I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Viihdyin mukana ja kolme kertaa rullailin läpi. Kotiin pyöräillessä jäin miettimään millaista musaa Arethea laitettaisiin tämän päivän tuottajien ja mogulien toimesta vetämään?

Varma levy, vaikkei mullistava

The Queen of soul! I enjoyed the small studio with a large and powerful voice sound.

Very good

amazing voice, great album

Aretha is a vocal powerhouse, but many of the tracks feel too similar. Regardless, I still enjoyed the record.

Unquestionably one of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century. Great album with some even greater songs. What could you possibly complain about?

Aretha's first record on Atlantic and it changed the trajectory of her career. Great record! Probably my favorite female singer

Great

我很久沒有聽爵士樂了，其實也不能說自己有沒有聽得懂。我在聽這張專輯時，搭配著悠閒的一咖啡廳下午，桌上有著很還好的檸檬塔（太液態），這感覺挺不錯，我要去拿一間外套了，冷了身子感冒不太好。

Great album. Ms. Franklin has a lot of talent and such a powerful voice. Favorite tracks: Save Me; I’ve Never Loved a Man

8/11/24 A good strong album.

One of those albums I’ve known about, but never listened to. What an incredible singer.

Yeah, this is an amazing album. Were you expecting me to say something else? Aretha Franklin is arguably the most iconic female singer that I hadn't yet gotten an album from up to this point. This album is one of her most iconic, and for good reason. This album is excellent. Aretha's singing is just phenomenal. I totally get why people love her singing so much. The sound on here is strong too. It has a perfect blend of jazz and soul that I really like. The songs are great as well. While she did help write a few of these songs, most of them are covers. However, these covers are quite transformative in my eyes, both in terms of the sound and the perspective. The obvious example is in the absolutely legendary opener, "Respect." I like the original Otis Redding version. I did give the album it was on a 5 after all. However, this is basically Aretha's song at this point. Her slight lyrical changes and overall performance change the song from being yet another song about a man wanting a sexual relationship with a woman to the strong female empowerment piece it's seen as today. That is the beauty of this album. While no other songs live up to the example set up by "Respect," this album's other songs are still great and have a similar core to them. Overall, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You is a strong album that has stood the test of time and left a cultural legacy that most albums can only dream of having. While there are albums I like more, I can not deny this album the praise it deserves. Also it's like the perfect length so it has that going for it as well. Light 5/5.

I haven't had this long but I think I'm going to love it. What a voice.

Soul

Aretha's voice is incredible and Respect is an incredible song. While everything else is good, nothing really stands out and blends together

Yeah it’s good, she sounds great, and the record is quick and pleasant to listen to. However I’ve been feeling really depressed lately. (I am writing this on November 7 2024.) Maybe this was a bad time to listen to this. But hearing ‘Respect’ and ‘Change Is Gonna Come’ kinda hurt right now.

Favorite tracks: Respect, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), Dr. Feelgood, Save Me. Aretha's voice is so good, so engaging. The songs sort of blended together for me, but I did enjoy listening to this. I wish more songs captured the magic and energy of Respect. 3 stars.

Such a talent. The arrangements sound so ahead of their time and her voice is amazing.

Love the voice. It’s pretty classic.

Wow

Soul music. The instruments are pretty basic, but that’s okay. The focus is on Aretha Franklin’s voice, and rightfully so.

There’s a reason she’s the Queen of Soul.

Soul queen

Legendary album.

Soulful and nice to listen to. Not much else for input

I RESPECT this album

As a vehicle to show off how much of a raw talent Aretha Franklin is - splendid

Fabulous voice!

Eh

Came to this

So much talent but not my favorite music

Pretty great, if not fully my cup of tea

a classic album - best voice

Magic on tape

She's the queen. I enjoyed it, even if this isn't the style I normally turn to.

R E S P E C T

Incredible album! Loved every single song. Added to the list of Vinyls I HAVE to get

Mother of soul. Enough said.

Almost exactly what you'd expect

She is so incredible!

This album could be twice as old as it is and I still wouldn't be able to forgive it things like Ms. Aretha standing 10 meters away from her Microphone on Save Me. But few technical aspects like this aside - yes it's obviously absolutely phenomenal and goregous and awe-inspiring collection of soul music, with Respect being one of the greatest openers to any album in history.

While I’ve heard Aretha’s most well known songs, I’ve never sat and listened to one of her albums all the way through. What was I thinking? This album was amazing. There’s a reason Aretha is the Queen. Her vocals are impeccable and the emotion and connection she draws with the listener is everything I want in music. This album felt like a Saturday night in front of the fire with a glass of good wine. 5/5 for me.

What a great way to start a Monday! It's not the first time that Aretha Franklin has appeared here. First Chains Of Fools and now Never Loved a Man. There is nothing more that can be said on this subject. She's the best of soul, she's the greatest singer of all time! The only comment that I will, in fact, repeat, will be the old saying that says that Aretha between the second half of the 60s and the first half of the 70s was at her peak... and my comment about that is the following: When hell wasn't she at her peak?

Truly and forever the Queen of Soul ❤️

Unbelievable talent.

Jamen hun er så god jo

Bedre end den anden Aretha vi havde synes jeg! Meget consistently høj kvalitet, hun synger pisse godt. Folk tager generelt fejl når de synes at de skal lave et cover af A Change Is Gonna Come, men den her var vel en af de bedre

Respect

Iconic voice and incredible soul singer. Plenty of classic hits on this one that remind us of why Aretha is so great. She really sets herself apart both as a female artist and as a soul artist in whole. Great record.

Man this lady can sing!

Day288 - a true legend and worthy of her queen of soul title

What’s there to say? What a beautiful album. Bow down to the Queen! God Bless Aretha Franklin, the One and Only!

It’s good, it’s Aretha Franklin. Not sure why the songs repeated twice though. I couldn’t hear a large difference if there was any. Standouts: Respect, Drown in My Own Tears, Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream, Baby, Baby, Baby, and Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.

Listening to the mono recording. Not much more needs to be said about her singing. But these are good songs too. The instruments sound great and the album is tight and focused. I definitely see myself putting this on again. Timeless. Favorite tracks: Respect, Soul Serenade, Don't Let Me Lose This Dream, A Change is Gonna Come.

