Lady Soul

This lady is from another dimension; what a wonderful and powerful voice; what an energy; I have all the R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha, I believe she still is delighting all the heaven souls 🥰👍

As usual, Aretha Franklin has a beatiful voice, and she brings such a fun energy to her songs. Album starts off good with a couple solid tracks. People Get Ready is beautiful. I enjoyed Niki Hoeky quite a bit. And then You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman comes on. Obviously a classic, well earned. Good To Me As I Am To You is really fun. and Ain't No Way sends us off nicely. There is not a single dud on this album, every track is beautiful. Really fun album, thoroughly enjoyed myself. Love you, Aretha! Best song: You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman

Maravilhoso

Really tremendous album. That last song, Cissy Houston soars.

No notes. Amazing. I’d follow her from venue to venue if I could time travel to then.

There will never be another queen of soul. Her voice is so effortless powerful and distinctive. This album is full of her signature songs and catapulted her to the top. RIP.

Probably the queen of soul with an iconic voice. Several toe tappers. Also had an actual impact on the industry and genre.

the goddess of soul

This is the real goods. It’s just so good, so, so very good.

Omfg yes. Classic tracks sung with soul

This is the quintessential soul album that is great despite being before the era of and not in the theme of the “album.” Her singles are so strong that they are unbeatable and put together this is an amazing show of a true talent at the height of her power. Intoxicating, sensual and heartbreaking in a perfect spin.

10/10 I’d been an admirer of Aretha Franklin’s work for a long time before listening to this album, and there were a ew standout tracks on here that I was already familiar with, but this album as a whole was a fresh one to me. It kind of goes without saying that Aretha has one of the most controlled, nuanced and distinctive voices in the history of recorded music, and you will find reference to her vocal talents all over my track by track breakdown. But that would all be for nothing, if the songs and music didn’t at least come close to providing a worthy backdrop to her abilities. And thankfully, here they step up to the plate in an almost majestic way. The band stride confidently along the line of giving exactly the amount of space for Aretha to do her thing, while still allowing themselves to step into prominence when she provides them the space. They consistently deliver a locked in yet smooth and fluid groove with all of the dynamic range and control that's needed to bring a living, breathing pulse to the music. The song choices are fantastic, with a really considered range between slow jams and higher tempo grooves that tickle towards edges of funk. There's also a nice mix of covers, songs written for Aretha and self penned tracks, which all adds up to a superb blend of quality. And that all ends with the unexpectedly spectacular final song that just blew my socks off, written by Aretha’s little sister Carolyn. There were a few moments that were perhaps slightly weaker than others but, frankly, the highs did enough to balance out any slight dips. So it’s safe to say they nailed all of the ‘non Aretha’s voice’ parts too. But final word should go to that very thing. Aretha owns every song she sings. She has so much effortless quality and delivers the required emotion out of a melody every time. From soft, sultry moments to soaring, driven highs, via vocal trills and vibrato that just seem tossed away like they’re second nature, she’s an absolute joy to listen to time and time again. The Queen of Soul indeed. Chain Of Fools - Such a groove to kick off the album. The alternating and then unified backing vocals are quality and Aretha eases herself into things so smoothly before giving a little taste of her vocal gymnastics here and there. There’s so much feel to the band here and it’s super tight, full of movement and has so much soul. Money Won't Change You - Her vocal delivery is exquisite but feels so effortless. She can chuck in a lovely bit of grit when she wants to and she can flick her way up and down scales and runs with reckless abandon, never losing the thread of the groove or melody. There’s a really great pulse to this that gets handed off between the different parts, but they also all come together at points to really drive home the rhythm. Super solid again. People Get Ready - A nice change of pace now. This one has some absolutely fabulous moments, the piano and guitar in particular add some quality nuance in places, and there are some really lovely chord changes. It’s slightly more of a meandering track, but Aretha just keeps delivering to give it undeniable quality and heart. Niki Hoeky - This has got a great rolling rhythm and the little horn stabs and swells give it that little extra dose of feel. It really makes you move. The bass work is so deep in the pocket you can barely reach it and it just strolls around brilliantly giving a pulsing tonal heartbeat. Some of the high notes she hits are stunning and there are more little runs and trills that just blow you away but are never overdone. Love the little breaks for the guitar too. Quality. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Carole King’s songwriting just gets deep into my bones. This is just a spectacular song. The harmonies in the chorus are stunning, the slow lilt to the rhythm in the verses oozes groove, and the subtle brass parts just add a gorgeous warmth to the song. And then you get Aretha just delivering a vocal masterclass of vocal and emotional control in her performance. It’s got bags of dynamic range, it ebbs and flows and it’s got an absolutely killer hook. Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) - Back to another solid groove. Aretha is smashing it again. It’s super tight and well put together, and the horn parts are great, in particular. It’s perhaps a bit less hooky and focused than some of the other tracks, and relies a little too much on repetition of the ascending scale motif, but it’s still a solid, tail shaker of a track. Good To Me As I Am To You - What a great, jazzy intro. The piano and guitar playing against one another is top notch. It’s a slow groove and Aretha just delivers again and again. She really knows how to push and pull her vocal intensity. A lot of the players get their little moments in here too, and it’s a great all-rounder that really delivers a great range of dynamic and passion. Come Back Baby - The bass line here is brilliant. It just strolls all over the place and gives everything another solid pulse. The call and response of Aretha and the backing vocals is great too and this is just a a super solid uptempo bounce of a track. It’s kind of hard not to be uplifted by a song like this. It’s not the most deep and meaningful of songs, but it’s and absolute beast of a good-time jam. Groovin' - Damn right they’re groovin’. This is smooth. It’s got that laid back soul feel to it that has enough zip to give it drive, but is relaxed enough that you can just chill while you bob your head. The little offbeat climbs from the band and backing vocalists during the verses are just slow soul perfection. Aretha gives a more restrained performance, for the most part, and here trills and vibrato at that low intensity just go to further prove her vocal control credentials. What a great track. Ain't No Way - Good god, this is excellent. It’s another slow jam, written by Aretha’s sister Carolyn, who is credited with backing vocals. If that’s her doing the high vibrato into a descending run, vocal talent must run in the family, because that is spectacular. This track is just a groove that does exactly what it needs to, which is provide a superbly written backbone to let Aretha just do her thing over the top. It’s chill inducing stuff and, again, she knows how to push and pull that dynamic. She’s got exceptional range, not only pitch wise, but the intensity and firmness of her delivery is so flexible, and she knows how to drag every bit of feeling out of a song. What a way to end the album.

