Aretha Franklin has simply been one of the greatest singers of the modern generation, and whether bringing her powerful, passionate voice to bear on gospel standards, songs from the Great American Songbook, jazz standards, pop ditties, or deep Southern soul and R&B, she has always had the presence – much like Ray Charles – to make anything she touches unmistakably hers. Franklin began her career in gospel when she was still a teenager, and her amazing vocal talents, coupled with her fine piano playing, marked her as a once-in-a-lifetime kind of artist, qualities very apparent to legendary talent scout John Hammond, who signed her to Columbia Records.
The problem Hammond and Columbia immediately ran into, though, was how to best present that spirited voice to the secular pop world. Between 1960 and 1969 (her first release for the label was actually in 1961), Columbia tried Franklin in a variety of styles and settings, and if none of them exactly caught fire the way her legendary later sides for Atlantic Records would, they still allowed Franklin to explore a lot of avenues, and she was too good a singer not to be at least memorable in all of them. This wonderful box set includes CDs of Franklin's seven full-length albums for the label, two CDs of her work with producers Bobby Scott (in 1963) and Clyde Otis (in 1964), a CD of singles produced by Bob Johnston, plus rarities that were sweetened and released after Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic and a DVD featuring Franklin performing several songs at the piano on The Steve Allen Show in 1964. It’s a tremendous set, and it portrays an artist working her own way toward how to best present herself to the world. We all know she got there.
The 12 discs are housed in a beautiful box and are accompanied by a lavish 64-page, full color book. The book features extensive new liner notes, complete discography, and incredible, rare photography of a young Aretha.
TAKE A LOOK begins with expanded editions of Aretha’s seven original Columbia albums:
• Aretha [w the Ray Bryant Combo] (1961)
• The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962)
• The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962)
• Laughing On The Outside (1963)
• Unforgettable – A Tribute To Dinah Washington (1964)
• Runnin’ Out Of Fools (1965)
• Yeah!!! In Person With Her Quartet (in two sequences: the original 1965 album recorded live in the studio with overdubbed applause, followed by a new previously unreleased version without the nightclub ambience)
Two CDs reflect Aretha’s collaborations with the influential producers Bobby Scott and Clyde Otis — collaborations that were either shelved or issued as singles, but never on LP:
• Tiny Sparrow: The Bobby Scott Sessions (1963)
• Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions (1964)
Two CDs are new compilations:
• A Bit of Soul (the full album as it was compiled in 1965, but never released)
• The Queen In Waiting (includes Aretha’s last Columbia recordings produced by Bob Johnston, noted for his work during this period with Bob Dylan; and songs that Columbia “sweetened” with new musicians after Aretha left the label)
A bonus DVD, Aretha ’64! Live on The Steve Allen Show, features Aretha singing and playing piano on the legendary comedian’s television program in the spring of 1964. The performances include “Lover Come Back to Me,” “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody,” “Won’t Be Long,” “Skylark,” and “Evil Gal Blues.”