Borderline 5.

I like da bass

Some good songs

The Queen of Soul at the height of her power and the pinnaacle of the genre.

She’s got some pipes

Obviously this is very good. Whole lotta soul. I could put it on whenever and it would sound fine. It doesn't quite hit my personal sweetest of sweet spots, but this will do just fine.

Heard before. Pretty good record.

Pure talent

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. Incredible voice and incredible woman. Some absolute standout songs but the rest did not disappoint.

This album doesn't seem too special. It features the classic track 'Respect', but apart from that it seems like generic soul. Aretha sings amazingly here and it's the only remarkable thing about the record.

Beautiful.

This one mostly coasts on one song. Respect is epic, but beyond that, there's only a couple of songs I would consider above average. Outside of those, the rest barely registers, and the streaming numbers back that up. Most of these songs sit under 10 million plays on Spotify, which isn't a high bar even for a 1967 album. Visions of Johanna, a deep cut from Dylan's catalog, has 22 million, and that's an old song too. Older songs tend to get less streams, so the bar is low. Yet most of this album still can't clear that bar. That's not a streaming problem, it's a songwriting problem. 3 stars. One legitimate classic, a couple of good tracks, and a lot of filler.

The Good: the Queen of Soul The Bad: the album I was directed to on Spotify had the first 3 songs of the album repeated at the end of the album The Ugly: it was only 3 songs, should have been all songs... Killer album of killer songs sung by a killer voice. 5*

Respect automatically knocks it up to 5. Areatha is amazing throughout but some of the material she has to work with is a bit weak

great album

Unbelievable talent of soul. One of a kind voice.

Just sublime soul lady doing sublime soul lady shit, a tremendous cover of "Respect" that meant she took ownership of the song, the title song is passion unbridled, and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" is a timeless classic. The start of a run that has rarely been equalled in music; this album followed by Aretha Arrives in 1968, then Lady Soul, then Aretha Now, then the Aretha Live in Paris live album in 1969. 18 or so months of solid gold bangers.

Very good

5/5

Her voice is amazing, but the most of the songs sound quite the same. And didn't like the lyrics at all.

There's a reason she's called "The Queen of Soul," her vocals on this album are phenomenal! From "Respect" to "A Change is Gonna Come," each song pulls you in from deep within and beckons you to feel what it's say and playing. Beautiful instrumentation, production was amazing, I'd give this a 10/10

Respect. Album production and recording quality lets the album down a bit. It would be amazing to listen to this recorded with modern production. Best: Respect, Save Me Worst: Soul Serenade

Can very much imagine sitting in a darkly lit bar in America somewhere sipping a beer listening to this feeling very content with life.

Not really for me but I can appreciate the voice and the composition. I don't think I'm a Motown guy

Really enjoyed this one and it was so close to a 5. Great singing, great arrangements. Nice to put on after dinner.

Opening with Respect is so c*nty. Also sis can SING

Delightful listen

I feel like I don’t really get this album. Aretha Franklin is undoubtedly a top vocalist, her talent is impressive and non-negociable. The songs, however, seem bland at best. Apart from Respect, of course. But then again I am not really a fan of soul, so who am I to judge? 2.4/5 just because of Aretha’s vocals.

Solid!

Good artist, not for me.

Who doesn't like Aretha?!

Great Soul Record! Lyrics and Instrumentals got really pushed to another level because of aretha.

This album fucks. I only knew the hits but every song is really good. I think the kids would call her a baddie? I am for sure playing this one again.

Strong album, incredible vocals. Didn’t hit any nerves for me.

Soul powerhouse. Some classics on here. I could listen to her voice forever. Love the subject matter of the songs as well.

Brilliant record. Her voice, the music, the lyrics and overall themes. Its so so good. I think it's easy to kind of just move on past Respect, but that song is important! Deep themes in that one. Then its followed up by the heartbreaking Drown in My Own Tears, which is not only a fantastic blues song, but has some sneaky good blues guitar. Her voice is what holds you throughout. Soul Serenade is perfect. Such a great soul / blues song. She's waaaails. Baby Baby Baby is such a good love song. Perfect for the time, still holds up. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man is a sneaky feminist anthem. Really cool. I love the covers of Good Times and A Change Gonna Come. She takes over and just owns those songs. Really incredible record.

It's just a great vibe and while it's not my home turf, it's great turf to spend time on. My favourite moments are the bluesier numbers but you can't fail to admire the quality of her singing throughout.

Très doux et puissant ; joyeusement mélancolique, et coloré dans l'ombre de l'existence de sa chanteuse. Un album classique de la discographie d'Aretha. À écouter sans modération.

Listened to it in the car on the way to Oshawa for 4:45PM.

Makes me want to dance Full of energy Some songs are a bit boring

It's good but I am not Feeling It.

A hell of a lot of undistinguished filler on this album (near enough all of the non-singles tracks are totally disposable). And even while everybody holds their tongue on this issue, Aretha’s voice is not as dynamic as people make out. When she’s belting out her soulful melodies, there’s no one better. But I couldn’t believe how quickly her sass started to wear thin with me - when she isn’t doing her one trick, just skip. That being said, the singles mostly make up for the album’s generally non-existent songwriting and anaemic production. I suppose it’s a drawback of this list’s criteria, but leaving aside her “signature song”, this is soul by numbers for me.

Finally!

Favorite Tracks: A Change Is Gonna Come Respect I Never Loved A Man

One of the best albums I've ever heard. I get the hype

Bit samey but overall great

A Change is Gonna Come 3 *repeat* tracks Aretha has a beautiful voice. Most of these aren’t something I’d regularly reach for but nice slow melodies. 4/5

It is rare, by which I mean you have to be listening to Aretha, that a vocal can knock the wind out of you and leave you breathless. From the regal pomp and sheen of RESPECT to the feeling and power of her (seminal) version of A Change Is Going To Come, she's the ultimate vocalist with the songs to match.

Loved it!!

Funky, I love it... hadn't heard much besides RESPECT and now I know why she's a legend!

