had been written and produced by profesionals like Phil Spector with very little artistic creativity of their own. The Ronettes, The Marvelettes, The Supremes were just a few examples in a myriad of rather simular sounding early 60's girl groups where oftengood looks were more important then actual talent. Aretha would never have fit into any of those bands cause she didn't look like Diana Ross but thanks got she went solo instead cause she opened doors to so many others and the recordings she left behind are nothing short of majestic.

Things could have gone diffrently though. Aretha was under contract with Columbia Records for six years and released several albums for them. Unfortunately, the music that was released was more Jazzy then the Gospel Soul that later became her trademark, While it wasn't bad per se it just seemed that Columbia wanted something diffrent out of her and this stopped her artistic development. After very few memorable hits and a sound that wasn't her own she accepted an offer from Atlantic in 1966. After 1 year in the studio she released this, a true landmark for Soul and Aretha would make her nickname "The Queen of Soul" justice.

The not so aptly titled album "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You" feauture classics like "Respect", "Dr Feelgood" and the title track "I Never Loved A Man" ofcourse. Alot of the songs were actually written by men, Otis Redding who sadly died in the same year wrote "Respect" the biggest female anthem of all time but it suits Aretha perfect and became "her's" with her outstanding vocal performence and great backround choirs. The way she sings this one makes is hard for any man not to respect her. The song spent an impressive 8 weeks at #1 on the pop charts in 1967. "Drown in My Own Tears" was previously recorded by Ray Charles and it's a slower piano based song of sorrow, in this case a woman who misses her man and will literally drown in her own tears if he won't come back. Aretha puts her whole soul into this song and you will hear it time after time on this album. "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I love You)" is another strong number and the lyrics are very straight forward of a woman that had enough of her man that can't treat her right "You're a no good heart breaker/ You're a liar and you're a cheat/And I don't know why, I let you do these things to me" Aretha even gives herself dignity and sais "Baby, you know that I'm the best thing That you ever had". "Soul Serenade" is actually more or less an instrumental, she just sings the title while her band backs her up perfect. Even if many of the Aretha classics weren't written by her, she co- wrote the next song "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream" with her by then husband Ted White. Personally I think it's one of the best songs. Next song "Baby, Baby, Baby" was co-written by her and her sister. A very powerful love song with alot of soul and Aretha shows talent for writing aswell.

She and her husband wrote the song "Dr Feelgood" aswell. More bluesy, yet soulful and the most famous of Aretha originals. Based on the sexy lyrics I bet Ted White was a great lover. "Good Times" is the first of two Sam Cooke covers. This is a great but a it short recording and mostly a feel good song, backed by a jazzy band. The wonderful "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" another female anthem is summed up perfect with these lines "A woman's only human/You should understand/She's not just a play thing/She's flesh and blood just like her man". This song was written by two young white men and it got this country feeling. Once again Aretha made it her own in her special way. She wrote "Save Me" which is an uptempo song slightly simular to "Respect" with great horns and bass. The closer "A Change Is Gonna Come" was a hit for Sam Cooke (my alltime favorite singer) and it's one of the greatest songs I know. It was a song about the civil rights movement and the message is very clear. Cooke's version was slightly diffrent, slower more forward while Aretha's is more soulish and powerful. As hard as it is to challenge Cooke's undisputed classic, Aretha makes a great job and I like both versions.

Overall, A true classic in every way. Aretha delivers from song to song and there's nothing here that isn't brilliant, the only problem I have is that too many of the recordings are cut short and would be much better if they would be longer but back then few songs were over 3 minutes. This would be a landmark for alot of upcoming soul and the new-start of a long and successful career. It's hard for me to express how good this album is, so if you haven't heard it yet go get it. This is a must have in your collection and if You're further interested in her music, check out Lady Soul aswell which is equally good. There can only be one Queen of Soul and she's in full control.

