Aretha Franklin

Released: May 27, 1976

Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield

Producer: Curtis Mayfield

[Verse]
I sparkle
Loving the way that i do
(It is true) i feel so good
Just having you
Breathlessly and eager
Submission isn't easy for me
(We were so loving wasn't we)
I always known it could be
Don't want to do nothing
Tied against your will
This ain't no cheap thrill
You got to know just how it feel
And if you think your going to fall
All you have to do is call
I have nothing in my self
And i give my self to you
Say child tingle sparkle
I hope the love never breaks away
Keep the fire burning everyday
Save all the warmth for you
Just want you to know
When the jealous issues
Understand there will be no other man
But you baby
You can believe
This love in me
As i believe in you
And when times are low
And i am really on your mind
Everybody needs some time
Something funky good and kind
And you always seem to please me
And you wear me down so easy
Good work is never done
Till the morning comes

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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Sparkle

From the album

Sparkle (1976)

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Aretha Franklin

Sparkle