I’m going to cut to the chase. Is this album a five out of five for me personally? No. I do feel that the album gets a little monotonous after Respect, and a bit too much of the tracks sound a little like each other. I’m also not really the biggest fan of soul. But with the negative stuff out of the way, it’s still a half hour of Aretha Franklin serenading your ears, and that’s probably better than maybe more than half of the albums on here. Favorite track: Respect Other hits: Soul Serenade, Baby,Baby,Baby, Good Times, Do Right Woman,Do Right Man, Save Me, A Change is Gonna Come

Too many bangers to give this album less than five. Will come back to next time I need to hear some Aretha.

this didn't have a lot of standout moments for me (besides Respect) but i did enjoy it!

this was a pleasant album and aretha has an incredible voice. respect is of course a bona fide classic. i also didn't realize how funny and fun some of her lyrics were, like in dr. feelgood and i never loved a man. the rest are solid tracks, even if they didn't grab my attention like those three. favorites: respect, i never loved a man (the way i love you), dr. feelgood (love is a serious business)

Yes they are just covers, but the range of Franklin's voice... I think that's all I have to say

good

This was a good way to enjoy my morning coffee. Thank you!

Solid album from a fantastic singer.

Bien.

She has such a beautiful voice, that is so effortless and yet passionate and emotional. So much love and pain in the album, truly a classic and beautiful album.

This album is excellent. The queen of soul definitely brings the soul. The whole thing is pretty flawless. Easy 5!

é pur sempre Aretha...

Solid album. Enjoyed it, wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again

Great

Its a good album but lets face it I will never listen to it again.

estoy poniendo muy alto todos. Serán realmente buenos o me estoy condicionando?

i could listen to her sing all day but i actually couldn’t because the songs were lame

Obviously she's a legend and her vocals are unbelievable... But boring tho.

Soulful and body-piercing in the best way possible!

A very great and compelling album. Really no low points, just the fact that it's very simple in nature holds it back. But will keep listening. 4/5

She really sings her heart out in this one.

This was absolutely flawless. I had a backlog of albums to listen to for this project and was "saving" this one because I just knew that this was going to be great. And it was! My favourite track was the title track, but of course "Respect" is a classic, iconic song for a reason.

Classic, rock solid foundational soul from THAT VOICE! This is ‘comfort music’ (even though I have no particular personal emotional history with it).

Perfection.

Such a great voice. It must have been amazing to hear this album when it first came out, to hear Otis Redding’s Respect as the opening track and reimagined with such energy. Listening to it now, I didn’t feel excitement although I could appreciate her voice and arrangements. Over the years I’ve started to prefer to singers who have more grit/character in their voice. Otis Redding and Esther Phillips sing some of these songs and those are the ones to which I keep returning.

Amazing singing. Classic composition. It feels very powerful. Standout track: A Change Is Gonna Come

great voice, but not my music

Aretha's voice is just so powerful and enchanting. She really is one of the all time greats. The album itself had a nice progression- it highlighted the rral difficulties in relationships, while also capturing zuch raw emotion. Overall- I enjoyed it a lot. Probably a 4.5 star, but not quite a 5

Gotta love Aretha.

The queen of soul. This is a good album.

Album#2 Thought the majority of the album would be more fast paced especially after ‘Respect’ which was so high energy and such a banger. Vocals and instrumentation were very good but found a few of the songs boring and some of the lyrics very basic and quite bad at points.

Not great

Aretha Franklin isn’t usually in my wheel house but here I Am on the “1001 albums to Listen to….” Now of course I knew “Respect” going into this and it is definitely good song.Its not the songs fault that it’s a tad overplayed by today’s standards. I almost consider this a song used for Movie/TV soundtracks. Great opening but glad it was out of the way to get into the meat of the album Next up we have “Drown In My Own Tears”and is a more gospel break up song. The horn section is stellar on here. Title track is more of the same and kinda Meh. It’s not terrible but nothing mind blowing. Beyoncé based her entire career off this ONE SONG “Soul Serenade” has a amazing outro and another driving horn section keeping everything together “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” sounds like another song but can’t put my finger on. It’s definitely one of the BEST SONGS on here. It just Might be my favourite. “Dr. Feelgood….” & more so “Good Times” are a couple upbeat Duds. They seem innocent and fun enough but definitely preferring the Ballads. They are no “Respect” ,and I shall show these tracks none. It’s understandable that we need a couple more lively numbers but these just are not cutting the mustard “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” is back on track can’t say it fully works but the chorus is really good. “A Change is Gonna Come” is a perfect way to end this album and makes up for a few rough spots. However this has Nothing on Sam Cooke version, sorry Aretha Franklin In the end this album had a chance at 3.5/5 (maybe even a 4) but that middle section/ most of the second half of the album was just decent. Solid 3/5 (It should be noted the backing vocals are just as amazing at Aretha herself) 1* - Not Good 2* - Has Merit 3* - Would listen Again (Good) 4* - Like It/Love it 5* - Love It & is A Classic album

Didn't know she had a version of Change is Gonna Come. Welcome surprise.

Favourite track: Respect

Incredible Album, Artist and Voice. Truly the greatest female vocalist of all time.

Great voice, a few catchy tunes. Another one that just isn't my style. I wouldn't turn it off if it came on, but I'd never seek it out.

Great album. Respect is one of the all time great songs by anyone, and probably gives this 5 stars by itself. Fortunately the rest of the album is brilliant to listen to. A classic that can be played as nice background music or blasted at full volume.

I don't know how you could not like this.

Thoroughly engaging, a real treat

VMP

Starts off strong with respect, then moves into slightly more gospel type music. All pretty good but not quite my cup of tea. Might go back and listen to the whole album but not in a rush. Has some strong social messages in the songs which were probably ahead of their time, don’t detract from the songs but just don’t think the genre is necessarily for me.

BOOOOOOORING. Voice may be the main appeal but I don't like the phrasing and the melodies are boring. Mostly rhythmically and harmonically the same in every song. I have little to say about this really- just very boring. When you're doing loop music like this it helps a lot to have arrangements that contrast with the leading voice because of the lack of variation, which this doesn't do at all. Likw the backing vocals and guitars for example dont really counterpoint the rest of the instrumentation even if they have different rhythms. Blah. The Flamingos are better.

