Aretha Franklin

Released: November 16, 1964

Songwriter: Bacharach & David Burt Bacharach Hal David

Producer: Clyde Otis

[Verse 1]
If you see me walking down the street
And I start to cry each time we meet

[Chorus]
Walk on by, walk on by
Just make believe
That you don't see the tears
Just let me grieve
In private because each time I see you
I break down and cry
Walk on by
(Don't stop)
And walk on by
(Don't stop)
And walk on by

[Verse 2]
I just can't get over losing you
And so if I seem broken and blue

[Chorus]
Walk on by, walk on by
'Cause foolish pride
Is all that I have left
So let me hide
The tears and the sadness you gave me
When you said goodbye
Walk on by
(Don't stop)
Walk on by
(Don't stop)
Walk on by
(Don't stop)

[Break]

[Chorus]
Walk on by, walk on by
This foolish pride
Is all that I have left
So let me hide
The tears and the sadness you gave me
When you said goodbye
Walk on by
(Don't stop)
Walk on by
(Don't stop)

[Outro]
Now you know you gotta go so walk on by
(Don't, no, don't, don't stop)
Make believe you never see the tears I cry
(Don't, no, don't, don't stop)
Now you know you gotta go so walk on by
(Don't, no, don't, don't stop)
Make believe you never see the tears I cry
(Don't, no, don't, don't stop)

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

Runnin’ Out of Fools

From the album

Runnin’ Out of Fools (1964)

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Runnin’ Out of Fools