Just such fantastic sound throughout. Strong instrumentals, strong sound, vocals, everything perfect. Wouldn't change a thing.

I mean its Aretha right? I had always heard of her and respect and all that but I never sat down to listen to a whole record by her. And damn im glad this site brought me here. Its just all around great. She has a powerful voice and she has good taste. She works with good people to bring in great musicians to make the best backing for her. Its all just wonderful and good and pure and worthwhile. Just listen cause its damn near perfect

“Lady Soul” is another outstanding album by Aretha, about which there isn't really much to say. Everyone probably knows “Chain of Fools” (which, more than 50 years after its release, is in itself a sign of quality), and writing any more good things about Aretha's voice doesn't seem particularly useful to me. That leaves a brief comparison with her album “I Never Loved a Man...”, released a year earlier, which is absolutely comparable in quality and which I already had the pleasure of reviewing: Here, too, the strongest song is right at the beginning (was that common practice back then?), Aretha's style no longer seems quite as groundbreaking, and this time the album title is short enough to write out in full. That's it!

Lots of classic pop soul stuff on this record, but some amazing gems. "Ain't No Way" is one of my favorite songs of this genre.

What an absolute gem of an album. Blasting right off with Chain of Fools and just keeping the vibe high the entire album. I didn't expect to give this a perfect score but I can't imagine enjoying an entire album much more. I will definitely listen again and glad I got this. 4.5/5

5 stars

The Queen for a very clear fucking reason

# Album Name: Lady Soul # Artist: Aretha Franklin # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: What a banger. Great voice. Great tunes. Amazing album. # Top Tunes: Whole damn thing # Would I listen to it again? yes

Aretha Franklin, one of the most powerful female vocalists in history. Her voice is soothing, relaxed and absolutely powerful. Nobody else sounds like her. The songs here aren’t always the most adventurous or groundbreaking, but she refined Southern Soul to the point where even a plain tune turns into a masterpiece the moment she opens her mouth. Highlights on this album are "Chain Of Fools", "Nicky Hoeky", "A Natural Woman" and "Ain't No Way" (my personal favorite) which gives me goosebumps every single time. She will forever be missed. One of the greatest of all time. 9/10.

Overall Rating - 4.70/5 (9.40/10). Albums like this are why Aretha Franklin earned the title "The Queen of Soul."

good classics and the ones i hadnt listened to were fun

All class. Day two album. Stereo turned up. Tail end of the thanksgiving blizzard. Holed up alone in Houghton. 4.75/5

Incredibly enjoyable all the way through.

Exceptional album! Damn, she was the Queen, prove me wrong! We have songs here that are legends, and the rest of the album holds it together. Relevant today, treasures for tomorrow. God Bless Aretha Franklin!

Fun, powerful, and vividly soulful. One of the best offerings by one of the best vocalists of all time. A perfect album to sit back and listen to, or to get up and dance to. Spellbinding vocals and smooth jazzy backing music make this such an enjoyable listen. Top tracks: Chain of Fools, Niki Hoeky, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Tuvo que haber un soul para que después hubiese música disco, la heredera natural del ritmo de la Motown. Pero es que Aretha es mucho más que soul. Ella es la contestación de las mujeres ante la hegemonía masculina. Aretha es el respeto, la fuerza y la naturalidad de quien se siente poderosa. A Aretha no se le tose. "Chain Of Fools" y "You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)" ya han pasado a la posteridad.

Aretha Franklin was a legend, even in her own time. It's deserved. This album features all of The Queen of Soul's talent, plus a Carole King composition, The Swampers and Eric Clapton, just to name a few things. 5/5, put it on as soon as you're doing reading this.

Hit after hit from the Queen of Soul herself.

You can't argue with this album (well, you could, but you'd be wrong). It's just one great song after another. Favorite track: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

She is the Queen. Flawless.

Absolutely outstanding album,

This hits different. Nobody compares to the Queen of Soul.

Amazing album from the queen

Just some damn good soul music by the Queen of Soul, and that's really the only way to put it. No notes for Aretha.....the best to ever do it. I really need to get this album on vinyl (cue the pic of the copy Alex already owns).

The Queen of soul

So good

Great 60s MoTown! So many classic songs on here, it could be a greatest hits album.

Liked this album a lot. Great dinner music or hanging by the dock.

What’s not to love

Just Wow! So many of what we now consider Soul standards on one album. Anything less that 5 stars would be unthinkable. Band is tight and on point for every track, but the voice....oh the voice. Just Wow!

Great. I've been neglecting soul music and this is a top-notch album.

What an incredible voice. I knew she was great but wow I've definitely been missing out

Album review 003 Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin (1968) Rating 4.5/5 I looked forward to re-listening to this album and was not disappointed at all - so much so that one listen turned into four in a row over the space of two very short hours. Not just amazing vocals, with one of the all time greats at the very top of her game, but great musicianship and some fine songwriting too.

Mega Nice

Queen.

Truly amazing!

I mean what a voice. I know how famous Aretha Franklin is but I never listened to a full album by her. There were many great hits that I had to replay due to how good they were. She clearly has earned the title of Queen of Soul. The amount of views her songs have is a testament to her monumental legacy in the soul music world.

