I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Obviously 5 stars, it’s Aretha.

Aretha is the Queen of Soul. 5/5. 10/10. 100/100. Listening to this is a soul serenade. Save Me!

pretty cool, just a little repetitive in my opinion but I like the rhythm.

Have nothing bad to say about this, a pretty perfect soul album with some classic bangers.

What a voice! Some classic songs performed with gusto.

Despite me having no doubts about the class of this album it’s too samey for me. I didn’t listen all the way

Seminal work of excellence.

This and Lady Soul are probably the top contenders if you had to pick a must-own studio release from the Queen of Soul. For me, the slow, sultry, bluesy songs here are really what makes it the one to have. Honestly, I think a lot of R+B and Soul music from this era was much more focused on singles than full albums, and I'm sure you could argue there's better versions of some of these songs to be found, but I'd still say this is a solid album all the way through.

Incredible voice, good for listening to late at night or a lazy weekend morning

I'd only heard a few of the classics but never this album in its entirety. Absolutely fantastic and even hearing a song you feel like you've heard 1000 times ("Respect") and paying it closer attention (maybe just not hearing it in a commercial, sporting event, etc) shows how perfect a song it really is. Made in 1967 and I love the mix and clarity. I often marvel at how good some old records sound - so many times better than mixes 40-50 years later - and so much is due to careful arrangement and pre-production; knowing what *not* to put in just as much as knowing what to put in. Similarly, this is obviously a vocal artist so Aretha is the feature but on a personal mixing note I *so vastly prefer* what is apparently an older style of mixing the vocals much lower than what has become standard over the last few decades. The vocals mesh with the music far better in mixes like these as opposed to the modern-ish method of sitting way up front and "over" the music.

Not one of my favorite singers but a classic album for sure.

Great soul album.

So clear a purposeful! Such a beautiful lady. More!

1. good stuff 7/10 2. good 6/10 3. nice 7.5/10 4. great 8/10 5. okay 5.5/10 6. really good 8.5/10 7. decent 6/10 8. cool 6.5/10 9. wow 9/10 10. so so 6.5/10 11. decent 7/10

Beautiful soul music to set a relaxing mood, but it's not to my speed. Gotta give respect where R-E-S-P-ECT is deserved though!

- best song: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man - saved - really good, very "exciting" for an album of its time for me

what's not to love about aretha?

A beautiful soul album with the unforgettable voice of one of the best, Aretha.

Flawless

музика із заставок серіалів 70-90их

Holding some of the most powerful and iconic soul tracks of all time its no wonder that this album has massive staying power. Both sonically and socially relevant as the day it produced this album has a though line of soul that you can't help but shout a few bars our yourself.

I can tell this is great music but it's not really my jam. I find myself spacing out over lots of it.

Great vocals. Well-produced. Did not feel like a chore to listen to this.

Incredible. Timeless. One of the best displays of soul onto wax I've ever heard. The B side is a little weaker than the A side, but still very very nice.

Wow! Hammer Album, hammer Frau. Immer noch schön, thematisch (tlw. leider) immernoch aktuell.

All time fav album

Ein Album für Einsame, Hausfrauen, sexuell Frustrierte, Feministinnen, Leute mit Liebeskummer, Fernweh und Hummeln im Hintern. Eins davon war jeder schon Mal.

Ich war nicht wirklich bei der Sache, fand es aber ganz gut.

never loved a man the way that i love nigel. good album this, couple of boring tracks but an enoyable listen.

Amazing. More in line w/ what I’d expect out of an Aretha Franklin album than Lady Soul, but that is not a bad thing at all, for either album. This is an incredible album. It’s got that more boozy, old blues club sound

Some really nice stuff but a bit screechy in places. I enjoyed it but unlike Nena Simone I won't re-visit.

Starts with a bona fuse classic but very quickly loses steam. No questioning her voice but each song sounds like the one before and I found myself bored very very quickly

One of the best soul albums of all time - my favourite cover of a change is gonna come

So chilling, so uplifting, so awesome.

Not my thing but one or two tracks were worth a listen.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You started Aretha's incredible run at Atlantic under the aegis of producer Jerry Wexler, and it's an indisputable soul classic in it's own right. For the first time, Aretha peerless gospel, blues and soul stylings are properly matched with production, instrumentation, and arrangements that accentuate rather than dull her edge. This album is every bit as much Jerry Wexler's triumph as it is Aretha's. I find it amazing that Wexler hit the sweet spot on his first attempt. Respect and I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You) have a gutbucket soul feel, but aren't so raw that they couldn't be sold to the mainstream. But Wexler is flexible enough to arrange the pop soul of Don't Let Me Lose This Dream as well. But I don't want to shortchange Aretha's role in this. She wasn't just a great singer. She was a supremely tasteful keyboard player as well. And you can bet that she had a lot of say in the songs that were chosen along with Wexler, and there isn't a weak one in the bunch. Just how good are these renditions? When Otis Redding heard Aretha's cover of Respect, he hung his head and muttered \"She done stole my song.\"

Incrivelmente eh bem legal! Respect, obviamente eh mais conhecida que o Papa

Amazing in every way

Nooit gedacht dat ik dit leuk zou vinden.

