Aretha (1986 album)
Encyclopedia
Aretha is an Aretha Franklin
album, originally released in 1986. This is the third album with this title to be released by the artist. Other Franklin albums titled Aretha were also released in 1980
and 1961.
The album produced Aretha's first #1 Pop single in two decades with "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
", a duet with George Michael
. Aretha also yielded three other hit singles: "Jimmy Lee", "Rock-A-Lott" and a Hard Rock cover of The Rolling Stones
' classic "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Franklin's vocal from "Rock-A-Lott" was sampled extensively in the 49ers' 1990 hit "Touch Me", while her version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was the title song for the film comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg
. All four of the singles were shot as music videos that received extensive play.
The album is noteworthy for the striking cover, which was Andy Warhol
's final work before his death in early 1987. Following Aretha's first ever Platinum record
, Who's Zoomin' Who?
, Aretha
was certified gold
in only several weeks. Before going out of print, the album sold approximately 900,000 copies in the United States alone.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
album, originally released in 1986. This is the third album with this title to be released by the artist. Other Franklin albums titled Aretha were also released in 1980
Aretha (1980 album)
Aretha is the debut album by Aretha Franklin released on Arista Records in 1980. Franklin's first Arista single release, "United Together", reached #3 on the Soul chart and crossed over to #56 on Billboard's Hot 100. The album itself peaked at #47 and spent 30 weeks on Billboard's main album...
and 1961.
The album produced Aretha's first #1 Pop single in two decades with "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)
"I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...
", a duet with George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
. Aretha also yielded three other hit singles: "Jimmy Lee", "Rock-A-Lott" and a Hard Rock cover of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' classic "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Franklin's vocal from "Rock-A-Lott" was sampled extensively in the 49ers' 1990 hit "Touch Me", while her version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was the title song for the film comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
. All four of the singles were shot as music videos that received extensive play.
The album is noteworthy for the striking cover, which was Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's final work before his death in early 1987. Following Aretha's first ever Platinum record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
, Who's Zoomin' Who?
Who's Zoomin' Who?
Who's Zoomin' Who? is the ever first million-selling, Platinum-certified album by Aretha Franklin, originally released in the summer of 1985. It was the first of four Platinum records in Franklin's 50-plus year recording career....
, Aretha
Aretha
Aretha is a female given name that is probably derived from the Greek arete, "virtue".The most prominent bearer of this name is Aretha Franklin....
was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in only several weeks. Before going out of print, the album sold approximately 900,000 copies in the United States alone.
Track listing
- "Jimmy LeeJimmy Lee (song)The song "Jimmy Lee" was a hit single by American singer Aretha Franklin. The single is the lead-off track on her 1986 album Aretha, and charted at #2 R&B and #28 Pop single on the Billboard Singles chart in early-1987...
" (5:47) (Narada Michael WaldenNarada Michael WaldenNarada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
, Jeffrey Cohen, Preston Glass, Anukampa Lisa Walden) - "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)"I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...
" (with George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
) (4:02) (Simon ClimieSimon ClimieSimon Climie is a songwriter/producer and the former lead singer of the UK pop duo Climie Fisher, who had hits with "Love Changes " and "Rise to the Occasion"....
, Dennis MorganDennis Morgan (songwriter)Dennis Morgan is a songwriter and music publisher, best known for writing songs for Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill, Barbara Mandrell, and Eric Clapton. He has also published hit songs by Garth Brooks, All-4-One, Feargal Sharkey, and Trisha Yearwood.Morgan's career as a songwriter started as a session...
) - "Do You Still Remember" (5:07) (J. Cohen, P. Glass, Walter AfanasieffWalter AfanasieffWalter Afanasieff is a multiple Grammy-award-winning record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his long association with Mariah Carey, for whom he was producer and co-writer for several years, beginning in 1990...
) - "Jumpin' Jack FlashJumpin' Jack Flash"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by Rolling Stone, the song was perceived by some as the band's return to their blues roots after the psychedelia of their preceding...
" (5:04) (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) - "Rock-A-Lott" (6:23) (N. Walden, Joe Johnson, P. Glass)
- "An Angel Cries" (5:03) (S. Climie, D. Morgan)
- "He'll Come Along" (4:13) (A. Franklin)
- "If You Need My Love Tonight" (duet with Larry GrahamLarry GrahamLarry Graham, Jr. is an African American bass guitar player, both with the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station...
) (4:34) (N. Walden, P. Glass, Alan Glass) - "Look to the RainbowFinian's RainbowFinian's Rainbow is a musical with a book by E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane. The 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances. Several revivals and a 1968 film version followed. A Broadway revival ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010...
" (5:13) (Burton LaneBurton LaneBurton Lane was an American composer and lyricist. His most popular and successful work is the musical Finian's Rainbow, "the score for which Lane will always be most remembered."-Biography:...
, E.Y. Harburg)
Production
- Produced By Narada Michael Walden, Keith Richards & Aretha Franklin
- Recorded By David Frazier
- Engineers: Steve LillywhiteSteve LillywhiteSteve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
, Russ Tarana, Mike Iacopelli, Jim Dougherty - Assistant & Additional Engineers: Dana Jon Chapelle, Maureen Droney, Mike Iacopelli, Mark Roule, Lenette Viegas, Jim "Watts" Vereecke
- Mixing: Michael Frondelli, David Frazier
- Recording Studios: Tarpan Recording Studios, The Plant Studios, The AutomattThe AutomattThe Automatt was a sound recording studio in San Francisco, California, promoted for its early mix automation system. During its eight active years, 1976 to 1984, it was one of the top recording studios in the region...
, Studio "D" (Sausalito, CA.), Hitsville, Sigma Sound Studios, Electric Lady Studios and United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan)