Aretha Franklin

Released: November 12, 2007

Featuring: Mary J. Blige The Harlem Boys Choir

Songwriter: Bryan Adams Eliot Kennedy Andrea Remanda

Producer: Bryan Adams The Underdogs (Producers)

[Verse 1: Aretha Franklin]
My Lord, I have read this book so many times
But nowhere can I find the page that says
What I experienced today has any grace

[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
Now I know that life is meant to be hard
That's how I learned to appreciate my God
Though my courage may be tried, I can tell you I won't hide
Because the footprints show you were by my side

[Chorus: Aretha Franklin]
You can lie to a child with a smiling face
Tell me that color ain't about a race
You can cast the first stone, you can break my bones
But you're never gonna break, you're never gonna break my faith
Faith and hope ain't yours to give
Truth and liberty are mine to live
Steal a crown from a king, break an angels wings
But you're never gonna break, you're never gonna break my faith

[Verse 2: Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige]
My Lord, won't you help them, help them, help them to understand
That when someone takes the life of an innocent man, woo
Well, they never really won because all they've really done
Is set the soul free where it's supposed to be

[Chorus: Aretha Franklin]
You can lie to a child with a smiling face
Tell me that color ain't about a race
You can cast the first stone, you can break my bones
But you're never, you're never gonna break my faith
Faith and hope ain't yours to give
Truth and liberty are mine to live
Steal a crown from a king, break an angel's wings
But you're never gonna break, you're never gonna break my faith

[Bridge: Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige]
For those we lose before their time
I pray their souls will find the light
I know that the day will surely come
When his will, His will will be done
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, it will be

[Outro: Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige]
You're never gonna break my faith
Oh yeah
He will, He will, He will
Never gonna break my faith
You're never gonna break my faith, never, never
I'll keep holding on, I'll keep holding on
Never, never, never
Never, never
Never, never, never, never, never, never
You're never gonna break my faith
Oh yeah, ain't gonna break my faith
Never, never

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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