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• Aretha [w the Ray Bryant Combo] (1961)
Tracklist:
1 Won't Be Long 3:12
2 Over The Rainbow 2:41
3 Love Is The Only Thing 2:44
4 Sweet Lover 3:25
5 All Night Long 3:01
6 Who Needs You? 2:50
7 Right Now 2:26
8 Are You Sure 2:44
9 Maybe I'm A Fool 3:20
10 It Ain't Necessarily So 2:57
11 By Myself 2:42
12 Today I Sing The Blues 2:47
13 Are You Sure (rehearsal) 2:27
14 Who Needs You? (tk 9) 3:05
15 Right Now (tk 1) 2:40
16 Maybe I'm A Fool (tk 4) 3:59
17 By Myself (mono mix) 2:42
18 Won't Be Long (mono mix) 2:59
19 All Night Long (mono mix) 3:08
20 Love Is The Only Thing (mono mix) 2:45
21 Right Now (mono mix) 2:24
22 Today I Sing The Blues (mono mix) 2:48
• The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962)
Tracklist:
1 You Made Me Love You 2:21
2 I Told You So 2:46
3 Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody 2:26
4 Nobody Like You 2:25
5 Exactly Like You 2:38
6 It's So Heartbreakin' 2:42
7 Rough Lover 2:49
8 Blue Holiday 2:55
9 Just For You 2:22
10 That Lucky Old Sun 3:22
11 I Surrender, Dear 2:48
12 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 2:18
13 Introduction To Hard Times 0:30
14 Hard Times
(No One Knows Better Than I) 3:09
15 When They Ask About You 3:01
16 Operation Heartbreak 3:00
17 I Surrender, Dear (mono mix) 2:48
18 Rough Lover (mono mix) 2:49
19 Kissin' By The Mistletoe (mono mix) 2:23
• The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962)
Tracklist:
1 Don't Cry, Baby 3:25
2 Try A Little Tenderness 3:19
3 I Apologize 2:57
4 Without The One You Love 2:51
5 Look For The Silver Lining 3:07
6 I'm Sitting On Top Of The World 2:45
7 Just For A Thrill 2:35
8 God Bless The Child 3:06
9 I'm Wandering 3:30
10 How Deep Is The Ocean 2:51
11 I Don't Know You Anymore 2:53
12 Lover Come Back To Me 2:36
13 Trouble In Mind (mono mix) 2:16
14 Without The One You Love (mono mix) 2:48
15 Don't Cry, Baby (mono mix) 3:16
16 I'm Wandering (mono mix) 3:27
17 Try A Little Tenderness (mono mix) 3:16
18 I Apologize (mono mix) 2:54
19 Lover Come Back To Me (mono mix) 2:36
20 I Don't Know You Anymore (mono mix) 2:48
• Laughing On The Outside (1963)
Tracklist:
1 Skylark 2:56
2 For All We Know 3:32
3 Make Someone Happy 3:53
4 I Wonder (Where You Are Tonight) 3:20
5 Solitude 3:53
6 Laughing On The Outside 3:16
7 Say It Isn't So 3:12
8 Until The Real Thing Comes Along 3:10
9 If I Ever Would Leave You 4:10
10 Where Are You? 3:54
11 Mr. Ugly 3:27
12 I Wanna Be Around 2:27
13 Ol' Man River 4:04
14 You've Got Her (mono mix) 2:42
15 Here's Where I Came In (Here's Where I Walk Out) (mono mix) 2:45
16 Say It Isn't So (mono mix) 3:08
• Tiny Sparrow: The Bobby Scott Sessions (1963)
Tracklist:
1 Here Today And Gone Tomorrow 3:30
2 Please Answer Me 2:33
3 Harbor Lights 2:52
4 I May Never Get To Heaven 3:29
5 Moon River 2:13
6 I Won't Cry Anymore 2:50
7 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home 2:21
8 My Little Brown Book 3:20
9 Tiny Sparrow 2:53
10 Johnny 3:15
11 Looking Through A Tear 3:05
12 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home (mono mix) 2:21
13 Johnny (mono mix) 2:59
• Unforgettable – A Tribute To Dinah Washington (1964)
Tracklist:
1 Unforgettable 3:45
2 Cold, Cold Heart 4:39
3 What A Diff'rence A Day Made 3:35
4 Drinking Again 3:32
5 Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning 5:15
6 Evil Gal Blues 2:45
7 Don't Say You're Sorry Again 2:50
8 This Bitter Earth 4:38
9 If I Should Lose You 3:40
10 Soulville 2:24
11 Lee Cross (mono mix) 3:05
• Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions (1964)
Tracklist:
1 [Studio chatter & count off to I'll Keep On Smiling] 0:31
2 I'll Keep On Smiling 2:53
3 Shangri-La 3:16
4 Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart 2:35
5 People 4:19
6 A Mother's Love 2:35
7 Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love) 2:18