I “respect” the hell out of this thing but my rating reflects my enjoyment

Classic album. Some really good tunes. Whole album has a movie sound track feel. Got to be in the right mood to listen 7/10

So much better than just respect

Liv 3

V good, perfect for late night dinner party listening

If I could sing like this every problem in my life would be solved

Un bon petit album d'une grande chanteuse, pas tellement de quoi de plus éloquent à dire. 6.5/10

Il y a des albums, dans cette liste interminable, qui se présentent avec le poids de l'Histoire sur leurs sillons. Des disques qui, avant même que le diamant ne touche le vinyle, vous murmurent à l'oreille : "Attention, gamin, tu pénètres en terre sacrée." Et "I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You" d'Aretha Franklin est de cette trempe, c'est plus qu'un album, c'est un putain de jalon culturel. Un acte de naissance, la pierre angulaire sur laquelle une partie de la musique populaire du 20ème siècle s'est construite. Le contexte, on le connaît. Aretha, jeune prodige à la voix d'or, se morfond chez Columbia qui essaie de la transformer en chanteuse de jazz proprette pour cocktails mondains. Et en 1966, le couperet tombe, la maison de disques la lâche. C'est alors que le flair de Jerry Wexler, ponte d'Atlantic, entre en jeu, il la signe et l'envoie direct à la source, au studio FAME de Muscle Shoals, en Alabama, pour l'entourer de la crème des musiciens du coin. La suite, c'est la légende, une alchimie se crée. La session donne naissance au titre éponyme, et même si une embrouille entre le mari d'Aretha et un des musiciens fout le bordel et force le rapatriement des sessions à New York, la fusée est lancée. Le résultat ? Cet album fut un tournant majeur dans sa carrière. Mené par deux titres devenus des hymnes planétaires, l'album s'est carapaté dans le Top 10 américain à la vitesse de la lumière. "Respect", cette reprise d'Otis Redding qu'elle s'est appropriée avec une telle force qu'elle en a fait un manifeste féministe et un cri de ralliement pour les droits civiques. Et bien sûr, la chanson-titre, complainte bluesy d'une puissance émotionnelle terrassante. D'un coup, la "Lady Soul" n'était plus une promesse, elle était LA reine. Elle a, sans conteste, révolutionné la soul et est devenue l'une des artistes les plus importantes de son temps. La messe est dite, l'analyse historique est faite, tout le monde est d'accord... C'est un chef-d'oeuvre. Alors pourquoi, mais POURQUOI, je me retrouve à devoir justifier un médiocre 2/5 ? Eh bien, asseyez-vous, parce que c'est là qu'on va arrêter de parler d'Histoire avec un grand H et qu'on va commencer à parler de musique avec mes oreilles de mec né en 1970. J'ai grandi avec le brouillard de Manchester, pas avec la chaleur de l'Alabama. Ma trinité à moi, c'était plutôt The Cure, The Smiths et The The. C'est le son qui a forgé mon ADN. Alors, quand je mets ce disque d'Aretha, j'entends la perfection, j'entends des musiciens au sommet de leur art, un groove implacable, une production chaude et enveloppante. Et puis j'entends la Voix, cette putain de voix. Une force de la nature, un miracle, un instrument capable de passer de la caresse la plus douce à la colère la plus rugissante en une fraction de seconde. Objectivement, c'est inattaquable, c'est un 5/5 technique, un 10/10 historique. Mais subjectivement, mes amis, qu'est-ce que je me fais chier. Pardonnez mon langage, mais il faut que ça sorte. Passés les deux-trois titres phares qui sont de toute façon gravés dans l'inconscient collectif, l'album s'installe dans un confort qui me laisse totalement de marbre. C'est de la soul de manuel, exécutée à la perfection, certes, mais sans la moindre aspérité, sans le moindre dérapage qui pourrait retenir mon attention. C'est un album qui semble avoir été conçu pour plaire au plus grand nombre, et il y est parvenu admirablement. Mais moi, le "plus grand nombre", ça a toujours eu tendance à me faire fuir. J'écoute "Drown in My Own Tears" ou "A Change Is Gonna Come" et je respecte la performance, je comprends l'émotion, mais je ne la ressens pas. Ça glisse sur moi. C'est comme regarder un film en noir et blanc acclamé par la critique : tu vois bien que c'est un chef-d'oeuvre, mais tu n'arrives pas à te sentir concerné. L'émotion est codifiée, les arrangements de cuivres sont attendus, le piano est élégant. C'est trop propre c'est trop américain, dans un sens qui m'est complètement étranger. La soul d'Aretha, même dans la douleur, porte en elle une sorte de foi, de résilience, une connexion au gospel qui me passe à dix mille pieds au-dessus de la tête. Moi, j'ai besoin de la crasse, j'ai besoin du doute, j'ai besoin de sentir que l'artiste est au bord du gouffre, pas qu'il va s'en sortir en chantant plus fort. C'est une question de culture, de sensibilité. Je suis un européen cynique, que voulez-vous. Alors voilà. I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You est un album que je suis content d'avoir dans ma discothèque, au même titre qu'un livre d'histoire. Je le sortirai pour expliquer à quelqu'un ce qu'était la soul en 1967. Je lui dirai "écoute ça, c'est le sommet, la référence". Mais est-ce que je le mettrai un soir, seul, pour me laisser transporter ? Jamais de la vie. Je préfère encore me fader un bon vieux disque de Godflesh pour me rappeler que la vie, c'est avant tout du bruit et de la fureur. Un 2/5, pour le monument, pour la reine, pour le cours d'histoire. Mais pour l'émotion, je repasserai. Pardon, Majesté, ce n'est pas vous, c'est moi.

Other than "Respect" the album doesn't really shine the way you'd expect from an Aretha Franklin record.

Wow. 11 straight killer tracks added to the 1001 Experience Playlist. This was such a mesmerizingly beautiful album from the first note to the art. What a voice, what a talent 🔥

Enjoyed this quite a lot, very listenable soul.

Too long ago to remember let’s say 3

Pretty nice sounding soul music. Stand out track: Respect

easily one of the greatest singers of all time. this is a great album

Really liked this album! Had not listened in full prior

Музыка по большей части не моя, но альбом хороший. Лучшая песня - Respect.

