Aretha Franklin

Released: June 1, 1972

Songwriter: W. Herbert Brewster Adeline M. Brunner

Let us all (all go back)
Back to the old (old landmark)
Let us all (all go back)
Back to the old (old landmark)
Let us all (all go back)
Back to the old (old landmark)
Then, we’ll stay in the service of the Lord

Now let us kneel (kneel and pray)
In the old (old-time way)
Let us kneel (kneel and pray)
Into the old (old-time way)
Now let us kneel (kneel and pray)
Into the old (old-time way)
He will (hear us) and be (near us)
We’ll be (given) bread from (Heaven)
He will feed us until we want no more

Preachers preach (preach the word)
Preach in the old (old-time way)
Preachers preach the word (preach the word)
Preach in the old (old-time way)
Preachers preach (preach the word)
Preach in the old (old-time way)
Tell the (story) of his (glory)
It will (warn men), it will (turn men)
It will save this old world from sin and shame

Let us blend (blend our voices)
Blend them in the old (old-time way)
Let us blend (blend our voices)
In the old (old-time way)
Now let us blend (blend our voices)
Blend them in the old (old-time way)
Common (meter) they’re much (sweeter)
When you stop (singing) bells keep (ringing)
It will linger right down in your soul

Let’s go down (down to the river)
In the old (old-time way)
Go down (down to the river)
In the old (old-time way)
Let’s go down (down to the river)
In the old (old-time way)
Sons and (daughters) buried in the (water)
Coming up (shouting) nobody (doubting)
Everybody happy in the service of the Lord

Let us all (all go back)
Back to the old (old landmark)
Let us all go back (all go back)
Back to the old landmark (old landmark)
Let us all go back (all go back)
Back to the old landmark (old landmark)
He will (hear us) and be (near us)
We’ll be (given) bread from (Heaven)
Tell the (story) of his (glory)
It will (warn men), it will (turn men)
(Meter, sweeter, singing, ringing)
(Daughters, water, shouting, doubting)
(Shouting, shouting, shouting, shouting)

Shouting (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
Yeah (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
Yeah (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
Shouting (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
Oh yeah (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting, shouting)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shouting now)

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

Amazing Grace

From the album

Amazing Grace (1972)

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Old LandmarkAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Amazing Grace