Gouden stem, goed album, maar zou het niet zelf zomaar eens opleggen

she had nice voice but no thank you

Good jams, not my style but enjoyed the short 35 minute album.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

YES ARETHA! I'd only ever heard Respect before but this whole album is jamming. Good stuff, definitely will come back

Good I suppose. I bet 'Baby, Baby, Baby' is Robert Plant's favourite song from this. The creepy nonce.

Wife didn't like it after the second song

A great Sunday Morning album, but I keep wanting the Sam Cooke versions of Good Times and A Change Is Gonna Come... Do Right Woman... is a total tyuuune though.

Admittedly I wasn’t concentrating with headphones on.

Not sure why Respect is on here twice but I think they know that they were doing. Loved just having Aretha belting in the background as I went about my day.

“When she starts singing she blows people’s minds! Everybody wants to party with Aretha”. Great album - and I keep wondering why it’s been decade since I intentionally played one of her albums. Great songs and great singing on the rest. 5 easy.

While the inclusion of "Respect" -- one of the truly seminal singles in pop history -- is in and of itself sufficient to earn I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You classic status, Aretha Franklin's Atlantic label debut is an indisputable masterpiece from start to finish. Much of the credit is due to producer Jerry Wexler, who finally unleashed the soulful intensity so long kept under wraps during her Columbia tenure; assembling a crack Muscle Shoals backing band along with an abundance of impeccable material, Wexler creates the ideal setting to allow Aretha to ascend to the throne of Queen of Soul, and she responds with the strongest performances of her career.

Not something I'd listen to all the time - but an enjoyable album. Good to listen to a full Aretha album instead of just the few famous songs I've previously heard.

can't give any less than 4 but lot of slower tunes

Incredible voice!

7/10

Pretty good, knew a couple of the songs.

I can appreciate the song writing and talent behind the album, but it just doesn't connect at all.

What a voice. You cannot deny the power and soul that this woman always had. Incredible sound. This had me dancing around my apartment with some tracks, and with others just sitting floored by the way she fills every word with emotion! Also, RESPECT. So yeah its a 5 from me dawg.

fire

6

Oh, ich find das stimmlich gekonnt aber sowas von weit weg davon, warum ich Musik gerne höre. Mit-ach-und-Krach 1.4

Wie Malo schon schrieb: diese Frau könnte ein schwarzes Loch zu einem saftigen Steak zersingen. Und sie kann es mit der Backröhre genauso wie mit dem Dampfgarer und dem Niedrigtemperaturberfahren. Und wie sie es kann! Bin gar kein so riesiger Fan von Soul Music, aber das hier: immer gern und immer mehr.

Feels so perfectly timeless.

“I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You” by Aretha Franklin (1967) Never listened to this album, but familiar with Aretha Franklin through hits and radio airplay. Powerful vocals across the tonal range. The performances here are impressive and unquestionably influential, lacking only the stylistic variety that would be discovered and developed by those following in her considerable wake. Backing vocals, however, are weak, lacking tonal blend, and are much too prominent in the mix. Backing instrumentals lack density and are recorded with too much of a ‘small studio’ sound. Somebody please tune that damn piano (especially on “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”). The mix is too simple, frequently ‘stuck’ on an inappropriately dominant feed of certain instruments, which distracts from the real music—Franklin’s wonderful voice. But what a voice. A better cover of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change Is Gonna Come” is to be found on “Suitable for Framing” (1969) by Three Dog Night. Much better. In every way. I recommend that you listen to this album for its historical importance, but to 2021 ears (begging indulgence, your majesty), the Queen lacks soul. 2/5

R.E.S.P.E.C.T! I wanted that album like 15 more times on repeat. fabulous all the way through

not my taste but wonderful vocals

Love Aretha

Aretha's powerful vocals give buoyancy to the entire band, including the backup singers! Tracks like "Respect", "Drown in My Own Tears", and "A Change is Gonna Come" truly showcase the soul of Aretha Franklin and her ability to sing freely around beat while still landing in time with the band, which allows her to put further inflection on top of her already emotional delivery. It should also be noted that her band that accompanies her on this album does a great job and bring life to the song arrangements, however they are overshadowed by the power that is Aretha's voice. The only thing holding this album back from being 5 stars is a lack of variety in the track listing, but the individual tracks that I previously named are all worthy of 5 stars by themselves.

