Lady Soul

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Lady Soul is the fourteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, Released on January 22, 1968, by Atlantic Records. The album was her second R&B chart-topper, the follow-up to Aretha Arrives and included some of her biggest hit singles, "Chain of Fools" (#2 Pop), and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (#8 Pop), and "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (#5 Pop). It eventually sold over a million copies in the United States alone. The album was reissued on Rhino Records in a deluxe edition in 1995.

Lady Soul peaked at #1, #2 and #3 on Billboard's Black Albums, Pop Albums and Jazz Albums charts respectively. The single "Ain't No Way" - B-Side of "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet, Sweet, Baby)" - peaked at #9 on the Black Singles chart, and #16 on the Pop Singles chart. Gospel/R&B singer Cissy Houston (mother of Whitney Houston) and her group the Sweet Inspirations are credited as background vocals on several tracks, along with Aretha's sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin. In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Lady Soul the 41st greatest album of all time. It is number 84 on Rolling Stone?s list "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The album was rated the 29th best album of the 1960s by Pitchfork.

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Legacy

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

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Track listing

All tracks produced by Jerry Wexler

Recording engineer: Tom Dowd

Side One

1. "Chain of Fools" (Don Covay) 2:46

Recorded on June 23, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals and piano; Jimmy Johnson and Joe South - guitars; Spooner Oldham - electric piano; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; The Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin & Ellie Greenwich - background vocals

2. "Money Won't Change You" (James Brown, Nat Jones) 2:09

3. "People Get Ready" (Curtis Mayfield) 3:42

Recorded on December 19 and 20, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals and piano; Bobby Womack - guitar; Spooner Oldham - organ; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; Melvin Lastie, Joe Newman, Bernie Glow - trumpets; Tony Studd - bass trombone; King Curtis, Seldon Powell, Frank Wess - tenor saxophones; Frank Wess - flute; Haywood Henry - baritone saxophone; Carolyn Franklin & The Sweet Inspirations - background vocals; horn arrangement: Arif Mardin

4. "Niki Hoeky" (Jim Ford, Lolly Vegas, Pat Vegas) 2:31

5. "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) 2:44

Recorded on February 16, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals; Spooner Oldham - piano; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Gene Chrisman - drums; The Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn & Erma Franklin - background vocals; strings conducted by Ralph Burns

Side Two

1. "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (Aretha Franklin, Ted White) 2:25

Recorded on December 16 and 17, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals; Jimmy Johnson and Bobby Womack - guitars; Spooner Oldham - electric piano; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; Melvin Lastie, Joe Newman, Bernie Glow - trumpets; Tony Studd - bass trombone; King Curtis, Seldon Powell, Frank Wess - tenor saxophones; Haywood Henry - baritone saxophone; The Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn & Erma Franklin - background vocals; horn arrangement: Arif Mardin

2. "Good to Me As I Am to You" (Aretha Franklin, Ted White) 3:56

Recorded on December 16 and 17, 1967
Aretha Franklin - vocals and piano; Spooner Oldham - organ; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; Melvin Lastie, Joe Newman, Bernie Glow - trumpets; Tony Studd - bass trombone; King Curtis, Seldon Powell, Frank Wess - tenor saxophones; Frank Wess - flute; Haywood Henry - baritone saxophone. Eric Clapton of "Cream" - guitar obbligato. Note: Jimmy Johnson & Bobby Womack also played guitars on the take but were left off the mix-down.

3. "Come Back Baby" (Walter Davis) 2:25

Recorded on December 19 and 20, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals; Jimmy Johnson and Bobby Womack - guitars; Spooner Oldham - organ; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; Melvin Lastie, Joe Newman, Bernie Glow - trumpets; Tony Studd - bass trombone; King Curtis, Seldon Powell, Frank Wess - tenor saxophones; Haywood Henry - baritone saxophone; The Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn & Erma Franklin - background vocals; horn arrangement: Arif Mardin

4. "Groovin'" (Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati) 2:57

5. "Ain't No Way" (Carolyn Franklin) 4:17

Recorded on December 19 and 20, 1967
Aretha Franklin - lead vocals and piano; Warren Smith - vibraharp; Tommy Cogbill - bass; Roger Hawkins - drums; Melvin Lastie, Joe Newman, Bernie Glow - trumpets; Tony Studd - bass trombone; King Curtis, Seldon Powell, Frank Wess - tenor saxophones; Frank Wess - flute; Haywood Henry - baritone saxophone; Carolyn Franklin and The Sweet Inspirations - background vocals; Cissy Houston - vocal obbligato; string and horn arrangement: Arif Mardin

Bonus Selections

1. "Chain Of Fools (Unedited Version)"

Originally issued on the quad album The Best Of Aretha Franklin, Atlantic #QD-8305, January 08, 1973

2. "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman" (Mono Single Version)

3. "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)" (Mono Single Version)

4. "Ain't No Way" (Mono Single Version)

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Singles

1. "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman"

Atlantic single #2441
Released: September 07, 1967
R&B #2, Pop #8

2. "Chain Of Fools"

Atlantic single #2464
Released: November 22, 1967
R&B #1, Pop #2

3 (A-side). "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)"

Atlantic single #2486
Released: February 09, 1968
R&B #1, Pop #5

3 (B-side). "Ain't No Way"

Atlantic single #2486
Released: February 09, 1968
R&B #9, Pop #16

Note: Numbers in italic (following original single release information) denote peak positions on Billboard's "Top/Best Selling R&B Singles" and "Hot 100" charts respectively - courtesy BPI Communications and Joel Whitburn's Record Research Publications.

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See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1968 (U.S.)

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References

Source of the article : Wikipedia