Aretha Franklin

Songwriter: Warren “Pete” Moore Marv Tarplin Smokey Robinson

People say I'm the life of the party
Because I tell a joke or two
Well, although I may be laughing loud and hearty
Deep inside I'm blue

So take a good look at my face
You'll see then my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

I need you, need you

Since you left
If you see me with someone else
Acting like I'm having big fun
Well, although he may look fine
He's not a really man
You're the only one

So take a good look at my face
You'll see then my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

I'm masquerading
My hope is fading
Since you put me down
My smile is my make up
I wear since my break up
With you

Baby, take just a
One good look at my face
You'll see that my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer, it's so easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

Oh baby, take just
One look at my face
You'll see that my
Smile is out of place
And if you look closer
It's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears
O-o-o-o-oh oh o-o-oh oh oh o-o-oh

Oh, look at my face
You'll see that my smile
Seems out of place
And if you look closer...

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

Soul ’69

From the album

Soul ’69 (1969)

Aretha Franklin popular songs

Tracks Of My TearsAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Soul ’69