Loved this so much.

"Respect" opens the album - a classic. "Drown in my own tears" (Ray Charles) and "A Change is Gonna Come" covers are great too. So many great songs - very underrated. 9/10.

Not my favorite style of music

Okok

I cry.

Eh, it was ok. Nice singing.

Album good, voice better. Aretha is a legend. Too tired to write more!

Very solid, they don't call her the queen of soul for nothing.

It's a beautiful, soulful album, literally. I could really use some more repeated listens.

It was great, such a beautiful voice. Certainly not something I'd listen to every day though

Strong album with strong voice, beautiful voice.

Hardeer than you thought

It was great

This album is truly a classic. Admittedly, I had never listened to it before. It starts with one of the greatest anthems of all time in RESPECT. I was worried it might fall flat from there, but it did not disappoint. The album was solid all the way through and after one listen convinced me it belongs in my vinyl collection.

Other than respect, it’s ok.

When Respect is the first song on the album, you know it's gonna be good.

Since I saw the album as a teenager, I have wished this was a lesbian power album. Even if the lyrics are about the singer loving an abusive guy, this album slaps.

Perfect. A perfect album.

classic, deserves all the praise she gets

Chingonazo

Me da webaaaa pero pos ni modo... hasta aquí mi reporte

Incredible album, I loved being able to hear Aretha, and got me into listening to more of her music. Such a powerful voice and the music she has backing her is so lovely to listen to. I will definitely be adding more of her stuff to the rotation! Highlights: -Respect -Soul Serenade -Dr. Feelgood -Do Right Woman, Do Right Man -A Change is Gonna Come

Love Aretha...

Classic soul album She has such a great voice and so much of the blues is in this. 10/10

Ni muy muy ni tan tan, pero cantaba cabrón la doña.

Respect * 3 would have made this even better

Brilliant! She should be famous!

Fun fact, Aretha got pregnant for the first time at the age of 12.

I mean it’s Aretha ... So...yes

Great horns (and great voice obviously). Reminds me that I should watch the Muscle Shoals documentary. Lots of covers of songs by other big names, but I found myself preferring her originals. Sleeper hit: "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream"

Fave Track: "Good Times" (Written by Sam Cooke) Fun Fact: "Respect" was originally written/performed by Otis Redding Preferred the upbeat tracks. Mostly bluesy-soul numbers. Her TENTH album already by 1967, gives you pause to think how much music she's made over the years.

Respect.

Don’t let me lose this dream

She's a Queen

Beautiful feeling and voice

Righteousness.

Impossible to not be 5 stars

Love!

Always love a little bit of Aretha Franklin

Good

Respect

Rip Aretha

This record is a split between bangers and snoozers for me. I appreciate her greatly, though.

The kind of voice and lyricist that illustrates why music is an art form.

solid, classic album

Gets me pumped.

Classic, never listened in full, but this seems like the epitome of soul from that time

I mean... I feel like just having Respect on here automatically gives this a 4. What is interesting to me is how many of the songs are actually covers, and moreso, how common this was back in the 1950s-1970s. One song would be done by multiple artists. You can see it here too: Respect (Otis Redding), Good Times and A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke) among others on the album. I think it's really interesting to think about: this album is considered one of the GOATs, it wasn't about HER songwriting, but her singing, music, and conceptions of these songs. It reminds me of Patti Smith and Gloria. Adding their own flair to male contemporaries' songs and revolutionizing them.

Nog een keer luisteren

Smooth and soulful, I feel everything. A beautiful album, well paced and intentional.

I only knew Respect on the album but you always gotta show respect to the queen of soul

Aretha is god.

not bad but it not my jam so i dont really care for it

Gotta show some RESPECT to this album

No lady soul but still great

Love Aretha. Love the Sam Cooke tributes on here. "Good Times" was a great choice and her version of "A Change is Gonna Come" is fantastic, soulful, and spiritual. Favorite tracks: "Respect", "A Change is Gonna Come", "Drown in My Own Tears"

This is certainly a 3.5. All the acclaimed elements I read about are there: I especially love the density of musical material in just over half an hour. Aretha had an iconic voice, of course. The sidemen sound fine. But something about the assemblage lacks the punch of other albums I've heard in the same vein. Yet I believe it's there. One to revisit.

Overall not any bad songs on the album