Aretha Franklin

Released: October 12, 1968

Songwriter: Goffin and King Carole King Gerry Goffin Jerry Wexler

Producer: Jerry Wexler

Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired

Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you're the key to my peace of mind

Because you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

When my soul was in the lost and found
You came along, to claim it
Well, I didn’t know, I didn't know what was wrong with me
Until your kiss helped me name it

Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I’m living for
And if I make you happy, I really don't need to do more

Because you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (Woman)

Oh, baby, what you done to me? (What you done to me)
You make me feel so good inside (Good inside)
And I, and I just wanna be (Wanna be)
I wanna get next to you, you make me feel so, so alive

You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

You really, really make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (Woman)

Do you believe you make me feel
You really, really make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

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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