Who could give Aretha pass than 5?!

What a woman, these songs are incredible.

What a Queen!

So many good songs. Aretha are (arguably) her best.

Instant 5 stars. Such a gorgeous voice with such catchy songs, there was no way I could rate this anything other than 5 stars.

There's no denying this is a great album. So much power and feeling in that voice. There is nothing bad to say about it. It's not my favourite genre, but this is flawless.

soul lady ate

Chain, chain, chain... this album starts great and is just awesome throughout. I actually don't think I've ever really listened to Aretha beyond RESPECT, and this album is a great showcase of her talents. Great R&B, and obviously her voice carries this album. I kept going back and forth on what to add to my album. I like the soulfulness of People Get Ready, the absolute Motown Chain of Fools or Sweet Sweet Baby, the ever pleasant Groovin', or the somber blues of Ain't No Way. I settled for Groovin', but this whole album was a 30 minute delight.

I'm hesitant to give 5 stars. It can feel like you're supposed to just based off the name and how we know this person's place in history. But this is a fantastic album! There is a reason Aretha can go by one name, and this is it. Her voice really is that pure, sweet cream butter. Bonus points to the amazing bass lines!

like it

Masterclass in soul and R&B. You really can't top the vocals and star power that she brings to the performance here. No skips, no notes.

Great album!!! Aretha, Queen of Soul.

What a masterpiece of an album. Aretha Franklin had the voice of a century, encapsulating heartbreak, love, triumph, rage, and soul in one gift wrapped album. Absolutely brilliant.

She's the Queen of Soul for a reason... Would I listen to again? Definitely.

Iconic. Perfect. No further notes.

An absolute certified classic. Aretha Franklin is just one of those goats blessed with so much talent. This album is such a joy to listen to from start to finish. An R&B/Soul queen!

It's Aretha, what is there to say? Amazing voice, amazing music and amazing lyrics. An album that testifies how great of an artist she was.

Ahh, Aretha, a salve for everything that ails you.

Great Album, not my usual music, but banger after banger

Great songs strong vocals. The title says it all.

Disfruto muchísimo de escuchar a Aretha, de las mejores voces de la historia de la música y siempre con cosas hermosas para expresar. Justo este álbum no lo había escuchado pero es indiscutiblemente un clásico. Favs: literalmente guarde todas

Obviamente cinco estrellas, es Aretha Franklin en big 1968... can't get any better PD: por que algunas canciones están dos veces y simplemente duran dos mins más? 😵‍💫 Favs: Chain of Fools, Groovin', Come Back Baby

Classic gold

One can never go wrong with Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul and you can feel it! 6/5

You can get overwhelmed by how great it is to be

Beautiful, loved it

Every song is a banger

how do you rate aretha. 5

I had never actually listened to an Aretha Franklin album and only knew Natural Woman (more familiar with Carole King's version) and Respect. This was a mistake, and I'll be listening to more of her discography. Skipped: None. This is a no skip album. Liked: Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, People Get Ready, Good To Me As I Am to You, Ain't No Way Loved: Niki Hoeky, Natural Woman, Since You've Been Gone, Come Back Baby, Groovin Album Favourite: Since You've Been Gone Saved to Liked Songs: All

It should be illegal to have so many classics on one album. Her voice is astonishing, the instrumentation is tight and groovy and funky. The way she sings is so emotive it makes you want to cry or laugh, it makes me feel strong. Has this explosive energy throughout.

The Queen of soul. Classic LP.

It’s a greatest hits album by what of the best voices ever

This is absolutely stellar.

Top 100 easily. Legendary voice

Loved it!

I mean…it’s Ms Aretha. No need to say anything else

OHHHH MA GOD THATS SO FUCKING GOOD WHAT THE ACTUAL FUUCCKKK C’MONNNNN THATS SOUL BABY

Es que no sé cómo podría ponerle menos de 5 estrellas a esto. Otsea.

Wonderful.

Well she's the best, 5*****

oh yeah

It’s called Lady Soul for a reason.

The greatest singer of all time. You don't need any other notes to write about Aretha. One of the saving graces of American society.

What an incredible voice

Seriously? How am I supposed to give Aretha Franklin, at the top of her game, anything other than 5 stars?! Good grief. This launched two of her biggest hits, "Chain of Fools" and "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman." Strengths: Aside from Aretha just killing it, the rhythm section is top notch: members of Memphis Boys and Muscle Shoals Swampers. Weakness: just too darn short (less than 30 minutes). Favorite songs: "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" and "Good to Me As I Am To You." Rating: 5/5

she has a strong voice

This is an incredible album by the Queen of Soul. Practically a greatest hits album.

All-time five-star, absolute classic album. The soul of soul. One of the keystones in my collection, and what a treat it is to get this out of the rack and spin it on this occasion. The horn charts, the backup singers, and of course, The Queen of Soul, her voice, and her piano.

Soooooul

Great!!!

STUPENDO(*^ー^)ノ♪

Who is the greatest singer of all time? I'm talking about singing ability here. Whose voice shook the world the most? Well, and I'm just one person, so I can't really say this for sure, but I think Aretha Franklin might be that person. I know it's been said so many times, but Aretha Franklin's singing was truly one of a kind. It's just so perfect. Of course, good singing doesn't matter much if the songs suck. Fortunately, the songs on Lady Soul are great. This album's stellar. I don't think I could 100% call it better than the other Aretha album on the list, but it's a close call. The thing that really appeals to me with her songs is the natural sense of female empowerment. It doesn't sound like she's trying too hard. She's literally just being the girlboss she clearly was. Look at a song like "Chain of Fools." First off, this is an incredible opener. Secondly, look at the lyrics. It's basically Aretha telling off an unfaithful partner and I love it. This is the kind of music society needed at the time! It's excellent. Other songs take a more sensual approach, like the all-time classic "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." While I love Carole King's version of the song off of her album Tapestry, this is another one of those cases where the song has basically become Aretha's. I mean, this album did release before Tapestry, so Aretha literally sang it before Carole, even if Carole wrote it. The musicians who play instruments here are great too. Did you know that Eric Clapton played guitar on one of these songs? I didn't, but it was a fun surprise. It's hard to believe that this album is under half an hour! I want more of it. This is an excellent album all throughout. Light 5/5.

