10 Essential Aretha Franklin Songs

Photo: penner [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

While popular culture has had its share of incredibly talented female vocalists, there has always been only one Queen of Soul. Aretha Franklin’s musical career set the bar so high that very few have ever come close to matching the singer’s brilliance. For years, Aretha Franklin’s musical performances and studio recordings have brought joy to millions of music fans around the world. You don’t have to be a music fan to be touched by her incredible musical spirit. Her passing was a significant loss to us all.

From her first single released in 1956, entitled “Never Grow Old,” until her passing in 2018, Aretha Franklin released thirty-eight studio albums, forty-five compilation albums, six live albums, and an impressive one hundred and thirty-one singles. Aretha Franklin’s first hit song was released in 1960, entitled “Today I Sing the Blues.” Her first studio album, Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo, was released in 1961. From then on, Aretha Franklin released albums on a steady basis. Aretha Franklin released nine studio albums on Columbia Records between 1961 and 1967, including Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin, The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin, Laughing on the Outside, Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington, Runnin’ Out of Fools, Yeah!!!, Soul Sister and Take It Like You Give It.

In 1966, Aretha Franklin signed with Atlantic Records. Her signing with Atlantic resulted in her next five albums all reaching number one on Billboard’s R&B albums chart. These albums included I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Arrives, Lady Soul, Aretha Now, and Soul ’69.

In 1969, Columbia Records released the album Soft and Beautiful, which she had recorded in 1964. However, Aretha Franklin continued her stunning, steady release of studio albums into the 1970s with Atlantic Records. Those albums included This Girl’s in Love with You and Spirit in the Dark in 1970, Young, Gifted and Black in 1972, Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) in 1973, Let Me in Your Life and With Everything I Feel in Me in 1974, You in 1975, Sweet Passion in 1977, Almighty Fire in 1978, and La Diva in 1979.

Aretha Franklin ended her recording career with Atlantic Records in 1979. Aretha Franklin was signed by Clive Davis’s label, Arista Records. On Arista Records, Aretha Franklin would continue to have commercial success. Her debut on the new label was titled simply, Aretha. She continued to release albums into the 1980s, including Love All the Hurt Away in 1981, Jump to It in 1982, Get It Right in 1983, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? in 1985, Aretha in 1986, Through the Storm in 1989, What You See Is What You Sweat in 1991, A Rose Is Still a Rose in 1998, and So Damn Happy in 2003.

Aretha Franklin’s last three studio albums were released on three different labels. This Christmas, Aretha was released on the DMI label in 2008, her independent release A Woman Falling Out of Love followed in 2011, and her final studio album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, was released in 2014 on RCA Records.

In 2018, Aretha Franklin passed away. In celebration of her life, we compiled a list of 10 Aretha Franklin songs that we couldn’t live without. We would love to include hundreds of brilliant studio recordings and live performances, but adding hundreds of videos to a web page would make it too slow to load. So we have picked 10 Aretha Franklin songs that we think define the many essential sides of Aretha Franklin’s music.

# 10 – Freeway Of Love

We open our top 10 Aretha Franklin Songs list with a semi-modern-day Aretha Franklin song entitled “Freeway Of Love.” We call it modern because it is the only Aretha Franklin song on this list that wasn’t recorded in the 1960s or early 1970s. “Freeway of Love” appeared on the album Who’s Zoomin’ Who? The album was an incredible commercial success for Aretha Franklin. The record is Aretha Franklin’s second platinum-selling full-length album.

The song also featured Clarence Clemons on saxophone, who was enjoying celebrity status due to his role in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. In 1985, Bruce Springsteen was incredibly popular worldwide. While Clarence Clemons’ saxophone brought a truly spirited soulfulness to the song, the keyboard-oriented bass lines and slick production were a pure product of the 1980s musical technology boom. Nonetheless, Aretha Franklin’s towering soulful vocals and the song’s composition overcame the 1980s overproduction issues. This is a unique one in her catalog and an essential part of her 1980s success.

