•
Rating: The Queen of Soul. Ten explosive tracks, divided between originals and (mostly) covers, make up one of the most extraordinary soul albums ever. A concentrate of typically rhythm&blues beats with her majestic presence, the quintessential soul voice, Aretha Franklin.
Daughter of a Baptist preacher, she discovered her passion for music early on, singing and playing the piano during the religious services conducted by her father; the girl had talent and spent the 1950s singing gospel, even making a recording debut at the age of fourteen. The move to Columbia Records (which happened in '60) was marked by jazz, which allowed her to showcase her qualities but also limited her expressiveness and creativity: she still achieved her first successes with singles like "Today I Sing The Blues", "Operation Heartbreaker" and "Won't Be Long".
The turning point came in 1967, when she switched to Atlantic Records, finding those strong soul and rhythm&blues influences that would define her classic sound. The LPs "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)" and (to a lesser extent) "Aretha Arrives" marked the artist's consecration, but it was with the album "Lady Soul" that Aretha reached her artistic peak and her greatest commercial success, corresponding with a rougher and more incisive sound. Starting with "Chain Of Fools", a hugely successful single and the opening track of the LP, we are faced with a continuous series of masterpieces: in this case, it's a robust R&B accompanying Franklin, who alternates between the grit of songs like "Money Won't Change You", "Niki Hoeky", and "Come Back Baby", and sweet ballads like "Groovin'" and "Good To Me As I Am To You", among others.
A very important role in the album's success is played by the four singles extracted from the album: "Since You've Been Gone" and "Ain't No Way", a touching ballad closing the record, received a great response in terms of sales, but it is with the aforementioned "Chain Of Fools" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" that Franklin hit the jackpot, achieving two worldwide successes that remained two of her signature interpretations. The fact that the album is mostly composed of covers does not diminish the work at all because Franklin does not simply interpret a song; she strips it and clothes it with her soul, often rendering the original author creating what will often be considered the definitive version. Thus, the Memphis vocalist, between tributes to James Brown, Ray Charles, her sister Carolyn (!), Curtis Mayfield, and Carole King, shows her versatility as a singer, with her voice standing out as usual over everything.
The rich sound characterizing the album is composed of a compact rhythm section, the continuous work of the backup singers, and especially a stunning horn section; among the many musicians involved in the recordings, the collaboration of Eric Clapton stands out on "Good To Me As I Am To You", accompanying the song throughout its duration with an inspired solo phrasing.
Produced by Jarry Wexler, who had already been at the service of Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers, Dusty Springfield, and many others, "Lady Soul" is one of the best soul records ever made, which in its barely 30 minutes duration encapsulates all the heart and grit of one of the best vocalists of the 20th century.
Let us pass it down to posterity.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Chain of Fools (02:49)
Chain chain chains
"echo"
Chain chain chains
"echo"
Chain chain chai-iai-iai-iai yeah
Chain of fools
For four long years
I thought you were my man
But I found out
I'm just a link in your chain
You got me where you want me
"got me where you want me"
I ain't nothin but your fool
You treated me mean
Oh babe you treated me cruel
Chain chain chain
echo
chain of fools
Now every chain
Has got a weak link
I might be weak child
Oh but I'll give you strength
OOh OOh
YOu told me to leave you alone
My father said, come on home
My doctor said, take it easy
But your lovin' is much too strong
I'm added to your
Chain chain chain
"echo"
Chain chain chain
"echo"
Chain chain chai-iai-iai-iai yeah
chain of fools
One of these mornings
That chain is goin'a break
But up until the-hen
I'm goin'a take all I can take
Chain chain chain
echo
Chain chain chain
echo
Chain chain chai-iai-iai-iai yeah
chain of fools
Chain chain chain
echo
Chain chain chain
echo
Chain chain chai-iai-iai-iai yeah
chain of fools
Chain chain chain.
03 People Get Ready (03:46)
People get ready, there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket you just thank the lord
People get ready, there's a train to Jordan
Picking up passengers coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board them
There's hope for all among those loved the most
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner whom would hurt all mankind
Just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there is no hiding place against the kingdoms throne
People get ready there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket, just thank the lord.