If you don't have this CD in your collection, you are truly missing a treasure. With this CD, we see "Aretha" bringing the "fervor" of gospel music to the world of circular music in a way that no other African-American musical artist has done with the exception of Ray Charles and James Brown. She is unapologetic as she lets her voice soar to a spiritual place that can only be reached by someone who's church upbringing is as much a part of her being as the water she drinks and the air she breaths. You will "go to church" when you hear her sing Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" and the song that has become every woman's anthem, "Respect".

On this CD, Aretha not only defines Rhythmn and Blues; she also defines her version of the Blues. Her Blues is not the Blues of Big Mama Thorton, KoKo Taylor, or Etta James. Aretha's Blues doesn't try to compete or "rock" like a man's Blues. Aretha's Blues is a woman's Blues--smart, sassy, pleading, proud, and defiant all at the same time. One gets to feel it all when she belts out "I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You," "Soul Serenade," and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man".

And the piano playing--yes, that's Aretha--that pure syncopated gospel style that many church going African Americans take for granted on any given Sunday morning.

Add this body of work to your Aretha collection. You won't have the blues for long and you will come to understand what it means to "go to church."

Multiple Grammy winner and Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin has had a long and illustrious career. This set includes "Respect", "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", "Chain Of Fools" and "Think" - Aretha Franklin reminds me of another great woman, New York Senator Hillary Clinton; in the 2008 Presidential Primary race, Hillary Clinton earned more Votes than any other Presidential Primary candidate in the history of America (hillaryclintonforum, the denver group)

Whenever I go to the Longmont Public Library, I always get the CD, The Very Best Of Aretha Franklin. I would take it home, put it in my stereo and play it. I feel in love with all the songs. I am going to rate the songs one by one from a scale of 1 to 5. There are times I will go over the 1 to 5 scale:

1.RESPECT: I give this song a 8/5 because I love the words and how Aretha sings it. She sings it with such clarity, emotion and power. This song swept me off my feet and I love to sing along with it.

2.BABY I LOVE YOU: I give this song a 7/5 because I love to move to it. The words and the tune sounds great!! I'd be singing along with it and began to dance to it. It would be hard to sit still or not sing along with the song.

3.I NEVER LOVED A MAN: I give this song a 7/5 because I love to move and sing along with it. The background music is awesome and quite electrifying. I esppecially love the sound of the guitars!!!!

4.CHAIN OF FOOLS: I give this song a 8/5 because I LOOVE the beginning part of the song to the end. The story is very realizitic because many women have fell love with men that they so caught up in into them that they are blind to the fact that the men are no good, errogant users that take love for granted. The friends of the women whose going out that with those types of men always warn them that they are no good and the women should go out with them.Aretha tells about how much she still love her man in spite of the fact that people saw something bad in him that she was too blind by love to see. She was literally her boyfriend's CHAIN OF FOOL.

5.DO RIGHT WOMAN-DO RIGHT MAN: I give this song a 8/5 because I love the words and the sound to it. The part I like is "Woman's only human. You should understand. She's not just a play thing but flesh and blood just like her man. If you want a do right, all days woman, you gotta be a do right, all night man."

6.(YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE)A NATURAL WOMAN: I give this song a 8/5 because it is so beautiful and peaceful. I find myself singing along with this song. In the song, Aretha is telling the man how much he menas to her and what he has done for her.

7.(SWEET SWEET BABY): I give this song a 6/5 because I love the song.Aretha does a wonderful job singing about this song.

8.AIN'T NO WAY: I give this song a 5/5 because even though I heard and like the song, I don't remember about how the song or the tune goews.

9.THINK: I give this song a 8/5 because I love the words and the tune. I love how Aretha adds sassiness to the song as she demands respect from her trifling boyfriend. The part I like is "You better think. Think about whatcha try to me. Yeah, let's think. Just let yourself be because FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM! OH,FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM! I love singing that part of the song.

10.SEE SAW: I give this song a 8/5 because I love this song. The words, the sound and Aretha's voice makes this song phemononal and awesome. My favorite part is "Your love is like a see-saw. Your love is like a see-saw, baby. You love is like a see-saw. Going up,down all around." I love singing that part as well as the whole song.