# 9 – Baby I Love You

As a writer, you listen to this song and stand paralyzed. How does one write music as magical as “Baby I Love You?” Words like groove or soul don’t do it justice. The music here goes beyond words or description. Aretha Franklin’s great song, “Baby I Love You,” was released in 1967 on the Aretha Arrives album.

# 8 – Rock Steady

The great Aretha Franklin song “Rock Steady” was released in 1971. Aretha Franklin wrote it, and it appeared on the 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black. The song also featured an incredible cast of musicians, including The Memphis Horns, Donny Hathaway on organ and electric piano, Chuck Rainey on bass, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Bernard Purdie on drums.

Jerry Wexler produced the record, with Tom Dowd handling engineering and the horn arrangement. Dowd’s extraordinary career also included work with artists like The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and so many more.

# 7 – (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone

Continuing with our 10 Essential Aretha Franklin songs list, we turn to a gorgeous classic song released in 1968. The Aretha Franklin and Ted White-penned song “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” was released on her phenomenal Lady Soul album. The song hit number one on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in 1968. It reached the number five position on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 6 – I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

We could not compose an essential Aretha Franklin songs list without including her first major Atlantic Records hit, “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).” The song was released in 1967. “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” was written by Ronnie Shannon. The song was released on her debut Atlantic Records album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.

# 5 – Chain Of Fools

While some of these Aretha Franklin songs may not be known to a mass cultural audience today, some are so ingrained in culture that their popularity is undeniable. “Chain of Fools” is one such song. The record was released as a single in 1967 and appeared on the 1968 album Lady Soul. It is one of Aretha Franklin’s biggest hits. “Chain of Fools” hit number one on the Billboard R&B charts. The song hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100. “Chain of Fools” was not only a commercial success; it also earned Aretha Franklin a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

# 4 – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

It’s tough to separate the following four Aretha Franklin songs on this list because they are all legendary. Nonetheless, Aretha Franklin’s version of Carole King, Gerry Goffin, and Jerry Wexler’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” was one of her most fabulous studio vocal performances. The song was released as a single in 1967 and appeared on the 1968 Lady Soul album. It was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 3 – Amazing Grace

“Amazing Grace” is probably one of the most covered songs in popular music history. The song’s reach extends far beyond popular music. It is one of those songs that transcends all boundaries. It is one of the oldest songs that still resonates today. John Newton wrote the hymn, and it was first published in 1779. Aretha Franklin recorded the song in 1972. The song was released on the album Amazing Grace.

# 2 – Think

Aretha Franklin’s soul-drenched song “Think” was released in 1968. The song was released as a single from the Aretha Franklin album entitled Aretha Now. Aretha Franklin and her husband, Ted White, wrote the song. “Think” reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 1 – Respect

No doubt about which one we would pick in the number one spot on our 10 Essential Aretha Franklin songs list. Aretha Franklin’s stunning version of “Respect” made her a household name worldwide in 1967. Otis Redding initially wrote and recorded the song. Even Otis Redding admitted that once Aretha Franklin recorded the song, it was no longer his. “Respect” would become Aretha Franklin’s biggest hit single of her career. It was the first of only two of her songs to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her second number-one single was her duet with George Michael on the song “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).” That song was released as a single in 1987.

The song “Respect” featured Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Tommy Cogbill on bass, Spooner Oldham on organ, Aretha Franklin on piano, and Roger Hawkins on drums. The song’s horn section included King Curtis, Charles Chalmers, Willie Bridges, and Melvin Lastie. Carolyn and Erma Franklin sang background vocals.

“Respect” was written and first recorded by Otis Redding in 1965. Aretha Franklin’s version was dramatically different from Otis Redding’s original, changing its point of view and adding the famous spelling section and backing-vocal responses. Franklin’s recording became an anthem associated with both the civil rights movement and women’s empowerment. As we mentioned earlier, Aretha’s cover of “Respect” not only hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, but it also hit number one on the Billboard Hot R&B chart.