Aretha Franklin

Released: January 22, 1968

Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield

[Chorus 1]
I believe
I believe
I believe
I do believe

[Chorus 2]
People get ready, there's a train coming (ooh)
Don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All we need is faith to hear the diesels humming
You don't need no ticket, well just thank the Lord
(Thank the Lord)

[Verse 1]
People get ready, for the train to Jordan
It's picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board 'em
There's hope for all among His loved the most

[Chorus 1]
I believe
I believe
I believe
I do believe

[Verse 2]
There is no room for the hopeless sinner (sinner)
Whom would hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there is no hiding place against the kingdom's throne
There is no hiding place against the kingdom's throne

[Chorus 2]
So people get ready, there's a train coming
You don't need no ticket, we'll just get on board
All you need is faith, yeah, to hear those diesels humming
You don't need no baggage, you just thank the Lord

[Chorus 3]
Oh, we'll just thank the Lord
Thank the Lord
Thank the Lord
Thank the Lord

[Chorus 3]
You don't need no ticket, we'll just thank the Lord
I said, we'll just thank the Lord
Thank the Lord
Thank the Lord

[Outro]
(Get on board)
I'll thank You because I need You

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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