R-e-s-p-e-c-t. This queen has earned it.

Great soul from a legend! Not the most varied lyrics though. Love the hit Respect.

Pretty good, but why is Respect on this twice?

3.5

If I could time travel to a moment of the past, it would be someone's living room playing this record for the first time when "Respect" comes on. A few songs in and I already know this album is a five. Easy listening in the background or sit and listen to every word Mrs. Franklin has to preach. Can't pick a favorite

Aretha! What’s not to love 😀

When you start an album with a song as strong as respect it’s inevitable that the songs after won’t reach the same heights. That said, enjoyable album with amazing vocals.

For someone to do an Otis Redding song better than Otis Redding garners my Respect.

One of the best from the Queen of Soul. Absolutely timeless.

I mean, it's good but outside of the hits I feel it's a little redundant.

Have on vinyl. This is strong from start to finish with an excellent voice. Essential

Franklin's voice is incomparable. Some of her great hits on this one, as well as some other songs we didn't know but really enjoyed.

I guess this is the reason why Aretha Franklin is considered one of the best. This album was great. I love good vocal work. And she hits every note with ease. And you know there is no pitch correction or auto tune. Just straight up talent. Not sure why this record has 3 repeated songs. Is this just a streaming thing? Is it just the era of music? Unnecessary either way. Great listen.

Aretha Franklin’s I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You is a masterpiece that showcases her stunning, soulful voice in full bloom. The album is anchored by Franklin’s powerful and emotive performances, which bring a deep, heartfelt quality to each track. The arrangements are superb, blending classic soul with gospel influences to create a rich, dynamic sound. The title track, along with other standout songs like Respect and Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, highlights Franklin’s remarkable vocal range and emotional depth. The production is polished yet retains a raw, authentic edge that complements Franklin’s delivery perfectly. Each song feels like a personal revelation, making the album not just a collection of tracks but a profound musical experience. It’s a quintessential soul record that remains as captivating and influential today as ever. Overall, the album is a testament to Franklin’s extraordinary talent and enduring legacy. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 6 STAND OUT TRACK - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Didn't think I would like this one as much as I did

Impressive and impactful but not completely my thing. Much better than expected though and I can understand the appeal

Such a great voice!!

Halfway through I decided that there is a lot of grating vocals here. Still some good songs, especially on the back half

As R & B albums go, this is one of the most influential and recognizable landmark releases for sure. There is no denying her signature sound and style. My first introduction to her was actually in the 1980 film, “The Blues Brothers”. This is not a frequent go to genre of mine, but I do understand this contribution to the evolution of modern R&B/ rock history.

I was a bit surprised at how most of the songs fall into the same slower tempo. But it doesn’t matter with a voice like Aretha’s. Preach.

Aretha’s vocal talent is the obvious standout here, as the songwriting sort of out kicks its coverage. She could sing the dictionary and still get a 4, though.

Aretha’s voice gave me a hug and I liked it…a lot

Obvi great but doesn’t reach 5* for me personal ear holes. 4/5

Correcto

She has such an amazing voice that each track is a treat to hear. I only ever heard the singles released until now. Glad it got on this list.

Come on, it's Aretha Franklin. I've never listened to this album the whole way through, and I don't actually like Soul all that much, but this is good.

Absolutely lovely record! Some jazz-infused soul/ R&B with one of the best female vocalists of all time in the cent of it all. The arrangements and songwrigting are subtle, unexpected and perfectly configured without loosing the raw swampy feel. Of course her cover of respect is iconic and impassioned but I was pleasantly surprised to see there were a lot of them tracks on this record that rivaled its energy and magnetism. A career defining album for Aretha and I loved it!

4/5

My only complaint about this album is that Aretha's voice can be overpowering. She swings for the fences on every track, which would be fine if she were the lead singer for Led Zeppelin, but too much of the material here is just softball stuff.

It's a decent album I like. "Respect" is alright but not the best song like the Rolling Stone says it is. The other tracks are similar and remind me of "Great Gig in the Sky" but with lyrics. Franklin did a great performance on this album. I can't wait until the next album I'll review. 3 stars for "INLaMtWILY".

'Respect' so good they put it here twice. In all honesty, could have gone for a third.

Surprising that this was Aretha Franklin’s first breakout hit, and her 10th album. “Respect” is the obvious highlight, as well as the title track, but overall it’s probably as close to a perfect album as anything else on this list. It has a cohesive feel throughout, and the songs/performances are perfectly matched.

Soulful as expected. Pretty good, although this is something I have to be in the mood for.

Outstanding album. Another artist I've never really listened to but probably should. So soulful and groovy.

Beautiful album. So soulful, I could really feel everything.

She's the queen of soul, I can't help it

This is one of those easy 5 star albums. For me its the peak album of the best female vocalist of all time. Herr voice, the songs, the playing and the soul are all unparalleled. Just put this on and smile.

There's a reason why Aretha's called the queen of soul. This music is so well performed, and that voice! She's timeless! Liked songs added: - Respect - I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You) - Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

Great

Good tunes for the background but why is Respect here twice.

Exactly what I’d expect from an Aretha Franklin album

Nostot Good times ja A change is gonna come aika hyvö mutta vähän liian minimaalinen tuotanto, tykkään soulimmasta soulista

Beautiful soulful voice.

It's fine, and Respect is a classic, and there is no doubting the voice ... but it's not my thing. I don't dislike it, but I don't like it either.

Amazing from start to finish!

7.5/10

I mean what can you say about this album. Absolute masterpiece.

A five for the first and last track alone. What a lady.

Restepce!

Great showcase of vocal talent, but not coherent as an album and not particularly exciting for me musically. Amazing voice though!

She's got a great voice and is known as the Queen of Soul. This album doesn't do anything to make me think differently.

“Respect” +1, killer voice, generic 60s R&B

This album is top class. I absolutely get why this is on a list called 1001 Albums to listen to before you die, this album so deserves to be on it. Love it.

Go power, vild åbner sejt album.

