Aretha Franklin

Released: June 1, 1972

Songwriter: Traditional

Producer: Jerry Wexler Arif Mardin Aretha Franklin

[Aretha Franklin & Choir]
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary
Oh, oh, Mary

Oh, oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha, don't you moan
Listen, Mary
Mary, don't you weep
Tell your sister don’t moan
Tell Martha, don't you moan

Pharaoh's Army
Pharaoh's army
All of them men got drowned in the sea one day
Drowned in the Red Sea
Yes they did
Mary, Mary don’t weep
Oh, Mary don't you weep
Mary, don't weep
Don't weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Tell Martha, don't you moan
Don’t moan, don’t moan

Now if I could
If I could
If I could I surely would
Surely would
I’d stand right up on the rock, yes I would
Stand on the rock
I’d stand right where Moses stood
Moses stood
Yes I would

Pharaoh's army
Pharaoh's army
I know you know that story of
How they got drowned in the sea one day, oh yeah
Drowned in the Red Sea
Jesus said, Mary
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Mary, don't weep
Don’t weep
Don't weep, tell your sister not to moan
Tell Martha not to moan
Don’t moan, don't moan

Oh Mary don't you weep
We gonna review the story of two sisters
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Called mary and Martha
They had a brother
Oh Mary don't you weep
Named Lazarus
Oh Mary, don't you weep
One day while Jesus was away
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Their dear, their dear, their ol’ brother died, yeah yeah
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Well now Mary
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Went running to Jesus
She said, “Master"
Oh Mary, don't you weep
My my my my my my my my my my sweet Lord!”
Oh Mary, don't you weep
“Oh if you had’ve been here my brother wouldn’t have died!”
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Oh yes she did
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Jesus said, “come on and show me, show
Oh Mary, don't you weep
"Come on and show me"
Show me where you, show me where you buried him"
Oh Mary, don't you weep
"Show me where you laid him down!”
And when he got there
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Jesus said, “For the benefit of you who don’t believe"
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Who don’t believe in me this evening!
I’m gon' call this creature, oh yes I am!
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Oh yes I am! He said “Lazarus, Mmm Lazarus"
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Hear my, hear my voice! Lazarus!
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Oh yeah!
He got up walking like a natural man
Oh Mary
Oh yes he did! Oh yes he did! Jesus said
Tell Martha, don't you moan
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Go on home and don't you and your sister moan
Tell Martha, don't you moan
Don't moan

Because, you see, Pharoah's army
Pharaoh's army
Pharoah's army, they got drowned
Drowned in the red sea
Oh Mary, don't you weep
Mary, don't weep
Don't weep
Mary
Tell Martha don't you moan

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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