Heals the soul in an autumn morning

The most incredible voice of the 1960s

Fucking hell what an album

Hot damn, I got a good album for today. If you all didn’t know, in the last decade or so, I’ve really gotten into Motown and Stax records. Rock ‘n’ roll is dead, or at least boring, so I jumped in a time machine and went back to the 1960s and 1970s to hear the jams I missed. And this album is right in my wheelhouse. There are songs on this album that are just imprinted in our brains and we don’t even know how or why. It’s like Aretha Franklin’s music is in the air and you pick it up without even realizing it. While listening to this album at work yesterday, I had to stop working a few times and just listen to these songs. For example, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, is just jaw-dropping and I’ve heard it 1,000 times. That song is so good that if you’re a dude, it’ll make you wish you were a woman just so you can really feel what that song means. I mean, it gets to you in your guts. Chain of Fools is a perfect song. It was her biggest hit off this album and was covered very nicely by a band in the hair metal era called Little Caesar. Embarrassingly, that’s how I first heard the song. I loved it then and when I heard Aretha’s version, I quickly realized she, of course, had the better version. People Get Ready takes you to church and for a southern boy like me, growing up in the church, this song reminds me of the incredible music I got to hear all my life. It’s music that swings and makes you feel good. It makes you want to go out and get baptized. Beyond Aretha’s voice, which is universally known and perhaps the greatest singing voice ever, the music is played by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or the Swampers. The Swampers played with everybody back in the day, including, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wilson Pickett, Aretha, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Paul Simon and more. It’s like fate meant for these two entities to come together. Hell, even Eric Clapton pops up on the song, Good To Me As I Am To You. I’m talking good Clapton, CREAM Clapton. I’ve often wondered if I’m the only one this happens to, but I get this thing where I’ll be listening to music, like great music, music that’s just so good that I start to feel emotional, like I’m going to bust out crying just because, I don’t know, it’s so beautiful. Anyone else like that? No, just me? Listening to this album there were several times I had to literally stop and compose myself. I haven’t had that happen in a while and that’s why I know this is a legendary album everyone must hear before they die.

Perfect!

She can't miss.

Love this. Chain of Fools may be her best single?

Immediate 5 stars. Absolute perfection.

Absolute belter, we had a soul filled house for 24 hours.

Chain of fools is a personal fave of mine, so crackin' way to dive right into the album. What a voice. So many feels. Ain't No Way pulls at the heart strings. A solid soul album.

The entire album was solidly good

Marvelous voice, marvelous singer.

Just a stellar album. Franklin’s voice is mesmerizing and her dynamic range is incredible. Almost every song in this album is memorable.

I already had this one on my Spotify liked albums! A perfect album front to back

Seriously an amazing album- I dont think there is a bad song on it. Franklin's voice is so captivating, and the compositions are full of emotion. Great album- deserves a 5

Aretha is amazing! Her voice is powerful and she has so much control over it. Every song has soul (so the album title is apt) and the backup singers enhance the musicality even more with their harmonies. Natural Woman 🙌 🙌 Other bangers include Chain of Fools and Ain't No Way. 9/10.

Not much to say here, this album is perfect front to back.

I will not include the CD reissue bonus tracks in this review. It's been a little over a month since I heard I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You on this album journey. While that record is more recognizable in Aretha Franklin's catalog, Lady Soul is still just as spellbinding. While Aretha's original songwriting largely took a back seat in favor of outside writers and covers, her bellowing performance was still top-notch. Running the gamut from the bass-leaden bounce of "Chain of Fools", the horn-accompanied renditions of James Brown's "Money Won't Change" and the Impressions' "People Get Ready", into the elegant ballad "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" composed by Carole King, Aretha effectively owned these recordings with her voice. That's not to say Aretha still didn't see results from her own songwriting chops. The powerhouse shuffle of "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" and the slowed-down swing of "Good to Me As I Am to You", complete with Eric Clapton's guitar soloing, were a pair of neatly penned deep cuts. Plus, it was a nice touch to let sister Carolyn write the closing number "Ain't No Way", which ended up being an effective final note in the raw, emotional swell of the presentation as the Sweet Inspirations provided the supportive backing vocals to complement Aretha's delivery. I think it would be difficult to say which of Lady Soul or I Never Loved a Man would be considered more essential, considering they were both fantastic records. Whatever the case may be, it was a pleasant time listening to the Queen.

The queen of bangers

when an album opens with Chain of Fools, how could you not love it? Best voice around.

I had no idea how good this was going to be.

Best Songs: Chain of Fools, Money Won’t Change You, People Get Ready, Niki Hoeky, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Sweet Sweet Baby, Good To Me As I Am To You, Come Back Baby, Groovin’, Ain’t No Way Mid Songs: Bad Songs:

Just that guitar tone on Chain Of Fools gets 5 stars from me. And it's Aretha Franklin. This has got to be on the list.

Some classic soul, and what a good one too. There are a few stand out tracks on this album. Of course, you have classics like “Chain of Fools” and “(You make me feel) Like a Natural Woman”. I would also like to point out “People Get Ready” as a gem on this album. Single tracks might not be the point though, the vocals are. I feel like if you don’t appreciate Aretha Franklin, do you even like music? It’s very hard not to groove along with this album. Soul albums are a bit weird since they are not always original compositions and the same artist might have released multiple albums each year. I think this deserves a 5 for the vocals alone. Sure all the songs aren’t great but if you ever want to try soul music this is a good starting point.