Kæft et åbningsnummer. Der er få albums der kan måle sig med så ikonisk en åbner. Det er en af de få covernumre som jeg syntes er markant bedre end originalen. Derefter går der lige lovlig meget “hjerte rimer på smerte” i den. Men Mrs. Fraklin er ikke the Queen of Soul uden grund. Den stemme bærer meget af albummet. Ikke mindst på lukkeren, hvor Aretha brænder fuldstændig igennem på et cover af Sam Cookes ikoniske A Change is Gonna Come.

A bunch of standards performed to an incredibly high quality, can't ask for much better.

Tranacendent for sure, wont return to it but it sounds pretty modern

classic, soulful

Pas mon style mais j ai passé un plutot bon momznt, elle chante tzrriblzmznt bien aussi 7/10

No misses on this one.

good

OOOOOO I LOOOVE ARETHA. I'm just gonna say I have high expectations already. I probably know some songs off the album, I've seen this over too, haven't checked the songs on Spotify tho. Her voice, style and the way she delivers some lines is too good to ignore. Smn said Her soul doesn't sound good enough for modern ears, especially lyrics, but I kind of disagree with that, but there IS a chance that I might not even like this, however, I'm too positive about the album already to find it bad. I generally like women vocalists and Aretha is just one of them, I hope there's more of them here for me to check out. Why is there two \"respect\" on the album, weird, they must be the same songs too, also love that song, just don't remember it well. First song, Oooh movey and dancey jazz. The background vocals are what makes this a classic btw. The chorus is lyrically girlbossy and I'm here for it. Her voice is obviously amazing, don't even need to state that. Production is too good on this, those "ooh"s that match up with the beat, just satisfying. The bridge became popular at some point I think, because the delivery is very known to my ear. Second song, this one's slower, makes me want to learn the lyrics. Her vocals are impressive, but not overly unique. Idk why but she sounds young somehow. Sonically it's another adventure tbh, wouldn't say better than her vocals tho. That scream voice at the end killed the song, in a good way I mean. Third song, this one's also girl bossy in a way, but also about devoted love to smn who might not be deserving of it. I don't really look at the lyrics at the first listen, so if we don't count those two factors, it sounds quite fine. I just heard a guitar and that's rare with Aretha I think. It's getting louder and therefore better. 4th song, slow start. What a beat drop, god I enjoyed that one. This kind of jazz especially with a female vocalist is the best to me tbh. It has a walking beat which makes it fully better. Thing is each song sounds kind of same, which should be a problem, but somehow isn't, lyrics are the most different thing between songs, and I'll only be able to unlock that feature after a few listens. 5th song, bossa nova? Definitely not regular jazz. Piano appeared, probably for the first time. It's kind of r/b too. There was a sonical progression which quickly stopped and I loved it, but too short. Background singers came back, they're singing with her. Each song fades away, as expected. Didn't really likes this one, might be a grower. 6th song, lyrically I can hear it's about her loving smn, never really got interested who she married(if so). Background singers are singing the song title mostly. This one's dramatically slower than other songs. Trombone(idk) appeared and made the song a little better. Probably my least favourite off the album for now. It's too same, I can't hear chorus(if there is one) and that's bad for a song. 7th song, piano start. Idk what to write, they all sound to same for me to say something different that I haven't already said, does sound good tho. If I immerse myself in an old jazz bar and see Aretha singing this, than this becomes a veeery good song, but just looking at her album cover does no such thing. Also bad chorus here too. I always say whether songs are catchy and many of the last songs haven't been, they just background music for now and hear me out that's not a bad thing. The ending had a clear jazz appearance and I wish there was more of that. 8th song, this already is catchy with that start. Relatively fast and less boring too. I don't like how she sounds on these, she's quiet somehow, even though she has a powerful voice. Chorus is hearable and it's a good one I suppose. Realised that I haven't said a thing about verses, cuz they be basic af not sure. 9th song, now she has a clear voice here, also the album cover is changed, so is this the remastered version and that's why it sounds better? If so that's bad. Background singers appeared and not so successfully, but they catchy in a way. This is an emotional song definitely, just hard to feel anything without knowing what she yapping about, I'm not complaining if it sounds that way, just stating facts. This is giving, just divorced woman drinking and walking in a idgaf way, but slowly. 10th song, rock? Not a hard one, but definitely I hear a guitar of some type. Better lyrical delivery too. I was walking with the beat before and I realised that I haven't fast walked because songs were soooo slow and this made me do it, finally. She's vocalling more too. It has a "rescue me" vibe lyrically especially. 11th song, finally she vocalled a little more than expected. Start was slow and that's what the whole song is gonna be. She should have hired better jazz musicians, ik that fastness isn't what she was going for anyway, but she should have, though this album is for a rainy day, howeverrr since respect is here, I expected a more energetic one. Also the writers(in some songs Aretha is the writer so she might be bad at it too) are bad at delivering choruses and diverse songs. This one's kind of progressing sonically, but it ain't enough. 12th song, these last 3 songs were added in 1990s apparently, and this "respect" is a different version, but Idc, at least I'm gonna listen to this bop again. Background singers saying "just a just a just a" is such a good part, and this is what I mean by first listen doesn't say anything about a song, I might have a missed a lot already on this album, and even though I don't like that, I'm not gonna add most of the songs to my playlist, just gonna trust the process. 13th song, oh shit these are the same songs. Well I'll try them again, maybe I'll find some Easter eggs. I actually like the constant beat, idk the name, but there's some instrument delivering some good sonical line. There was a music stop at some point and she sang a capella for a short time, didn't notice that before, background singers sang along too. Oooh this is the one where guitar randomly appeared. Trombone(I think) is getting louder and me is loving it, of course that's the time when the song finishes. 14th song, sounded like a Christmas song for a second. It's actually funny how I talk the same amount as I first listened to those last two songs. The background singers are the best part here, I remember I said they were kinda catchy, and now them randomly appearing sets the vibe. Ooooh "show some respect for me" self references, you go girl. This sounded like bridge, because it had a different delivery, but also didn't make anything that was relatively more wowable. Well I expected a lot more than this. I was already ready to rate this 5 stars, but I'm now thinking 4. But thing is it's Aretha, I love her and these songs will grow on me one day or another. Also it's not even 4 or 5. So let's say it's a 4.5 album and rate it 5, because I can't do that to my girl. As a sum up review, I'd say this deserves to be here, but there must be other better albums than this. This WAS the vibe in these times so I can't complain about it being a little low on quality (ykwim), so I'm just gonna say I'm not impressed, but neither too disappointed.

