Aretha Franklin

Released: January 22, 1968

[Intro]
If you had a dollar
And I had a dime
I wonder, could I borrow yours
As easy as you could mine?

[Verse 1]
Because when you need my love
And I give time after time
And turn around to find me no returns
Then, my friend, you've used my dimes

[Verse 2]
If there's water in the pitcher
And we both need a drink
To stay alive, my darling
I'd need less water than you'd think

[Verse 3]
My love, my love, these things, I swear, I say are true
And all I'm really saying is be as good to me as I am to you
Oh, yeah
Listen to this

[Verse 4]
Some people want
But they don't want to give
They can do all of the wrong in the world
And got the nerve to not understand the meaning of loving me

[Verse 5]
Starting today
Tomorrow and forevermore
If you can't find it in your heart to do for me
Then, baby, just don't darken my front door
Baby
I want you to be as good to me as I am to you
Whoo, baby
I don't think that's asking you too much to do

[Verse 6]
Listen
Don't you walk around here
Feeling like you can treat me any old way
Using my love, my time, my heart
Day, day after day

[Outro]
Oh baby, baby
Be as good to me as I am to you
Whoo, whoo
Baby

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

Lady Soul

From the album

Lady Soul (1968)

Aretha Franklin popular songs

Good To Me As I Am To YouAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Lady Soul