Of all the albums I’ve heard so far, this one feels like the most obvious inclusion. Aretha Franklin isn’t just a legend - she is soul music. Everyone knows the hits, but hearing them together on Lady Soul reminds you just how untouchable she was. The performances are powerful, the writing is sharp, and the collaboration among the players (from the Muscle Shoals rhythm section to guest guitar by Eric Clapton) makes it clear how much talent surrounded her. It’s one of those albums that captures everything that makes music timeless - passion, precision, and pure feeling.

This was excellent. Soulful, warm and immersive. Chain of fools, natural women, and ain't no way were top tier. But I enjoyed it all.

A quick 10 songs in 30 minutes, but solid all the way through

Loved her music already!

Es Aretha. Qué voz, qué letras, qué arreglos, qué música, qué intérpretes, qué canciones. Aretha acabando con todos los demás. No se necesita más cuando se escucha a Aretha.

Aretha is a the best singer ever to have lived. Im not a religious man but she is exhibit A in the argument that faith can and does have a positive impact on the world. This gospel and soul is just beautiful

If this record were not had Chain of Fools and a bunch of terrible songs it’d still be five stars. Lucky for us everything Aretha touches here is gold.

Absolutely perfect

9/10 banger after banger on this one

A voice like no one else!!! The soulfulness and passion i love her music!!! I need to listen to more!! I recognized a few songs from the album and i enjoyed it all!! Shes got such a range and so much control

51/1001 :: Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 9 Fav Tracks: (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You Been Gone, Money Won’t Change You, Natural Woman Listen before you die: Yes Lord When I reviewed I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You I gave it a 7. It was very good. It’s not this good. This album is on another level. It’s immediate. Undeniable. When Aretha made this she was in the pocket. I haven’t listened to any of her other albums but I can’t imagine it gets better than this. As far as soul records go it doesn’t get much better than this. Should also be noted James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Carole King all credited as writers on this album. Clapton also listed as guitarist on Good to Me as I Am to You. Just all time stuff.

5 stars

god might actually be real

if u don't think about latrice royale vs lil kenya michaels when you make me feel like (a natural woman) comes on, ur 2 str8 4 me works cited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t8M4nPxhfI

Excellent

The Queen of Soul took her throne with this album…With some help from a fantastic lineup of supporting players. They don’t make albums or singers like this anymore.

Best R&B singer ever. In fact best singer!!!

There's some pretty decent singing on this album.

Not a lot to say here. Queen of the genre for a reason.

absolute banger, can’t say a single bad thing about it

This was amazing. It’s Aretha. I really liked “Chain of Fools”, “People Get Ready”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Good To Me As I Am To You”

very good

Simply great

The aretha album i’ve been waiting for someone to recommend me.

Dang Aretha go off queen

Seminal e obrigatório. Muscle Shoals - FAME Studios sound. 5 estrelas

She sounds like the girl in school of rock

Another one I wish I had discovered sooner... I was missing this in my life. Feel good soul. Great grooves and melodies

Ain't no way that I ain't giving this a 5/5

Probably could have given this 5/5 without even listening through, but then I wouldn’t have the opportunity to listen to these amazing tracks! Incredibly powerful, funky and soulful, and amazing vocal performance. Don’t call her the Queen for nothing, this was as awesome as I predicted it would be!! Easy 5 stars

Sublime. Only thing missing is I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) which is one of my all time favourite tracks. Dazzling talent on display from everyone involved 👌🏻

There's no one like Aretha. Amazing

Not much to say here, it's an excellent soul album from start to finish. Aretha Franklin truly has no equal. Lady Soul is full of heart and energy, with a vibe that almost feels like blues in some tracks (like the legendary Chain of Fools). A few other songs are slightly less impressive than the others, but overall this album is still a strong contender for "Aretha's best". Really can't decide which I like best between this one and I Never Loved A Man.

Aretha!!!! My lady!!! The best voice in the game. This album makes you want to get up and sway or clap or dance. Some songs I just close my eyes and smile and rock back and forth. Some songs I put my arms in the air and jump around. That's the range of Aretha. This album is just so good all the way through, the horns, the strings, the gospel backing vocals, Aretha herself. There's a reason she's known as the best of the best.

It's flawless, isn't it?

I could listen to Aretha sing about her breakfast and still give it 6 stars

One of the best records I've ever heard. Love the voice of her and I'll continue listening to it for years. Glad I'm able to listen to stuff like this in this day and age.

5/5

I mean, what can you say? The voice js amazing, the songs are iconic and fun

No hay forma de que no me resulte perfecto un disco de Aretha.

This is crazy good - I had never heard her versions of some of these songs before, and the classics are indeed classic for a reason. Like the previous Aretha, it's a reminder of just what an incomparable talent she was and how strikingly amazing her voice was.

she absolutely bodied this!!!!!

I was going to give this 4, but I listened again and couldn't remember why. It's such a damn pleasure to listen to her sing. It's the perfect album to put on while cleaning (which I mean as high praise) as long as I wear headphones so I can't feel subhuman by hearing myself sing along. (Especially to the backing vocals on Ain't No Way - HEAVENLY stuff right there.) I just had Tapestry 5 albums ago, so it's cool to hear (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman again. I love King's version, and of course it's her song, but Aretha made it something extra special. I gave her prior release, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, 4 stars. It's good, but I definitely found an extra star's worth of enjoyment in Lady Soul. Indeed she is.

Yeah, she is lady soul

Beautiful! This album is so soulful, funky, and full of emotion. Aretha's singing is on a different level, and the backing vocals complement her well. The musicians are on point in every song; groovy drum and bass, and melodic horns and guitar. Fav tracks: "Chain of Fools", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Good to Me As I Am To You", and "Ain't No Way" 5/5 Soul is my genre of choice, but this was so great

Great song writers, incredible voices and a sublime group of musicians.