Fantastic voice, lots of soul in the best way. I wish more of her tracks were played in rotation, seems like Respect is the only track anyone plays by her

Ya know, I've always thought that Franklin had an amazing voice. I liked and downloaded a fair few of her songs on spotify. And even though I enjoyed them, I always find myself skipping them. I really have to be in the right mood for them, because even though her voice is great, I always find the songs themselves to be too sleepy for my taste. That's ultimately what I found here; an album that I can appreciate but ultimately isn't for me beyond the few hits.

The very best of the genre. My Favorite songs are Respect and I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)

the lazy and frankly Morally Despicable route that some have taken is to say that aretha herself is the "only reason" to listen to this record, even if that was true that reason alone is equal to ten reasons for a different record. the color and gravity and pathos and excitement here is all hers, propelled by the songs while also effortlessly spinning them into something distinct. the perfect soul performance, in other words! and the songs are ALL undeniable as far as im concerned...plus while the band is no wrecking crew, theres plenty of good moments for them too. the moments of genuine forward/authoritative sexuality (wrestled from songs written by men no less) are not only mind-expanding precursors to so many big pop divas afterwards, theyre also just good and interesting Art. so is everything here!!!

When there's "Respect" opening the proceedings, how can you *not* select this album in a list such as this one? Aretha transcends Otis Redding's song and her choices of vocal arrangements are so effective and soulful that the original version pales in comparison, as nice as said original version already was (and who among general audiences even remember it today, right?). The thing is, as far as essential or near-essential albums go, *Aretha Now* has more hits, and it's also clear to me that *Lady Soul* is an even better record than *I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You*. Let's face it, those other Aretha Franklin albums have a far more dynamic tracklist, with a perfect balance of lively cuts and slower ones. Conversely, *I Never Loved A Man...* mostly comprises ballads, and if the four that follow "Respect" are stellar (special mention for the bossa nova tones of ""Don't Let Me Lose This Dream"), the ones at the center of the LP ("Baby, Baby, Baby" and "Dr. Feelgood") are quite lukewarm. And most of all, they sound too damn similar. Sam Cook-penned "Good Times" is a bit more enticing, but it's also somewhat mundane and quite predictable as well. Which is not the case for another tune written by Cook, closer "A Change Is Gonna Come"--Aretha's performance on this ballad serves its oh-so-topical contents in such a moving way that the song soon becomes quite anthemic. And the two other highlights on side 2 are "Save Me", with its pop-rock overtones, and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", with its tense-yet-sensual mood and its dramatic background vocals. As such, those three standout tracks make up for the relative loss of momentum that has occured right before their appearance, at least... So yeah, maybe that's a slightly overrated album in my book, but the overall message of emancipation conveyed by a lot of those songs, plus Aretha's legendary singing chops, still make this one a keeper... And if you think I'm splitting hairs here, look at my final grade. 4/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums". 9/10 grade for more general purposes (5+4) Number of albums left to review: 123 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 381 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 225 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 283

3/5

Its ok. Its soul. Its a classic.

Soul perfection.

To state to the obvious...that voice. Finally it is matched with an excellent slate of songs, a great band and pitch perfect production. I prefer Aretha to swing rather that straight ballad as such - this albums dips a bit in the middle but overall - music of the highest order. And that voice. 4.5/5.

Ein Klassiker und das zurecht

This is easy: great artist, great music, great album.

Vocals are insanely beautiful, I've mixed feelings about the lyrics, need a few more listens.

While Aretha is obviously one of the most iconic figures in all of music, her music works much better in compilation form than album form, and some of the cracks show on this album as well. Terrific highlights, though.

Just another teen mom without a college education here… Okay, she also happened to be the Queen of Soul and the woman who shattered virtually every barrier in music. This album is a testament to genius, and I don’t use that world lightly. I heard Respect for the first time in the Blues Brothers and it quickly became a favor track (only later did I discover it was an Otis Redding cover). Dr. Feelgood is a fantastic look at her blues roots, while I Never Loved A Man was a soulful serenade made for weddings and anniversaries for generations. I thought it was interesting that Save Me was her lyrics and the background music for Them/Van Morrison’s Gloria, which predates this album by 3 years. But the Swampers were a powerful for a powerhouse. This album is a classic

Queen of Soul with her signature song, Respect. So amazing they had to put it on the album twice?! Ok, maybe one is a mono version and the other is stereo. No reason though to not listen to Respect twice. I can't say I've listened to much Aretha besides the hits but this was a solid listen and I'll have to put this into the rotation.

Good album and pleasant songs to get lost in. A few songs I really liked

Very good

RESPEGC!

Aretha Franklin is a national treasure. Five stars. But can we talk about that Lithonia video? And how it perfectly nails this one aspect of visual storytelling in this particular vein that is so effective with me? This isn't a place to talk about it. And I feel like this may be a throw away video for a lot of people. But this is exactly the kind of thing I signed up for when I signed up for watching things.

Committing a heresy here - I'm not a huge fan of Franklin's voice, despite its might and resonance. But - this is about as perfect a vehicle for her talents as can be imagined. The backing band add a little grease. Although it can get a little soupy at times, this is a bona fide triumph.

Bangers

A great collection of songs mostly well sung and played. Sometimes I wish Aretha would back off on the impro and just play it straight.

she's the queen for a reason !!

Respect is such a powerful opening track, I wish I could hear it for the first time again. It's a tough one to follow though, and I honestly can't remember how any of the other songs sound now that it's been a few days. But I know it's a joy to listen to her sing, and I'll plan to give this another listen sometime.

Of course, an incredible voice and a classic style. But it’s an album for a certain time and mood, which is few and far between for me. A perfect example of how appreciation and an understanding why it’s great doesn’t always equate to something I deeply enjoy and want to listen to often.

The lyrics can get repetitive, but Aretha's voice partially makes up for it.

