The Electrifying Aretha Franklin
Encyclopedia
The Electrifying Aretha Franklin is the second studio album by Aretha Franklin for Columbia Records
in 1962. The album which also known under its working title The Incomparable Aretha Franklin, was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios 799, Seventh Avenue, New York. It was produced by John Hammond
and arranged by Richard Wess.
"The dimly lit, smoke-filled jazz club was taking on the aspect of a revival tent.
The slight, attractive girl at the piano was rasping out a fervent cry, much in the manner of a preacher exhorting his congregation. The audience - sophisticated city-dwellers all - was responding, picking up the leader's lusty calls and answering them with exciting, spontaneous antiphonal replies in the best call-and-response tradition of Negro songs. The young girl's propulsive, Gospel-tinged piano and the crowd's surgingly infectious handclapping further added to the emphatic church-music feeling.
The lissome preacher was Aretha Franklin, perhaps the most gripping and individual vocal stylist in some time."
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1962. The album which also known under its working title The Incomparable Aretha Franklin, was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios 799, Seventh Avenue, New York. It was produced by John Hammond
John H. Hammond
John Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s...
and arranged by Richard Wess.
Reception
This reception was written on "New Stars" newspaper in 1961."The dimly lit, smoke-filled jazz club was taking on the aspect of a revival tent.
The slight, attractive girl at the piano was rasping out a fervent cry, much in the manner of a preacher exhorting his congregation. The audience - sophisticated city-dwellers all - was responding, picking up the leader's lusty calls and answering them with exciting, spontaneous antiphonal replies in the best call-and-response tradition of Negro songs. The young girl's propulsive, Gospel-tinged piano and the crowd's surgingly infectious handclapping further added to the emphatic church-music feeling.
The lissome preacher was Aretha Franklin, perhaps the most gripping and individual vocal stylist in some time."
Side One
- "You Made Me Love YouYou Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)"You Made Me Love You " is a popular song.The music was written by James V. Monaco, the lyrics by Joseph McCarthy. The song was published in 1913. It was introduced in the Broadway revue The Honeymoon Express....
" (Joe McCarthy, James Vincent MonacoJames Vincent MonacoJames Vincent Monaco was an Italian-born American composer of popular music.Monaco was born in Fornia, Italy; his family emigrated to Albany, New York when he was six. He worked as a ragtime player in Chicago before moving to New York. Monaco's first successful song "Oh, You Circus Day" was...
) 2:19 - "I Told You So" (John Leslie McFarland) 2:44
- "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie MelodyRock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was published in 1918....
" (Sam M. LewisSam M. LewisSam M. Lewis was a Jewish-American singer and lyricist, born in New York City, New York as Samuel Levine-Biography:...
, Jean SchwartzJean SchwartzJean Schwartz was a songwriter.Schwartz was born in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to New York City when he was 13 years old...
, Joe Young) 2:24 - "Nobody Like You" (James ClevelandJames ClevelandThe Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...
) 2:23 - "Exactly Like You" (Jimmy McHughJimmy McHughJames Francis McHugh was a U.S. composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he composed over 270 songs...
, Dorothy FieldsDorothy FieldsDorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
) 2:36 - "It's So Heartbreakin'" (John Leslie McFarland) 2:39
Side Two
- "Rough Lover" (John Leslie McFarland) 2:48
- "Blue Holiday" (Willie DensonWillie DensonWillie Denson was an American singer and songwriter. He wrote a 5 songs for the Shirelles, including "Mama Said," "Stop the Music," "The Things I Want to Hear ," "Love Is a Swingin' Thing," and "Blue Holiday." In 2001, Willie won $3M in the Georgia lottery.He died on 1 July 2006 after a long...
, Luther DixonLuther DixonLuther Dixon was an American songwriter, record producer, and singer. Dixon's songs achieved their greatest success in the 1950s and 60s, and were recorded by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Jackson 5, B.B. King, Dusty Springfield, and others...
) 2:53 - "Just for You" (J. Bailey, John Leslie McFarland) 2:20
- "That Lucky Old SunThat Lucky Old Sun"That Lucky Old Sun" is a 1949 popular song with music by Beasley Smith and words by Haven Gillespie. Like "Ol' Man River", its lyrics contrast the toil and intense hardship of the singer's life with the obliviousness of the natural world.-1949 recordings:...
(Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)" (Haven GillespieHaven GillespieJames Lamont "Haven" Gillespie was an American Tin Pan Alley composer and lyricist. He was the writer of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" as well as "You Go to My Head", "Honey", "By the Sycamore Tree", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Breezin' Along With The Breeze", "Right or Wrong," "Beautiful Love",...
, Harry Beasley Smith) 3:20 - "I Surrender, Dear" (Harry BarrisHarry BarrisHarry Barris was an American popular singer and songwriter.Born in New York City, he was a member of the Rhythm Boys, a late 1920s singing trio which included Al Rinker and Bing Crosby, and was Crosby's entry into show business...
, Gordon Clifford) 2:46 - "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the PositiveAc-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" is a popular song. The music was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, and it was published in 1944. It is sung in the style of a sermon, and explains that accentuating the positive is key to happiness...
" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) 2:18
Bonus Tracks on Reissues
- "Introduction To Hard Times" 0:31
- "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)" 3:08
- "When They Ask About You" 2:59
- "Operation Heartbreak" 2:59
Mono Mixes
- "I Surrender, Dear" 2:46
- "Rough Lover" 2:47
- "Kissin' By The Mistletoe" (Also appears on An All-Star Christmas, CL 1699) 2:22
Personnel
- Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
- vocals, piano - John H. HammondJohn H. HammondJohn Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s...
- producer, personal supervisor