One of the best to do it.

5/9

although this is my second fave aretha album it’s objectively her best

One of my favorite soul singers of all time. Ms. Franklin sings on a level that can't be compared.

This is Aretha Franklin in her prime, one of her best records. Some of my favorite "deep" cuts are on this album: "Niki Hoeky" and "Come Back Baby". Listening all the way through, not a single song is weak. It of course has very recognizable tracks like "Chain of Fools" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", but her cover of "People Get Ready" was especially moving. The guitar and studio band are tight throughout. It's a short and nearly perfect album.

Lordy what a set of pipes this woman had. RIP to the Queen.

Her vocals hit like sunshine after rain. Absolutely radiant. But what really caught me off guard were the backing arrangements. The horns, strings, and that freaky sneaky bass groove. It all just moves. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Chain of Fools - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone - Ain't No Way

The Queen of Soul at her peak.

What a powerhouse

Oh yes

So many songs which became hits and then the classic standards of the genre era.

This is one of those generational albums that changed music.

+ Background vocals, Instrumental-> Bass/guitar/Sax, Lead Vocal, - Fav Tracks: People get ready, A Natural Woman, Since you been gone Least fav Tracks: Niki Hoeky, Good to me as I Am to You Mentions: Guitar Licks bei People get ready, Sax Bride Money won't change you, Strings und Chorus auf Natural Woman,

Fantastic. Absolutely great. I love her.

No such think as bad Aretha

5!

You know an album is going to be utter class when it opens with a pure classic such as "Chain of Fools" So many peak Aretha moments on here

So good

I completely understand how this is an iconic album, i have had this on repeat. The uplifting tones, the angelic like voice .

Great album. It showed off Aretha’s pipes on some soulful songs.

Great voice and a short album. Sign me up.

Fantastic album, fantastic voice. This was a winner from start to end. 5

beautiful, soul crushing, stunning voice.. Aretha Franklin really is the Queen of Soul What a genuinely lovely album, full of unbelievable vocals, guitar and bass..I waited for some good jazz/soul/blues and finally my wish came true:) I was not disappointed I have to say

Aretha Franklin is so fucking good

Amazing

This album is the literal sweet-spot for the type of soul I love. Nearly every song is a classic and even the few that aren't are still bangers. Aretha truly is Lady Soul.

Perfection

That voice and those bass lines

50% funky, 50% soul. Aretha es icónica y este disco me hace sentir groovy y poderosa al mismo tiempo.

This is excellent all the way through. Sing along to the ones you know, marvel at the ones you don't.

The best at her best.

Absolutely amazing. Sort of a greatest hits.

Okay, this album is so ridiculously catchy, groovy, and beautiful that I can't really fully put it into words. There were moments while working that I had to fully stop what I was doing and just sit and appreciate the music for a second... it's THAT good. Aretha was truly on another level.

Holy Crap, what a voice. Every song on this album is a banger. Love this!

Aretha Franklin's voice is truly incredible. This album really is fantastic.

Aretha is unparalleled on this release.

Exceptional, as the one before

This was fantastic, her voice is obviously incredible but it just has the uplifting and joyful vibes that great soul music can bring at its best. Loved it

This is amazing - legendary and incredible

Aretha Franklin was a once in a century talent.

All-time fav song: Chain of Fools It's Aretha Franklin. She's the forever great grande dame diva, so of course this album is amazing. Her ability to interpret songs is bar none.

Stemme for ein generasjon, nyyydelegt

Fantastisk. En ekstremt bra vibe te sitronpastaen vår🥰🥰

Voice of an angel. One of my go-to’s. Love everything about it.

When I go on vacation, I often miss about half of the albums that mint for our group. I find it extremely challenging to catch back up (which Ive come to grips with as its not the point of the group or even being a fan of music). Recently, I dug back and saw that I missed this one and felt like I needed to prioritize it Aretha birthed a golden album here. 30 mins of sass and class. More late 60s perfection (a hill ive died on 300 times now) Ive been digging it for over a week now and have kept nearly every song for my 1001 albums playlist

How can you not love Aretha. So much energy, such PIPES. Makes me feel like a natural woman

And just like that, we're back! Loved every second of this. Feels like sonically so much in common with the swamp rock of CCR, and active around the same time, so am kind of surprised to learn they never crossed paths musically. Slot this in the same tier and vibe as Elvis and Dusty. Elvis and Aretha didn't cross, but she and Dusty did. These are fun: A chance meeting and a memorable compliment: Dusty Springfield recounted a moment where Aretha Franklin, upon exiting an elevator, touched her shoulder and said "Girl," which Springfield considered a great compliment. "Son of a Preacher Man" connection: This iconic song was initially written for Aretha Franklin, but she turned it down. It was then given to Dusty Springfield for her album "Dusty in Memphis". Later, Aretha Franklin recorded her own version after hearing Dusty's successful interpretation. Dusty Springfield herself reportedly preferred Franklin's version, even adopting some of her phrasing when singing the song live. Springfield was a strong advocate for Black American soul artists and Franklin even nicknamed her the "Queen of blue eyed Soul".

Amazing.

Enfin une femme. Et quelle femme! C'est toute une voix. You make me feel like a natural woman, toujours un classique. Je ne connaissais pas vraiment les autres, mais Chain of Souls était solide. Un album qui s'écoute bien et qui coule. Paul a bien aimé aussi. Ça semble avoir rendu le tummy time plus tolérable. .

💁🏿‍♀️🙆🏿‍♀️👸🏿🫦💗

J'accumule les 5 étoiles... Il en est ainsi.

Queen of Soul…an absolute classic

I've always loved Aretha Franklin, I mean how can you not? Her voice is amazing. This album is just pure Aretha, the vocals are perfect, the band is perfect for the vocals, lyrics are locked in. It's just a great album. If you ever come across someone that hasn't listen to her before just play this album for them.

