Aretha Franklin tunes

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The Greatest Singer Of All Time!

Aretha Franklin must have been considered the one that got away by Berry Gordy who did try to sign her to his record label, Motown.

Born in Detroit and with a gospel-singing father that managed her from an early age, Motown seemed like the natural choice.

However, Aretha’s father rejected Berry in 1960 as he didn’t believe the label was big enough for his daughter. Instead, he signed her to Columbia in 1961.

Aretha stayed with Columbia for five years without achieving any major success. By now, Motown was huge and some regret may have been in her father’s mind.

Nevertheless, in late 1966 Aretha signed for Atlantic records. Just a few months later the following year, she went to a studio in Alabama that also had developed a house band, just like Motown had.

Set in Alabama, the house band (The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) strangely wasn’t made up of an all-black cast like Motown’s Funk Brothers were, instead, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was all white.

After spending only one day in the studio, after a hefty argument, the session was over before it seemingly had begun.

Aretha’s husband thought she sang about another man and beat her up so badly he knocked her teeth out. What you hear on the released recording is actually only the guide vocal as she, without teeth couldn’t sing anymore.

Still, the song they recorded on this day was quickly released. It was I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Love You).

Even though it was just a guide vocal, it became her first top-ten hit and would serve as the starting point for Aretha’s incredible worldwide success.

Following her first hit, Aretha released legendary tunes such as Respect, Chain Of Fools, Think, I Say A Little Prayer, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and Rock Steady.

It’s probably impossible to find a female soul singer that doesn’t hold Aretha in the highest possible regard. Her influence is so important to the genre she personifies it.

In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her #1 on their list of 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time.

Aretha Franklin tunes | Related pages

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
Looking out on the morning rain, I used to feel so uninspired.
| C | G/B | Bb | F F C/E Dm |
And when I knew I had to face another day. Lord, it made me feel so tired.

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman chords.

A Change Is Gonna Come

| G | G | Am | Em |
I was born by the river, in a little tent, oh and just like that river I’ve been running ever since.
| G | Am C B7 | Em | G |
It’s been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will.

A Change Is Gonna Come chords.

I Say A Little Prayer

| F#m | Bm7 | Bm7 |2/4 E7 |4/4 Amaj7 |
The moment I wake up. Before I put on my makeup (makeup),
| Dmaj7 | C#7 |
I say a little (prayer for you).

I Say A Little Prayer chords.