Spirit in the Dark (Aretha Franklin album)
Encyclopedia
Spirit in the Dark is an album by Aretha Franklin
, released in 1970. It received mostly positive reviews but was met with middling sales. Despite having two hit singles "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" which peaked at #1 R&B, #11 on the Hot 100, and "Spirit in the Dark" peaking at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100 in Billboard
magazine. It was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of Billboards Top 20. The album is considered one of Aretha's classic Atlantic Records Lp's. In the 1990s Rhino Records reissued this recording on compact disc.
Kanye West
has sampled the album title song in his "School Spirit", found on the record The College Dropout
.
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...
, released in 1970. It received mostly positive reviews but was met with middling sales. Despite having two hit singles "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" which peaked at #1 R&B, #11 on the Hot 100, and "Spirit in the Dark" peaking at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100 in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine. It was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of Billboards Top 20. The album is considered one of Aretha's classic Atlantic Records Lp's. In the 1990s Rhino Records reissued this recording on compact disc.
Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
has sampled the album title song in his "School Spirit", found on the record The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
.
Track listing
- "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"Don't Play That Song " is a song written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson and first recorded by soul singer Ben E. King. The title track on King's third album Don't Play That Song, it reached #2 on the U.S...
" (Ahmet ErtegünAhmet ErtegunAhmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
, Betty Nelson) - 3:02 - "The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday's Kiss)" (Rick Darnell, Roy HawkinsRoy HawkinsRoy Hawkins was an American pianist, songwriter and blues musician. After working in clubs and recording unsuccessful singles, he broke through with his song "Why Do Everything Happen to Me?," inspired by an auto accident which paralyzed his right arm.-Career:Little is known of Hawkins' early days...
) - 4:41 - "Pullin'" (Carolyn FranklinCarolyn FranklinCarolyn Ann Franklin was an American singer and songwriter and the baby sister of musician Aretha Franklin and daughter of prominent preacher C. L. Franklin.-Biography:...
, Jimmy RadcliffeJimmy RadcliffeJames "Jimmy" Radcliffe was an American soul singer, composer, arranger, conductor and record producer.-Biography:James Radcliffe was born in New York City...
) - 3:38 - "You and Me" (Aretha Franklin) - 3:34
- "Honest I Do" (Ewart AbnerEwart AbnerEwart Abner was an American record company executive.-Career:...
, Jimmy ReedJimmy ReedMathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, as opposed to the more acoustic-based sound of many of his contemporaries...
) - 3:19 - "Spirit in the Dark" (Aretha Franklin) - 4:03
- "When the Battle Is Over" (Jessie HillJessie HillJessie Hill was an American R&B and Louisiana blues singer and songwriter, best remembered for the classic song, "Ooh Poo Pah Doo"....
, Malcolm Rebennack) - 2:43 - "One Way Ticket" (Aretha Franklin)- 2:52
- "Try Matty's" (Aretha Franklin) - 2:32
- "That's All I Want from YouThat's All I Want from You"That's All I Want from You" is a popular song by Fritz Rotter , published in 1955.The song was recorded by a number of artists, but became a major hit for Jaye P. Morgan, reaching #3 on the Billboard chart in the United States...
" (Fritz Rotter) - 2:44 - "Oh No Not My BabyOh No Not My Baby"Oh No Not My Baby" is the name of a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song's lyrics describe how friends and family repeatedly warn the singer about a partner's infidelities, but the singer refuses to believe them...
" (Gerry Goffin, Carole KingCarole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
) - 2:55 - "Why I Sing the Blues" (Dave ClarkDave Clark (musician)David 'Dave' Clark is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the leader and drummer of the 1960s beat group The Dave Clark Five, the first big British Invasion band to follow The Beatles to America in 1964....
, Riley King) - 3:05
Personnel
- Aretha Franklin - vocals, piano
- Dave Crawford - organ
- Howard "Buzz" FeitenBuzz FeitenHoward "Buzz" Feiten is a North American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and session musician.He is best known as a lead and rhythm electric guitarist, and for having patented a unique, scientifically designed tuning system which re-configures its stringboard / neck for more accurate tonality...
- guitar - Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (musician)Jimmy Johnson is an American a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section that was attached to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a period in the 1960s and 1970s, and later was the a founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located at first on 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama and at...
- guitar - Jay O'Rourke - guitar
- The Sweet Inspirations - background vocals
- Wyline Ivy - background vocals
- Margaret Branch - background vocals
- Tommy McClure - bass
- Almeda Lattimore - background vocals
- Harold "Hog" Cowart - bass
- Jimmy O'Rourke - guitar
- Sammy CreasonSammy CreasonSammy Creason was an American session drummer who played with Tony Joe White, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan among others....
- drums - Ronald "Tubby" Ziegler - drums
- Roger HawkinsRoger HawkinsRoger G Hawkins , is an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama...
- drums - Pat Lewis - background vocals
- Duane AllmanDuane AllmanHoward Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician and the primary co-founder of the southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band...
- guitar - Cornell DupreeCornell DupreeCornell Luther Dupree was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman, and wrote a book on soul and blues guitar: Rhythm and Blues Guitar ISBN 0-634-00149-3...
- guitar - Jim DickinsonJim DickinsonJames Luther "Jim" Dickinson was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the Memphis based band, Mudboy & The Neutrons.- Biography :...
- keyboards - Ray Lucas - drums
- Charlie Freeman - guitar
- Evelyn Greene - background vocals
- Brenda Bryant - background vocals
- David HoodDavid HoodDavid Hood , is a bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame....
- bass - Mike UtleyMike UtleyMichael Utley is a former American football player. He is known for being paralyzed during an NFL game.-NFL career:...
- keyboards - Barry BeckettBarry BeckettBarry Edward Beckett was a keyboardist who worked as a session musician with several notable artists on their studio albums...
- organ, electric piano - Eddie HintonEddie HintonEddie Hinton was an American songwriter and session musician best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers...
- guitar
Chart history
| Name | Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit in the Dark | U.S. Billboard Pop Albums | 25 |
| Spirit in the Dark | U.S. Top R&B Albums | 2 |