11.THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT: I give this song a 8/5 because I love the words and tune to the song. I enjoy singing along with the song. I feel soory for Jack because he's such a hard worker in building that house that bad things came upon him. So right after he finished building the house, he left seeking a better life somewhere else.

12.I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER: I give this song a 7/5 because I love this song. I love how the music and the words flows together as Aretha sings the song.

13.THE WEIGHT: I give this song a 8/5 because I love this song. Aretha does an awesome job singing the song and I love the music (esppecially the guitars!!!) behind her voice, which makes the song phenomonal.

14.ELEANOR RIGBY: I give this song a 6/5 because I love how the words and the music flow together as Aretha sings her song about Eleanor Rigby

15.SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME: I give this song a 5/5 because I like the song. I don't remember a whole lot about the song.

16.CALL ME: I give this song a 5/5 because it's a great song. Even though I heard it, I don't remember much about the song.

Total score: 112/80. This is a great CD. If anybody love the early projects of Aretha Franklin, you should get this CD. I know I need to buy the CD myself since I always check the CD from the Public LIbrary. I recommend it!

Since I don't know a better way to review this, I'll do the rate-the-song-on-a-scale-of-one-to-ten gag.
1. Respect: 10/10. How can you not rate this a 10?
2. Baby I Love You: 10/10. Listen to that VOICE!
3. I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Love You): 10/10. With the help of her voice and incredible backup vocals, she turns a cliche into something awesome.
4. Chain of Fools: 11/10. My favorite, it's a great slice of proto-funk.
5. Do-Right Woman, Do-Right Man: 9/10. Still good, but doesn't quite do it for me.
6. (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman: 8/10. If it weren't overly orchestrated, this would be a 10.
7. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone: 10/10. Great song.
8. Ain't No Way: 10/10. Best of the slower songs.
9. Think: 10/10. Again, listen to that VOICE!
10. See Saw: 7/10. It's okay.
11. The House That Jack Built: 10/10. Second-best song. Have you noticed how unlucky this Jack guy is? Come on, bad stuff happens to him here, on Ray Charles' Hit the Road Jack, AND on Steely Dan's Do It Again.
12. I Say a Little Prayer: 8/10. Good not great.
13. The Weight: 10/10. Incredible guitar and, as usual, vocal performance.
14. Eleanor Rigby: 3/10. Really dumb.
15. Share Your Love With Me: 10/10. Another amazing song.
16. Call Me: 5/10. Another one I don't like.
This is good stuff!

When I played this CD in my car...my mother asked for it, so I had to buy another Vol. 3-Very Best of Aretha Franklin! My mother and I agreed that they simply don't make songs like this any more. Aretha's CD brought back wonderful memories of the 60's. Today, we listen intent to exactly what Aretha was saying in these musical messages. We now understand Aretha's songs better than in the past. The music is wonderful, the background voices are majestical. What a wonderful combination of words, messages, instruments and singing. Yes, lay back - listen and enjoy this wonderful CD...They just don't make them like this anymore.

To me Aretha was an ambassador of love when i heard this CD. All My troubles go away when I listen to her sweet loving songs. They're soulful and romantic but most of all full of self respect. And what could that emanate more than love. Not violence, not dark depressive singin'.
I'm glad to be celebrating life in this world that produced Miss Aretha. Thank you.

I wanted to order this CD for my wife's birthday but could not get it delivered in time from an English e-tailer. But amazon.com came up trumps on price and delivery.

The CD arrived in time for my wife's birthday and she loved it. She has stopped playing it since.

Thank you so much for great service.

For lovers of an older style of Gospel music this is a "must have" for your collection. It is a recording that you will listen to over and over again and never get tired of. The singing and musical accompianment is top notch and will surely be enjoyed by everyone who buys the album.

