Aretha Franklin

Released: September 16, 2003

Featuring: Mary J. Blige

Songwriter: Troy Taylor Mary J. Blige Bruce Miller

Producer: Troy Taylor

[Intro scatting]

[Verse 1: Aretha Franklin]
It's funny how
We've wasted our time
On so-called friends
Who are really not on our side
They've always got something to say
About us and how we are spending our days
They're trying to confuse us
With their lies and deceit
But they don't really care if we
Live or died on these streets
But you and I
We both know the truth
That we will prevail
As long as God sees us through

[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No matter what they do
You need to love me
I ain't out there cheating on you
You need to trust me
Wanna see you happy, never blue
You need to love me
And just love me
And just love me
No matter what your friends are telling you
You need to love me
'Cause from me you'll always hear the truth
You need to trust me
I ain't mad at you for being you
You need to love me
'Cause I love you
So just love me

[Verse 2: Aretha Franklin]
I wish that they would leave us alone
And let us be together
Boy, you can't fall victim to those fools
Telling you whatever
You hear about me on the streets
And it'll only make you weak
And put a damper on our situation
They're trying to tear down our foundation
Sick and tired of hateration
But we gone make it as long as we stay patient

[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No matter what they do
You need to love me
I ain't out there cheating on you
You need to trust me
Wanna see you happy, never blue
You need to love me
And just love me
And just love me
No matter what your friends are telling you
You need to love me
'Cause from me you'll always hear the truth
You need to trust me
I ain't mad at you for being you
You need to love me
'Cause I love you
So just love me

[Bridge: Mary J. Blige & Aretha Franklin]
Why do we waste away our lives
Playing simple games
Telling silly lies
How far will they go 'til they realize
What goes around comes around
We got a love you can't break down

[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No matter what they do
You need to love me
I ain't out there cheating on you
You need to trust me
Wanna see you happy, never blue
You need to love me
And just love me
And just love me
No matter what your friends are telling you
You need to love me
'Cause from me you'll always hear the truth
You need to trust me
I ain't mad at you for being you
You need to love me
'Cause I love you
So just love me
No matter what they do
You need to love me
I ain't out there cheating on you
You need to trust me
Wanna see you happy, never blue
You need to love me
And just love me
And just love me
No matter what your friends are telling you
You need to love me
'Cause from me you'll always hear the truth
You need to trust me
I ain't mad at you for being you
You need to love me
'Cause I love you
So just love me
No matter what they do
You need to love me
I ain't out there cheating on you
You need to trust me
Wanna see you happy, never blue
You need to love me
And just love me
And just love me
No matter what your friends are telling you
You need to love me
'Cause from me you'll always hear the truth
You need to trust me
I ain't mad at you for being you
You need to love me
'Cause I love you
So just love me

[Outro scatting]

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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