04 Niki Hoeky (02:31)
Down in Louisiana
Down in Cajun land
Folks got something goin'
Goes something like
Folks come an git'cha tootsie
I wants to t'tie ya puppe'tame me
Gonna dig ya on a scoobydoo
Gonna gitcha on'a scubadie
Ooh boog-a-boo you
You ooh boog-a-boo you, little boy
Get hip to the consultation of the boolawee
Umm hmm, umm
Said, golly, golly miss Molly
Everything's copesetic now
Boog-a-boo, look at you
What I'd like to do to you boy
Ooh boog-a-boo you
You ooh boog-a-boo you, little boy
Get hip to the consultation of the boolawee
Umm hmm, hmm
Niki, Niki, Niki Hoeky
Your pappy's doing time in the pokey
Your sisters on a trip
Your momma got hip
Little boy you're lookin' ok
You ooh boog-a-boo you
You ooh boog-a-boo you, little boy
Get hip to the consultation of the boolawee
I'm talking bout your boola
Talking bout that wee
I'm talking bout your boola
Talking bout that wee
Well get hip to the consultation of the boolawee
Niki, Niki, Niki
Niki, Niki, Niki
Niki, Niki, Niki
Niki, Niki, Niki Hoeky
Niki Hoeky
05 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (02:45)
Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you're the key to my peace of mind
Cause you make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like
A natural woman (woman)
When my soul was in the lost-and-found
You came along to claim it
I didn't know just what was wrong with me
'Til your kiss helped me name it
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for
and if I make you happy I don't need to do more
Cause you make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like
A natural woman (woman)
Oh, baby, what you've done to me
You make me feel so good inside
And I just wanna be close to you
You make me feel so alive
you make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel like
A natural woman (woman)
06 Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) (02:25)
Baby baby, sweet baby
There's something that I just got to say
Baby baby, sweet baby
You left me hurtin' in a real cold way
Speak your name
And I'll feel a thrill
You said I do
And I said I will
I tell you that I'll stay true
and give you just a little time
Wait on me baby,
I want you to be all mine
I just get so blue
Since you've been gone, baby
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
Since you've been gone
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
(bridge)
Baby baby, sweet baby
I didn't mean to run you away
It was pride on my lips,
But not in my heart
To say the things that made you stray
But ah, babe
Hear me now
(hear me)
I don't know what I'm gonna do
(hear me)
Got to get you back somehow
(hear me now)
Oooh, take me back,
consider me please
If you walk in that door,
I can get up off my knees
I just been so blue
Since you've been gone
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
Since you've been gone
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
Well I've been so lonely
(sweet sweet - sweet sweet baby)
Baby, since you've been gone
(sweet sweet - sweet sweet baby)
I've been so lonely
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
Since you've been gone
(why'd you do it? why'd you have to do it?)
Baby baby baby been so lonely
(sweet sweet - sweet sweet baby)
09 Groovin' (02:55)
Now all crew come get some sunshine
summer time vibes come back again
tell all your friends man!
Groovin' on a summer afternoon.
Groovin' couldn't get away too soon.
Now every woman every man come listen this one
from the heartical dan Mr. Pato Banton.
Me comin' in c-comin' in c-comin' in strong
with a positive summer time vibration.
Cause in the winter me can't take the cold
body start shiver when the breeze start blow.
Car can't start cause the engine froze
can't move me fingers, can't feel me toes.
But in the summer when the sun shine bright
kick off me boot put on me air nike.
Leave me car and jump pon me bike
it's this kind of weather I like.
Well everyday people are in a rat race
but if I could I would just slow down the pace.
Like a record on a deck, switch the speed
from 45 down to 33.
Woh! Nice and slow
sun a shine and breeze a blow.
Lord! Nice and easy
just a chill with me friends and family.
I can't imagine anything that's better
the world is ours whenever we're together
there ain't no place I'd rather be instead of groovin'!
Now in the struggle of life to achieve success
everyone goes through some form of stress.
The rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief
lawyer and the doctor, even the priest.
Loading comments slowly