8 But Beautiful 2:58
9 That's Entertainment 1:52
10 Take A Look 2:42
11 (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young 4:44
12 Jim 2:30
13 Sweet Bitter Love 3:00
14 Only The Lonely (mono mix) 4:55
15 My Coloring Book (mono mix) 4:09
16 I Wish I Didn't Love You So (mono mix) 2:56
17 People (mono mix) 4:23
18 A Mother's Love (mono mix) 2:31
• Runnin’ Out Of Fools (1965)
Tracklist:
1 Mockingbird 2:37
2 How Glad I Am 2:36
3 Walk On By 2:51
4 Every Little Bit Hurts 2:50
5 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) 2:25
6 You'll Lose A Good Thing 2:41
7 I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face 2:47
8 It's Just A Matter Of Time 3:00
9 Runnin' Out Of Fools 2:36
10 My Guy 3:06
11 Two Sides Of Love 2:31
12 One Room Paradise 2:10
13 A General Market Advertisement From Columbia Records 0:41
14 A Special Ad For Christmas 0:55
15 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (mono mix) 2:55
16 Winter Wonderland (mono mix) 2:12
• A Bit of Soul (1965)
Tracklist:
1 Follow Your Heart 2:30
2 Only The One You Love 2:29
3 One Step Ahead 2:39
4 Can't You Just See Me 2:07
5 How To Murder Your Wife 2:59
6 A Little Bit Of Soul 2:26
7 Cry Like A Baby 2:18
8 Her Little Heart Went To Loveland 2:38
9 Remember Me 2:17
10 Land Of Dreams 2:19
11 Little Miss Raggedy Ann 2:14
12 Deeper 2:15
13 I Still Can't Forget 2:56
14 Rose Of Washington Square 2:40
15 Take It Like You Give It (mono mix) 1:55
16 Follow Your Heart (mono mix) 2:28
17 Only The One You Love (mono mix) 2:24
18 One Step Ahead (mono mix) 2:29
19 How To Murder Your Wife (mono mix) 2:51
20 A Little Bit Of Soul (mono mix) 2:21
21 Cry Like A Baby (mono mix) 2:08
22 Her Little Heart Went To Loveland (mono mix) 2:35
• Yeah!!! In Person With Her Quartet (1965)
Tracklist:
1 This Could Be The Start Of Something 1:30
2 Once In A Lifetime 3:22
3 Misty 3:37
4 More 1:50
5 There Is No Greater Love 4:40
6 Muddy Water 2:31
7 If I Had A Hammer 2:35
8 Impossible 3:22
9 Today I Love Ev'rybody 3:25
10 Without The One You Love 3:33
11 Trouble In Mind 2:53
12 Love For Sale 2:42
13 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home (original session) 2:17
14 Misty (original session) 3:39
15 Love For Sale (original session) 2:32
16 Once In A Lifetime (original session) 3:22
17 Today I Love Ev'rybody (original session) 3:27
18 Impossible (original session) 3:28
19 This Could Be The Start Of Something (original session) 1:27
20 More (original session) 2:12
21 There Is No Greater Love (original session) 4:42
22 If I Had A Hammer (original session) 2:32
23 Muddy Water (original session) 2:31
24 Without The One You Love (original session) 3:43
25 Trouble In Mind (original session) 3:01
• The Queen In Waiting (2002)
Tracklist:
1 Tighten Up Your Tie, Button Up Your Jacket, Make It For The Door (mono mix) 1:58
2 (No, No) I'm Losing You 3:10
3 Why Was I Born? 2:52
4 Hands Off (mono mix) 2:14
5 Swanee 2:25
6 You Made Me Love You 2:34
7 Until You Were Gone (mono mix) 3:08
8 Mockingbird (mono mix with overdubs) 2:37
9 Can't You Just See Me (mono mix with overdubs) 1:57
10 Today I Sing The Blues (mono mix with overdubs) 2:48
11 Walk On By (with overdubs) 2:52
12 One Room Paradise (with overdubs) 2:02
13 Every Little Bit Hurts (with overdubs) 2:45
14 Evil Gal Blues (with overdubs) 2:44
15 Rough Lover (with overdubs) 2:43
16 Trouble In Mind (with overdubs) 2:08
17 Without The One You Love (with overdubs) 3:39
18 Won't Be Long (with overdubs) 3:08
19 Take A Look (with overdubs) 2:49
20 Runnin' Out Of Fools (original sessions) 3:04
21 Skylark (original sessions) 6:11
Aretha '64!: Live On The Steve Allen Show (DVD )
Tracklist:
1 Lover Come Back To Me
2 Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
3 Won't Be Long
4 Skylark
5 Evil Gal Blues
DVD5 | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 |