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Oh, Aretha! I had this CD as a 2 disk set from the 70's. What they've done reissuing it is amazing. It's like being there. Man, this is some fine Gospel! She enters soaring and then takes off. With Rev. James Cleveland & the Southern California Community Choir. Some of the best ecstatic music I've heard. I play this in my car-- sometimes I just drive past my house so I can keep listening.Do your heart and soul a favor and buy this album.

Aretha Franklin is a GREAT singer. I purchased the CD as a gift for my mother-in-law for Christmas. She wanted a CD with Amazing Grace and Precious Lord, Take my hand on it; both of these songs are on this CD. Amazing Grace is the traditional version and she loves it very much. Precious Lord is NOT the traditional version; therefore she is not as pleased with it. They are both still good but she wanted the traditional versions of both songs.

To put it short and simple...VERY AMAZING!!! From the start to the finish, Aretha tore it up....BOTH NIGHTS!!! This is the Uncut Edition that is well worth seeking out, and you can give your 'Original' to a good friend...Yes, I did say a good friend.

I love it, this is one of my very favorite records by the Queen of Soul, Sister Ree. Miss Aretha has such a beautiful and strong voice. The best songs are "Put You Up On Game" (with Fantasia) and "Don't Waste Your Time" (with Mary J.)

This CD just shows why she is titled the "Queen of Soul". All hail the Queen!

If you love Aretha Franklin, you will love the duets. It is filled with great songs and great artists. It also brought back memories of day past with the oldies. I highly recommend this CD if you like soul , R and B.

Oh the memories! I remember when each and every song hit the airwaves. I love the fact that Clive used some alternate versions of songs like "Never gonna break my faith" with MJB. I also love the alternate mixes of some of the older songs, complete with additional never before released vocal adlibs etc...

I always thought Aretha handled duets with a fresh approach to the material, be it good or bad and made the song work...for her vocal style. I guess this is why she will forever be the queen. The new duets are off the hook too. I have heard some say that the new material is beneath Aretha and she should leave the hip hop r&b to the kids. Well I've got news for you, this is the new r&b of today, and I think what has always made Aretha stand out is her ability to adapt to whatever situation musically she is delt. There is no going back to the 60's cause then folks will say "why don't she sing something current." I guess on this note, Aretha has learned and stopped trying please everyone, cause you just can't! I love the duet with Fantasia because Aretha is doing her, even though the music is current Aretha is still Aretha. I think she is recording what feels good to her at this point.

I would also pose the question...How many other 65 yr old artists do you hear new music from on mainstream radio? Aretha is also nominated for a grammy for the duet with MJB. I wish Aretha the best! Sing for me like Ella did till the end, when they had to wheel her out on stage. God has truly gifted you.

One can never go wrong with anything that the Queen of Soul composes. She embraces the talents of the various artists. It shows a totally different side of her. This CD absolutely "blew me away".

This tells it all. This truly is a must have for any "true" Aretha fan. I have been a fan of Aretha since day one. This could have been named "Aretha Raw & Released". It surely cuts right to the Soul. I am 62y/o and never thought I would hear Aretha sing like this again but thanks to this release, I feel 22 again. It makes me remember the 60's when we enjoyed "house parties" listening to Aretha's albums. It also remined me of being in Viet Nam (when back in base camp) how all us fellows couldn't get enough listening to Aretha on our "tape decks".
Thank you once again Ms.Franklin
Your Fan for Life!!!!!!!!!!

Full marks for this album - long awaited. There is one album though, which has yet to be re-released and that is her 1975 album "You". Many people at the time said it wasn't one of her best, but I fell in love with it from the first time I heard it. Could someone please re-release and re-master this album.

the true aretha fan(like myself) will have to have this b/c it's mostly fresh or rarely heard aretha at her vocal peak. all the stuff alluded to in jerry wexler's autobiography i believe is here. but my goodness, so many exhausting takes makes these cd's not as enjoyable as one of her many hits compilations - casual aretha fans watch out. i think these were left off the original releases for a reason. truly memorable are aretha's version of the supremes "keep me hanging on" and maybe melba moore's "lean on me". it is what we've all been hearing about and waiting for. i hope their is more in the vaults. a lot of it is not essential but important and influential artists such as ms franklin deserve to have it all out there. definitely worth having. another great purchase would be the limited edition "live in philly 1972 concert" for sale on the rhino records website. while it's not "filmore west", i found it excellent also. grab it while u can, fellow aretha-heads!

