Aretha Franklin

Released: August 24, 1970

Songwriter: Aretha Franklin

Producer: Tom Dowd Jerry Wexler Arif Mardin

[Verse 1]
I-i'm getting the spirit in the dark
(Um-hum-hum)
I'm getting the spirit in the dark
(um-hum-hum)
People moving oh and they grooving
Just getting the spirit
(Um-hum-hum) in the dark
Tell me, sister, how do ya feel?
Tell me my brother-brother-brother
How do you feel?
A do you feel like dancing?
Get up and let's start dancing
Start getting the spirit
(Start getting in the spirit)
Spirit in the dark
(In the dark)

[Chorus]
(Doot-doot)
It's like sally walker
(Do-do-doot-doot)
Sitting in a saucer
(do-do-do-do-do-do)
That's how ya (doot) do it
(Do-do-doot-doot)
It ain't nothing
(Do-ooo-do-ooo-doot-doot) to it
Riiiiide sally ride
(Do-ooo-do-do-do)
Put your hand on your hips
Cover your eyes
And move
(Move)
With the spirit
(With the spirit)
Go on an move
(Move)
Move with the spirit
(With the spirit)
Oh move
(Move)
Move with the spirit
Now-now-now
(With the spirit)
Move with the spirit

[Verse 2]
Are you getting the spirit?
(Yeah)
Are you getting it in the dark?
(Yeah)
I wonder how you're getting the spirit?
(Yeah)
Getting the spirit in the dark
(Yeah)
People moving yeah-yeah-yeah
Everybody's grooving
Just getting the spirit
(Start getting in the spirit)
Are you getting it?
Are you getting it in the dark?
(In the dark)

[Chorus]
(Doot-doot)
It's like sally walker
(doo-do-do-do)
Sitting in her saucer
(doo-do-do-do-do)
That's how ya do it
(doo-do-do-do-do)
Now get on up to it
(Doo-do-do-do-do)
Ride Sally ride
(Doo-do-do-do-do)
Put your hands on your hips
Cover your eyes
And move on up with the spirit
(With the spirit)
Go on and move
(Move)
Move with the spirit
(With the spirit)
Move with the spirit
(With the spirit)
Hey now move
(Move)
Move with the spirit

[Outro]
(I think I've got it!
All of my brothers
(Move with the spirit)
All of my sisters
(Move with the spirit)
Move
(Move with the spirit)
With the spirit
(Move with the spirit)
Keep on moving
(Move with the spirit)
We all groove
(Groove with the spirit now)
Now move
(Move with the spirit)
Keep on groove!
(Groove with the spirit)
You gotta move your hands
(Move)
Put em together
And groove your hands
Gotta move your feet
(Groove!)
The spirit on the beat
(Move)
Oh move
(Move with the spirit)
Move!
(Move with the spirit)
Oh move
(Move with the spirit)
Move
(Move with the spirit)
Move with the spirit
(Move with the spirit)
Ooo yeah move on
(Move with the spirit)
Oh right on!
(The spirit)
Come on!
(The spirit)
Right on
(The spirit)
(move on)
(The spirit)
Feel it
(The spirit)
Feel it
(Oh that spirit)
Feel
(Oh that spirit)
Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
(Move with the spirit)
Yeah move on
(move with the spirit)
Yeah
(Move with the spirit)
Yeah
(Move with the spirit)
Move on
(Move with the spirit)
Oh good god a-mighty!
(Move with... The spirit)
Yeah good god a-mighty)

Aretha Franklin is both a 20th and 21st century musical and cultural icon known simply by her first Aretha. She is the reigning and undisputed “Queen Of Soul” with a legacy that spans five decades. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Aretha began her career singing gospel at her father, minister C. L. Franklin’s church as a child. In 1960, at the age of 18, Aretha embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records with modest success.

After moving to Atlantic Records in 1967, she released a steady string of US top ten hits through 1973 including “Spanish Harlem”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Baby I Love You”, “Since You’ve Been Gone”, “Daydreaming”, “The House That Jack Built”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", ”Think“ and her first chart-topper “Respect” – a song that also won Aretha her first of 18 Grammys. During this time, several of her songs were also successful overseas.

By the mid-70s, Aretha’s commercial success waned and she left Atlantic for Clive Davis' Arista Records in 1980. Her 1982 song “Jump to It,” returned her to the top 40 for the first time in six years. 1985’s Who’s Zoomin' Who? got her back into the top 10 twice with its title track and “Freeway Of Love”. Four more songs reached the top 40 through 1986.

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From the albums

Spirit in the Dark (1970)
30 Greatest Hits (1985)

Aretha Franklin popular songs

Spirit In The DarkAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

30 Greatest Hits