30 Greatest Hits
Aretha Franklin
(1985)
I’m usually not a fan of “Greatest Hits” albums but how could any one resist this one. How could one resist this voice. The only thing that could hold one back is the fact that Aretha probably had more than 30 hits.
This is a double album and the double spread has a comprehensive biography of this singer and an incite into her music. The songs are arranged chronologically so it is easy to track the progression of her art and of popular music from the first hit on the album Never Loved A Man (The way I Love You), (released February 10, 1967) to the thirtieth, I’m in Love (released March 18m, 1974). The liner notes also list the highest position achieved on the charts — both the Pop and R&B or Soul charts. There are discoveries here, for me anyways. I had no idea that Franklin covered the Beatles’ Elenor Rigby or Bridge over Troubled Water by Paul Simon
But the historical titbits are just a minor distraction from the fantastic music that is found on this double album. And it is great.
As I’m listening to this you really appreciate what a great talent she is.
And if her voice doesn’t sway you then do the numbers. This album covers but 7 years of her musical output. And she had 30 hit songs in this period— all of them sounding just as good and fresh as they did nearly half a century ago.
Genius.
tonalsurge 