Oh My God--I worship at the altar of Aretha Franklin. Could she be more heartbreakingly brilliant, soulful, beautiful, funky? I have not fallen in love this hard since I heard Aretha's "Amazing Grace" California recordings of 1973. BUY IT! DO WHATEVER you must to immediately have this--I promise you that your cup will runneth over!

First - Finally a collection of previously unreleased materials from the Queen of Soul!!! From these demo and live versions of some of our favorites makes this 2-disc set feel like a brand new album with a familiar feel. For the diehard fan, a MUST have in order for the collection to be complete. I love hearing her start and stop on some of the tracks as she is creating her genius and masterminding the anthems we all snap our fingers too and gleefully sing with every time we hear them.

Being that these songs were on the "shelf" for so long - we are getting a brand new album!!!

She is just plain wonderful, can't wait to see her again here in LA on Valentine's Day!!!

Long live the Queen!!!

one of the Greatest Artists and most versatile Musical Artists ever. Aretha Franklin truly can sing/sang and doing Gospel Music is where you truly feel her depth.the arrangements and overall stylings compliment Aretha Franklin's range and stylings. if you really want to hear Aretha uncut and in full uncut then you have to hear singing Gospel Music as the songs on here. she makes you feel "Amazing Grace". Incredible talent.

The unedited version of "Chain of Fools" with the haunting blues opening makes this CD worth buying by itself. But wait, there's more. The hits fit well together with the lesser known songs; this CD may end up in my top ten of all time (I may have to drop a Beatles album because of it).

A lot of people rank this as Aretha's best album, or at least in her top three. I don't know about that myself; there is a lot of filler on this album, mostly mediocre to bad covers ("Groovin'", which never was that good a song in the first place - to generalize once again, covers of bad songs will probably turn out just as bad, if not worse; "Niki Hoeky" is, um... hokey; "People Get Ready" is turned from moving to schlocky - try to find the Impressions' original instead; no amount of Aretha's belting can redeem "Come Back Baby"). The rest is far better, thank Gitchie Mondou. You get a classic unbridled soul shouter known as "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" - the single song I use to point out why Aretha is the greatest soul singer ever; "(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman" and "Ain't No Way" are tender, moving ballads; "Chain of Fools" is my favorite Aretha Franklin song, a cup of proto-funk that would make James Brown proud. Speaking of James Brown, she also does a very good cover of his popular "Money Won't Change You". The most underrated of the batch is the slow, gritty blues "Good to Me as I Am to You", with a solid guitar riff from Eric Clapton. It was also written solely by Franklin, proving she could be quite a good songwriter herself: she also co-wrote "Since You've Been Gone" with Teddy White and "Ain't No Way" with her sister Carolyn. If you're addicted to Aretha, this will satisfy.

After releasing the mamouth I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You/Including Respect with the big hit "Respect" Aretha was crowned "The Queen Of Soul" and for good reason cause she was an extra-ordinary performer with a magnificient voice. The same year as the success, she came out with another album called Aretha Arrives but it wasn't considered a classic and perhaps she should have waited before releasing another album so soon after. One year after in 1968 however came the worthy successor to "I Never Loved a Man", and it couldn't been better titled then "Lady Soul". This album is simular in many ways and mostly mentioned in the same lines, as a classic 60's soul album with songs about love, faith and hope. Joe South, Bobby Womack, King Floyd and Eric Clapon contributed on diffrent instruments and Whitney Houston's mother, Cissy sang backround vocals. By that you can really understand that Aretha's albums with Atlantic were a project they always put alot of work in, apart from her previous Colombia recordings.

