Young, Gifted and Black
Encyclopedia
Young, Gifted and Black is a Top 10 Gold-certified album by Aretha Franklin
, released in 1972. It takes its title from the Nina Simone
song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black
", which is the record's title track.
Young, Gifted and Black won Aretha a Grammy Award
for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In 2003 the TV network VH1
named it the 76th greatest album of all time.
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 1972. It takes its title from the Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
"To Be Young, Gifted and Black" is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. It was written in memory of Simone's late friend Lorraine Hansberry, author of the play Raisin in the Sun. The song was originally recorded by Simone for her 1970 album Black Gold; released as a single, it became...
", which is the record's title track.
Young, Gifted and Black won Aretha a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In 2003 the TV network VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
named it the 76th greatest album of all time.
Track listing
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby) Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby) "Oh Me Oh My " is a Top 30 hit for Lulu which charted in 1969–70; the song has been most notably remade by Aretha Franklin and Tina Arena.-Lulu version:... " (Jim Doris) |
3:42 |
| 2. | "Day Dreaming" (Franklin) | 4:00 |
| 3. | "Rock Steady Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin song) "Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album Young, Gifted and Black. The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart... " (Franklin) |
3:15 |
| 4. | "Young, Gifted and Black" (Nina Simone Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music... ) |
3:34 |
| 5. | "All the King's Horses" (Franklin) | 3:56 |
| 6. | "A Brand New Me" (Theresa Bell, Jerry Butler Jerry Butler (singer) Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician... , Kenny Gamble) |
4:26 |
| 7. | "April Fools" (Burt Bacharach Burt Bacharach Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick... , Hal David Hal David Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:... ) |
3:29 |
| 8. | "I've Been Loving You Too Long I've Been Loving You Too Long "I've Been Loving You Too Long" is a song written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler. It appeared as the A-side of a 1965 hit single by Otis Redding - and subsequently appeared on his third album, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul... " (Jerry Butler Jerry Butler (singer) Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician... , Otis Redding Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B... ) |
3:36 |
| 9. | "First Snow in Kokomo" (Franklin) | 4:04 |
| 10. | "The Long and Winding Road The Long and Winding Road "The Long and Winding Road" is a ballad written by Paul McCartney that originally appeared on The Beatles' album Let It Be. It became The Beatles' 20th and last number-one song in the United States on 23 May 1970, and was the last single released by the quartet... " (John Lennon John Lennon John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music... , Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100... ) |
3:38 |
| 11. | "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) "Didn't I " is a 1970 single by The Delfonics, produced by Thom Bell and released on the Bell record label. The recording is considered one of the most notable early Philly soul singles to be released and is regarded as a classic, winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group... " (Thom Bell Thom Bell Thomas Randolph "Thom" Bell is an American songwriter and producer, best known as one of the creators of the Philadelphia style of soul music in the 1970s. He moved to Philadelphia as a child.-Biography:... , William Hart) |
3:42 |
| 12. | "Border Song (Holy Moses) Border Song "Border Song" is a gospel ballad originally performed by British musician Elton John. Lyrics are credited to Bernie Taupin . The music was composed by John.... " (Bernie Taupin Bernie Taupin Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in... , Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor... ) |
3:22 |
Personnel
- Dr. JohnDr. JohnMalcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
- Percussion - Aretha Franklin - Piano, Celeste, Electric piano, Vocals
- Donny HathawayDonny HathawayDonny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
- Organ, Electric piano - Billy PrestonBilly PrestonWilliam Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
- Organ - Sammy Turner - Background Vocals
- Hubert Laws - Alto Flute
- Chuck RaineyChuck RaineyChuck Rainey, is an American bass guitar session musician, known for playing with many well-known American musicians and acts, including Donald Byrd, Steely Dan, Quincy Jones, and Aretha Franklin.-Biography:Rainey's youthful pursuits included violin, piano and trumpet...
- Bass - J.R. Bailey - Background Vocals
- 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:...
- Background Vocals - Erma FranklinErma FranklinErma Franklin was an American gospel and R&B singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and the Reverend C. L. Franklin and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin...
- Background Vocals - The Memphis HornsThe Memphis HornsThe Memphis Horns are an American horn section made famous by their many appearances on Stax Records. They have been called "arguably the greatest soul horn section ever." Originally a sextet, the Memphis Horns gradually slimmed down to a duo, Wayne Jackson on trumpet and Andrew Love on tenor...
- Ensemble - The Sweet Inspirations - Background Vocals
- Jack Adams - Engineer
- Howard Albert - Engineer
- Ron Albert - Engineer
- Don Arnone - Acoustic Guitar
- Margaret Branch - Background Vocals
- Ann S. Clark - Background Vocals
- 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 - Jimmy Douglass - Engineer
- Tom DowdTom DowdTom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
- Arranger, Producer - Chuck Kirkpatrick - Engineer
- Eric GaleEric GaleEric J. Gale was a leading American jazz and session guitarist.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gale began playing guitar at the age of 12. Although he majored in chemistry at Niagara University, Gale was determined to pursue a musical career, and began contributing to accompaniments for such stars as...
- Bass - Lewis Hahn - Engineer
- Dan Hersch - Remastering
- Bill Inglot - Remastering
- Wayne Jackson - Trumpet
- Andrew Love - Tenor saxophone
- Ray Lucas - Percussion, Drums
- Arif MardinArif MardinArif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
- Arranger, Producer, Remixing - Michael Mazzarella - Research
- Hugh McCrackenHugh McCrackenHugh McCracken is a rhythm guitar player and session musician, arranger and producer based in New York.Especially in demand in the 60s, 70s and 80s, he appears on many recordings by Steely Dan, as well as albums by Donald Fagen, Jimmy Rushing, Billy Joel, Roland Kirk, Roberta Flack, B. B...
- Guitar - Gene Orloff - Concert Master
- Gene Paul - Engineer
- Gary PetersonGary Peterson (record producer)Gary Peterson is an American record producer. He is probably best known as the creator of Golden Throats. Peterson and partner Pat Sierchio produced four volumes of the series for Rhino Records, which collect bizarre examples of celebrities singing pop music classics.Peterson began as Rhino's first...
- Research - Robert PopwellRobert Popwell-Career:Known as "Pops", he played with The Young Rascals, The Crusaders and the Macon Rhythm Section. The Young Rascals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame May 6, 1997. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005...
- Bass, Percussion - Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Percussion, Drums
- Neal Rosengarden - Percussion, Trumpet, Vibraphone
- Pat Smith - Background Vocals
- Jerry WexlerJerry WexlerGerald "Jerry" Wexler was a music journalist turned music producer, and was regarded as one of the major record industry players behind music from the 1950s through the 1980s...
- Producer - Ronald Bright - Background Vocals
- Don Cassale - Engineer
- Al Jackson, Jr. - Drums
- David Nathan - Liner Notes
- Geoff Gans - Reissue Art Director
- Patrick Milligan - Research
- Howie Albert - Engineer
- Stanislaw Zagorski - Cover Design
Chart positions
| Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album | |||
| Year | Title | Pop chart | Black chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Young, gifted and black | #11 | #2 |
| Billboard (North America) - singles | |||
| 1970 | "Border Song (Holy Moses)" | #37 | #5 |
| 1971 | "Brand New Me" | - | - |
| 1971 | "Rock Steady" | #9 | #2 |
| 1972 | "All The King's Horses" | #26 | #7 |
| 1972 | "Day Dreaming" | #5 | #1 |
| 1972 | "Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You Baby)" | #73 | #9 |
| 1972 | "April Fools" | - | - |