Surprised how much I liked it.

Absolute gem of a record, all songs are great, production is on point. Will keep it in my rotation.

6. Aretha: Lady Soul- wow! I so wish current music allowed for us to hear how great singers reach to hit notes. Autotune has taken that away. With Aretha, it just makes you lean in and go with her. Aretha has so much power and she knows it. She uses pauses and space like the best jazz musicians and then just blows you away. She’s completely in charge of every song. No throwaways on this album. I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SLAYYY

Ain’t no Way this record can get less than 5 stars. It’s the voice. Literally nothing bad here. Not my personal preference, but no denying this is a great record.

Come on. It's Aretha. It's beautiful. It's soulful. It's excellent.

Simply the best female singer - ever.

The voice of an angel

Aretha is awesome and so is this album!

Aretha, aretha, aretha. Schön d Frau Seele da bide 1001 begrüesse z dörfe. Long souly short - de gläubigi touch ignoriert und rein musikalisch - e wunderbari beriecherig! Denn no e woman of colour wo sich ide 60er jahr het chöne duresetze, d Aretha muss power ha! S buchgfühl brodlet vlt ned ganz so starch wie bi anderne Albe aber qualitative chani da ned weniger wie 5 Franklin Roosevelt’s geh!

So great. Few singers deserve 5 stars like she does.

Just an incredible listen from start to finish. One for the collection for sure

Banger

While I question the algorithm at times (after 450 days of no Aretha, I get two Aretha albums in one week, and a Lady Day album between them), I will not complain too much about listening to Aretha again. Perfect voice, perfect songs. Natural Woman very well could be the greatest recording of all time tbh.

Holy shit, that band.

Ikke så mye å si. 5/5

Much more consistent album than I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You. Damn good jams start to finish.

Wow.

The voice! But also a great band and backup singers. Nice to hear more than just the big hits. Gospel, soul, and R& B cornerstone

Aretha Franklin is a national treasure and is so incredibly talented. It's a joy to listen to her music. This album was really good and is one of the best from the genre.

Soulful album by one of the best vocalists in history.

The Good: The Queen of Soul The Bad: The album being called Lady… thus confusing us… The Ugly: This being the second album of Mrs Franklin where several tracks are repeated on the album, without it making sense… Some classic tunes here, but one of the greatest voices of the 20th century. I really have nothing to say… just listen to the album and enjoy, I guess! 4 1/2* upgraded for balance

A delight from start to finish. Natural Woman and Chain of Fools are the big stars, but Good to Me as I Am to You knocked me sideways — she’s serving soul on a silver platter. She's a goddess, a girl boss, a superhero in heels. And Groovin’? It’s so smooth it could probably broker world peace.

God i wish every fucking album was 30m and sounded like this (jk)… but for real love at first listen

Very emotional album, didn’t expect to like it as much I did but the honesty and age of this song gove it so much power

Ontem e hoje, back to back soul. Obrigado 1001 albums generator ponto com! Isso é música. Quando penso música, eu penso nisso. Uma cantora infinitamente talentosa com uma voz de ouro e veludo. Uma banda fantástica com composições maravilhosas e delicadas. Um disco coeso, que não desperdiça sequer um segundo, que não desperdiça o plástico no qual foi preensado. Isso é música. Um LP de respeito. A regra é simples. O disco não tem defeitos, então não tem outra nota que posso o dar. Ain't No Way... que arranjo maravilhoso. A melhor música desse disco e uma das melhores que ouvi esse ano. 5/5

Fantastic

Absolutely wonderful, Aretha Franklin has the most incredible voice.

Hit after hit with effortless vocals from the queen of soul. Flawless

Magnífico

Such a powerful voice and album. Listened to the same songs again from the extended edition because it was so good

The GOAT!

Damn she actually was the Queen of Soul.

Perfect for a Friday! All hits, no misses on this album.

Wonderful

This is peak r&b Aretha, her third Atlantic soul album after her run of relatively unsuccessful Columbia jazz standards records. She’s really hit her stride now. Like so many soul singers before her, a train in the Pentecostal church proves an amazing academy in improvisation and melisma with spirit. Along with Aretha Now later the same year it’s a contender for her best album. She makes the Carole King/Gerry Goffin/Jerry Wexler song Natural Woman sound like it was written for her. There are a couple of songs on here she co-wrote and they’re very good. She was already on top form by this point in her career; now that she’s found her genre, she’s unstoppable. Lady Soul indeed!

Absolutely stunning vocals, nothing more to be said there, loved hearing the full album since I’m only really familiar with her hits. Floored by aint no way, the fullness of Aretha’s voice with the delicate opera vocals of Cissy is pure perfection

Just a great album. Unrivaled vocal talent, excellent songwriting, and a stellar band behind her. Nothing boring, though Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman are the singles off the album for a reason. Deserves the accolades.

Unbelievable. “People Get Ready”, “Groovin’”, “Ain’t No Way”, stood out above the others and the others were phenomenal. I haven’t really listened to Aretha in a while and it was a stark reminder of the extreme talent and personality and soul that went into this record.

30 minutes of just absolutely gorgeous soul tunes. More than one stone cold classic song on here.

one of the greatest albums of all time

The only downside is the very short running time. I think this album really shows her incredible vocal range. She conveys different emotions at different times in every single track. The music itself is one of the best examples of the Muscle Shoals sound.

Magnificent

everything about this is amazing - singing, songs, production and band. While Aretha's vocals are the story here, the bass playing is particularly excellent.

Again, no need to listen to this. Great album with amazing image. Love it to bits

Sensational, funky, heartfelt.