Wow amazing at loss for words. The pain. Dont know how she did this but I felt that shit in my heart Magical voice, amaizing feel, great song order, simply a masterpiece Ive never heard before

Tight set of beautiful Aretha classics. Wonderful, timeless album.

I find the environment I listen to these can really matter for my experience. This one was unexpectedly perfect from that perspective. I listened to this while walking from hotel to the US Capital while on vacation. It was great so walking and strolling. I’ve hear this one before on another long list challenge. Great song choices. Great performances. All around wonderful record.

- Wieder so eine Kult-Künstlerin und Kult-Album - ein paar "Oha"-Momente aber insgesamt hat mich das Album ziemlich kalt gelassen, was mich dazu bewogen hat, dass hauptsächlich im Hintergrund zu hören. 2,75/5

- der Hördurchgang war in Ordnung, nochmal würde ich es aber wohl nicht hören

The Queen!!!!!

After all the psychedelic hippie bullshit and completely unremarkable Brit pop on this list, it is so refreshing to hear pros that are masters of their instruments (watch the Muscle Shoals documentary if you haven’t yet) backing an amazingly talented singer and making perfect pop/soul/R&B songs. There should be way more albums like this on this list and way less of the garbage that’s actually on here. The title track and “Do Right Woman” are incredible and “Respect” deserves its reputation as one of the best songs ever recorded. The rest of the albums is less impressive, but is still worth hearing. This album captures one of the greats of American music in her prime.

Another fantastic album. Every track is beautifully crafted. The covers of the Sam Cooke tracks are, arguably, better than the originals - and the originals are themselves incredible. Muscle Shoals and Stax are, imo, the studios that produced the best output in the 60's.

„Respect“ auch Soul kann fesselnd und spannen sein. Es wir mutig provoziert, jedoch bleibt die Klarheit und Ausducksstärke der Stimme erhalten. Texte und Konzept des Albums sind gut. Es bringt einen gedanklich in eine Südstaatennacht nach New Oerleans.

Pretty good. I liked the general theme of the album and some of these songs were very fun and catchy. Overall I enjoyed it

She’s probably the GOAT singer she just really might be

I think I didn’t give this one enough attention. Really loved some songs though so should revisit on a day not directly before a show lol. Happy opening to twelfth night!

Voice like a bazooka and songs to go with it. 5/5

Great voice but not really my favorite style of music. "Respect" secures her the third star. 2,5

I'm very surprised at just how many 2- and 3-star ratings there are, with a significant number of them being some variant of "Respect is great, but the rest is meh." Nah, no way. This is easily a high 4-star album, if not 5 stars. There are a couple of factors holding it back. Like Lady Soul (another album on this list), the production is noticeably poorer than more modern soul material - which aligns with Franklin's releases having performed poorly on the charts prior to this one. The mixing is typical for old-school blues/soul, bringing out all vocals much more clearly than the rhythm section. This is a little problematic for the backing vocals, which sometimes overpower Franklin's lead (and/or the horn/piano parts) when they shouldn't. Otherwise, though, there's nothing to fault. The lead vocal is stellar. The songs - many of them covers, by the sound of it - are fantastic, paying homage to the original versions while (almost always) brilliantly overshadowing the original with soulful, powerful vocals and instruments. The piano is also really good throughout the album. 4/5 Key tracks: Respect, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You), A Change Is Gonna Come, Soul Serenade

Exactly how my wife describes my technique in the bedroom - completely effortless 4.7

Very good but not her absolute best.

🩵

6 stars, one of the albums that stand above all the rest!

RESPECT Rating: 3.4/5

I don't get it.

Great album!

I mean come on

Respect is one of the most important tracks ever made. The rest makes an important and classic soul album.

Great voice, great album, but not nearly as great as Aretha Now and Lady Soul. Nevertheless a timeless soul classic. 3.7*

Fabulous voice, love Respect. None of the rest of the tracks stood out to me but I enjoyed the album. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Great voice, really fun 60’s style stereo separation, but most of the tracks didn’t do that much for me. 2.5 rounded up.

First time listening to aretha franklin. Payed my respects and she serenaded my soul. good times

although a great and solid album, it lacks versatility

The "Queen of Soul". Her charisma and style make a lot of the songs entirely hers. She was that kind of performer with that kind of talent. An automatic 5 for this one!

Aretha is fantastic. Enjoyed this one. She is so revered for a reason. 4/5 Will listen again

Amazing classic soul

It’s Aretha. So you know it’s classy. Kicking off with Respect is setting the bar ridiculously high for an album. I thought I would know more of the tunes. There aren’t many of the bangers. Surprised to see it made Apple’s 100 as it hasn’t left that much of an impression one me. But it’s Aretha.

Fantastic R&B album by the Queen of Soul. A joy to listen to, and even better when the running time clocks in at around 33 minutes. Fantastic!

Solid fucking R&B album that was really more bluesy to me. This was an unexpected pleasure.

Very Soulful indeed.

Trailblazing. Epic. Aretha.

It's Aretha...how can it be anything other than amazing.

The Queen. Can you imagine these lyrics today, though?

My least favourite music genre.

Kiva että hitit tulee lopussa vielä uusiksi, niin ei tarvitse käännellä levyä. Okeiiiii on hyvä levy, asenne pysyy läpi levyn: ei ole ”baby please” -biisejä vaan asiaa. Eheä kokonaisuus, vaikka sinänsä toivoisin muuta kuin sinkkukokoelmaa. Kolme puol pyöristyy neljään.

Tämä hittiparaati ei välttämättä kolahda heti, sillä kappaleet on rakennettu (tai lainattu) ennen kaikkea esittelemään artistin verratonta laulutaitoa ja -ääntä. Mutta hiljalleen biisit avautuvat ja paljastavat koukkunsa, jotka syntyvät milloin mistäkin: torviriffeistä, yllättävistä osista ja tietenkin ihan vain melodioista. Tämä levy täytyy kuulla.

Really good album

She is the best

É bom, gostoso, datado, mas muito agradável. Não pararia para ouvir, mas tomaria um vinho com amigos ouvindo numa boa.

An amazing voice that I could never get tired of listening to. Most of the songs were new to me.