Showing some RESPECT to the Queen of Soul - and the first woman inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame - Aretha Franklin - who passsed away on August 16, 2018 - we take a look at 10 of our favorite songs by the QUEEN: 

 

I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Loved You)

 

It was her debut single for Atlantic and it quickly shot straight in to the top ten. The Queen had arrived.

 

 

Baby I Love You

Quintessential ‘60’s soul. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma on backing vocals The Queen of Soul manages to sound sexy and empowering all at once.

 

 

Respect

Quite simply it is one of the most famous recordings of all time. Otis Redding wrote it but Aretha owned it and she added the “sock-it-to-me’s” and spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. She not only made it her own she made it synonymous with her name

 

 

 

Chain of Fools

A classic and one of her best vocal performances.

 

 

Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

This song like others Franklin made famous (Respect, Think, Spanish Harlem) became feminist anthems. Whether or not Aretha set out to become a feminine icon she was one of the first to sing honestly and sincerely from a female perspective that had long been overlooked in an industry dominated by men.

 

 

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Simon and Garfunkel took it to #1 but what Aretha did with it was champion the gospel depths Simon and Garfunkel could only hint at.

 

 

Think

Otis may have written Respect but not long afterwards Aretha herself penned this ode to female empowerment and vividly brought it to life playing herself in the 1980 classic film The Blues Brothers.

 

 

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Her long time producer Jerry Wexler asked Carole King to write a song specifically for Aretha that transcended heartache and really captured and illuminated had much the Queen of Soul rejoiced in love. It became one of her signature songs

 

 

I Say a Little Prayer

Aretha and her backing vocalist, The Sweet Inspirations, were warming up in the studio with this Dionne Warwick song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and thank goodness someone had the good sense to hit record.

 

 

 

Spanish Harlem

The song was written and released by Ben E. King in 1960.  Aretha released a cover version of it in 1971 that outperformed the original on the charts, charting #1 R&B for three weeks and #2 Pop for two weeks. Aretha Franklin's version earned a gold single for sales of over one million. Dr. John played keyboards on Franklin's version.