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- Artist: Aretha Franklin
- Rating:
- Release Date: January 22, 1968
- Total Time: 28:41
- Genre: Rhythm & Blues
Review
Appearing after a blockbuster debut and a sophomore set that was rather disappointing (in comparison), 1968's Lady Soul proved Aretha Franklin, the pop sensation, was no fluke. Her performances were more impassioned than on her debut, and the material just as strong, an inspired blend of covers and originals from the best songwriters in soul and pop music. The opener, "Chain of Fools," became the biggest hit, driven by a chorus of cascading echoes by Franklin and her bedrock backing vocalists, the Sweet Impressions, plus the unforgettable, earthy guitar work of guest Joe South. The album's showpiece, though, was "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," a song written expressly for her by Brill Building pop stalwarts Gerry Goffin and Carole King, based on a title coined by producer Jerry Wexler. One of the landmark performances in pop music, the song floats serenely through the verses until, swept up by Ralph Burns' stirring string arrangement again and again, Franklin opens up on the choruses with one of the most transcendent vocals of her career. And just as she'd previously transformed a soul classic (Otis Redding's "Respect") into a signature piece of her own, Franklin courageously reimagined songs by heavyweights James Brown, Ray Charles, and the Impressions. Brown's "Money Won't Change You" is smooth and kinetic, her testifying constantly reinforced by interjections from the Sweet Inspirations. Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready," a 1965 civil-rights anthem and a hit for the Impressions, is taken at a slower pace than the original; after a quiet verse, Franklin lets loose amidst a magisterial brass arrangement by Arif Mardin. Powered by three hit singles (each nested in the upper reaches of the pop Top Ten), Lady Soul became Aretha Franklin's second gold LP and remained on the charts for over a year. ~ John Bush, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Chain of Fools (Lyrics) | Don Covay | Aretha Franklin | (2:47) |
| Money Won't Change You | James Brown, |
Aretha Franklin | (2:08) |
| People Get Ready | Curtis Mayfield | Aretha Franklin | (3:44) |
| Niki Hoeky (Lyrics) | Jim Ford, |
Aretha Franklin | (2:31) |
| (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman | Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jerry Wexler | Aretha Franklin | (2:45) |
| Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) | Aretha Franklin, |
Aretha Franklin | (2:25) |
| Good to Me as I Am to You | Aretha Franklin, |
Aretha Franklin | (3:58) |
| Come Back Baby | Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin | Aretha Franklin | (2:27) |
| Groovin' (Lyrics) | Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere | Aretha Franklin | (2:57) |
| Ain't No Way (Lyrics) | Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin | Aretha Franklin | (4:17) |
| Chain of Fools [Unedited Version][*] | Don Covay | Aretha Franklin | (4:22) |
| (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman [Mono Single Version][*] | Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jerry Wexler | Aretha Franklin | (2:49) |
| Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) [Mono Single Version][*] | Aretha Franklin, |
Aretha Franklin | (2:28) |
| Ain't No Way [Mono Single Version][*] | Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin | Aretha Franklin | (4:12) |