Not my go to genre of music, but relaxing and soothing none the less. Guitar sounded warm and I found myself mesmerized by his voice. Felt like i was near a campfire or on a porch on a summer night and my grandpa is singing to me

Aretha's voice is not of this world. It exists on a higher plane, we're just blessed that we get to hear it.

Several timeless hits here from the Queen of R&B. Rounding up.. 4.5/5

This album demands R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

All in on this one. Several classics, a bunch of lesser known songs that go hard… I don’t know what else Aretha can give you on this one.

God dammit she is great! Not sure I can say anything that hasn’t been said but I loved this. Of course she can sing and this felt so authentic…hit all the right moments. Baby baby sweet baby.

Cathartic getting this day after Joni Mitchell. If Joni was the vasectomy, Aretha is the ice pack on your nuts. 4.25/5

absolute banger of an album. aretha can sing and has one of the most iconic voices of all time. incredible bass lines.

An iconic genius at her absolute peak. Classic after classic after classic. My only regret is that she didn't record it at Stax.

Une voix divine, qui ne pèche jamais par excès. Inégalée

Such powerful soul music - well-known songs include Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. A variety of rich and dark songs mixed with faster and lighter melodies - all with Aretha's powerful voice. Wonderful album.

Went in thinking I wasn't really in the mood for Aretha Franklin but then listened to 'Aretha Now' right after this one.

It's crazy to me that music from 1968 can still hold up today. Aretha Franklin is truly one-of-a-kind. Literally every song on this album is awesome. Even "Niki Hoeky" which is the least listened to song from this album is still fantastic. Subjectively, would I return to this album? Maybe? Maybe not? It's not something I'd listen to every day. Objectively, it meets all the criteria of being a 5 star album. Every song is good, great stand-out singles, highly influential, there's really nothing wrong with this album.

sooo cool

What strikes the most every time I listen to this album, well after admiring Aretha’s other worldly vocal performances of course, is how impressive the collection of session players, songwriters and production team is. At this point everyone knew what Aretha could do, the job was to provide the best situation for her to transcend to a level of vocal superiority that few will ever hold a candle to. The team knew the assignment and did the damn thing! This is an easy 5.

- ..... 5 just for "Chain of Fools" .... -

A classic, I grew up listening to this album in my grandmas house every dang day.

Aretha cookin’ 🔥

5/5. Although "Never Loved..." is more popular, I do believe this is overall a better and more soulful album. She feels confident here and with a solid backing vocal chorus and band, you can tell she is in her own. Plus the song selection here is shorter but she is allowed to go all out on each one, so the longer ones feel that much more full. I think this is a pretty perfect album, short and sweet with more soul than it should be allowed to contain. Best Song: Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, People Get Ready

Incomparable vocalist RIP

Effortless groove and energy by the Queen of Soul. From the high charting classics to the deep cuts, this album is about as perfect as you can get. Aretha's performance is sublime. Perfect for a sunny Sunday Morning. Best Tracks: - Chain Of Fools - Niki Hoeky - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Worst Tracks: N/A Rating: 9.5/10

Das zwölfte Studioalbum der amerikanischen Sängerin Aretha Franklin. Es wurde unter der Produktion von Jerry Wexler und anderen namhaften Produzenten im renommierten Atlantic Recording Studio in New York aufgenommen. Das Album stellt eine Mischung aus Soul, R&B und Pop dar und zeigt Franklin als eine der führenden Stimmen des Genres. Das Werk enthält mehrere herausragende Songs, darunter „(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman“, das von Carole King und Gerry Goffin geschrieben wurde und zu einem ihrer bekanntesten Titel gehört. Weitere bemerkenswerte Tracks sind „Chain of Fools“ und „Since You’ve Been Gone“. Diese Lieder zeichnen sich durch ihre emotionale Tiefe und die außergewöhnliche Gesangstechnik Franklins aus. Die Sängerin wurde in Memphis, Tennessee, geboren und wuchs in Detroit auf. Ihr Einfluss auf die Soulmusik und ihre Rolle als Symbol für die afroamerikanische Bürgerrechtsbewegung machen sie zu einer Schlüsselfigur in der Musikgeschichte. Mit diesem Album festigte sie ihren Ruf als „Queen of Soul“. Aretha Lady Soul ist ein gelungenes Beispiel für Aretha Franklins Talent und Einfluss im Soul- und R&B-Bereich. Die Produktion und ihre Gesangsleistungen zeichnen sich durch Authentizität und Kraft aus. Ein Album, das sowohl musikalisch als auch kulturell von Bedeutung ist.

Take me to church Aretha! What a voice! So much soul. And that backing band is on fire. The absolute definition of musical goodness. This is music that moves you. She's an undeniable force. This record is perfect top to bottom

60’s soul music always goes down smooth, and Aretha is one of the best to ever do it. The only song I would consider taking a star off for is “Niki Hoeky” but everything else is so damn good I couldn’t possibly! Her version of “Natural Woman” is one of the finest songs ever recorded.

One of the best soul singers to do it, backed by the Swampers. What else can you say? Fantastic song choices, interesting rearrangements, bitchin backing vocals, and a rhythm section that ain’t fooling around. Plus Aretha. I would gladly give Andy Phelps’s left nut to be hanging around at FAME or Stax during this period. The amount of talent that walked into those studios was just unmatched.

It's Aretha, need I say more?

I really loved this album! Chain of Fools was a really strong opening song, in my opinion. Found myself humming the song throughout the day after listening to it. The rest of the music is also really good, ranging from toe-tappingly groovy to slow and soulful. Also Aretha Franklin has a great singing voice.

Finally a female artist! And the Queen of Soul no less!

Love this, glad to finally have an opportunity to listen to Aretha properly. She’s one of the most famously great vocalists ever, so no surprise that this rocks. That said, the actual arrangement of each song is what stands out to me here - including a guest appearance by the reason for Rock Against Racism on guitar for one track. Huge fan. Three songs added to my playlist, five added to the 1001 playlist.