Great album but...

Dusty Springfield's version of the title track is still the definitive version in my opinion. Strangely, it's the same case with "Son of A Preacher Man". Aretha's version is fine, but nowhere near as good as Dusty's.



But Aretha's work here is stellar, and certainly making the case that she is the Queen of Soul. No question!

Moving assuredly into the 70s

Firstly, with March 25th looming, let's all wish the queen a very happy 62nd birthday. Certainly within the baby-boomer generation she was and still is the greatest female singer to arrive. We perhaps might allow Streisand to stand at Aretha's right hand, but all others are at least a step behind. You don't have to take my word for it; look among her work offered here on Amazon and just start counting how many of her albums average a full, filled-in five stars.

Aretha and her fans beheld a new decade as this one, originally Atlantic LP 8248 was released on January 15, 1970. It carried many sides that had already gained popularity as singles in '69: "The Weight" (Atlantic 2603 in February), "Share Your Love With Me" (Atlantic 2650 in July) and "Eleanor Rigby" & "It Ain't Fair" (Atlantic 2683 in October). Six days after the album came out "Call Me" & "Son Of A Preacher Man" made the two sides of another single (Atlantic 2706). Aretha had had first dibs on "Preacher Man" and initially took a pass, but then Dusty Springfield grabbed it and took her version into the Pop top 10 in late 1968; Aretha changed her mind about that one. Both versions are quite enjoyable. Later, in July, "Let It Be" would ride the b-side of "Don't Play That Song" (Atlantic 2751).

Speaking of remakes, with the title song, Aretha does again here what she managed with another song that had been a Dionne Warwick hit first, just like "I Say A Little Prayer." In each instance, she so magically recast the songs that I think if she'd sung them in a different language, you'd have difficulty convincing someone (even yourself!) that they were the same songs. Only the lyrics are your clue. I've read that when Aretha takes someone else's song, they can't take it back again. I don't know that I agree to the point of saying Warwick's versions of the two songs were no longer enjoyable - they are. But I do agree to the point that when Aretha recasts any song for her own interpretation, that version then becomes uniquely hers, and no one else can do it like her. If that's not genius, folks, what is?

The Queen At The Top Of Her Game.

This album is proof positive that when Aretha was "on," no one could touch her!! Vocally, she was awesome -- all of the acrobatics, squalls, and different shadings of her early 70's work are here, with a range that can at times just leave you dumbfounded. (You wonder what kind of faces she made when she hit some of those notes!) This album was recorded when she still chose to play the piano, and it's a treat.

As a hardcore Aretha fan, I've learned to call them like I see them when it comes to her music. Like any artist, she's had a few moments that don't do her justice; but this album is NOT one of them! I would highly recommend this album to anyone that wants more exposure to 'Ree beyond the endless greatest hits packages, or anyone that wants a sample of what the epitome of soul was back in 1970. Buy it; you won't be disappointed.