On "Lady Soul" there is once again a variation of newly composed songs and famous covers, in todays standards you could say that she covered too much but back in the day most albums were compiled like this. But what differs Aretha from other singers is that she always made the songs she sings her own and that is typical for a musicial prodigy like I would call her. 3 singles were relased from this album and all made the top 10, while the #2 single "Chain of Fools" became a synonym for Aretha and another female anthem of a woman who's taking alot of pain from her man who's being unfaithful, but in the last verse she confess "One of these mornings the chain is gonna break/ But up until then, yeah, I'm gonna take all I can take", the most famous part of this classic is probably the "chain chain chain" chant that is incredibly catchy. "Money Won't Change You" was a James Brown song and it's much more funky then the usual song here, but rather short. "People Get Ready" was a Curtis Mayfield composed classic from the time with the Impressions about the civil right movement but Artetha still manage to make a good version of it (just like she did on Sam Cooke's (A Change Is Gonna Come), even if it's slightly diffrent then the original in a slower pace. This song is wonderful and the lyrics in the first verse goes like "There's a train a-coming/ You don't need no baggage/ You just get on board/ All you need is faith/ To hear the diesels humming/ Don't need no ticket/ You just thank the Lord". Another brassy song in "Niki Hoeky" where a gifted backround band and gospel choir is helping her out. "(You Make Me Feel like) a Natural Woman" is perhaps the best song of this album together with "Chain of Fools", a typical Aretha classic with strong message of love and self esteem where she find strenght after being loved and respected from a great gentleman. Carole King wrote it with her partner Gerry Goffin, she later released it herself on her album Tapestry a few years later.

"Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)" reached the #5 on the pop charts and it was actually written by her and her husband Ted White. It's most funky and emotional with backround choirs and horns setting the tone. Bit short though. Aretha continued composing with "Good to Me As I Am to You" a slow ballad with stripped down bluesy arrangements. Next up is the cover of Ray Charles's "Come Back Baby" which is another worhhwile addition to a great album. "Groovin" is a cover of the Young Rascals immense hit from 1967, I actually prefer their original version cause it had better arrangements. "Ain't No Way" was written by Aretha's sister Carolyn and it is the closer. This is a slow love ballad, simular message like "Chain of Fools".

Overall, Another album another classic by one of our greatest female singers to date. This album is a needed brickstone in a devoted music fan's collection. For furhter listening, also check her next album Aretha Now which is almost equally strong.

It would be difficult to rate the best of Aretha's work, but this one must be considered. Everything fell into place in this beautiful production. "People Get Ready" was made for Aretha, one of the best of all time, in my opinion.

Luckily I was able to experience "Lady Soul" in concert before her rise to fame and fortune around 64 when she sang with a combo at the piano in a small club and this was a life-changing experience...a masterful singer from the beginning, this incredible "Lady Soul" collection happens when it all comes together for this peerless legend...a riveting and magnificent collection of great performances, Aretha Franklin really arrived when she laid down the tracks for "Lady Soul"! "Chain Of Fools" is legend while the funky rhythm driver "Money Won't Change You" show that Aretha has no peer...a sublime "People Get Ready" show that the soul legend goes where few venture...a funky workout "Niki Hoeky" makes use of the repeat mode as this version is infectious...Carole King classic "(You Made Me Feel Like)A Natural Woman" helped put Carole King on the musical map with an engrossing classic reading of her amazing song while the soulful original "Since You've Been Gone" is a stunning Aretha original that cooks & so does the awesome blues classic "Good To Me As I Am To You" which features a brilliant Eric Clapton on guitar. A soulful workout of a Ray Charles original, "Come Back Baby" is riveting while Aretha knew how to get inside of a great Rascals tune and "Groovin" is a fine and soulfully satisfying example! A haunting original is saved for last and "Ain't No Way" is a real Aretha Franklin masterpiece that is haunting and mesmerizing. Bonus tracks are welcomed alternate takes and anything from this session is awesome! Bravo Aretha!!!