Aretha Franklin

Songwriter: Charles Singleton Eddie Snyder

Producer: Clyde Otis

I'm only one step ahead of heartbreak
One step ahead of misery
One step is all I'd have to take backwards
To be the same old fool for you I used to be

I'm only one step ahead of your arms
One kiss away from your sweet lips
I know I can't afford to stop for one moment
Cause I'm just out of reach of your fingertips

Your warm breath on my shoulder
Keeps reminding me
That it's too soon to forget you
It's too late to be free, can't you see?

I'm only one step ahead of your love
I try and yet I can't take two
Seems like I'll have to take that one step backwards

Cause one step ahead is a step too far away from you
Cause one step ahead is a step too far away from you
Just one step ahead is a step too far away from you

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.

more tracks from the album

A Bit Of Soul (Unreleased LP)

From the album

A Bit Of Soul (Unreleased LP)

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One Step AheadAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

A Bit Of Soul (Unreleased LP)