Aretha Franklin

They call me coquette, and mademoiselle
And I must admit I like it quite well
It's something to be the darling of all;
Le grande femme fatale the belle of the ball
There's nothing as gay as life in paris
There's no other person, I'd rather be
I love what I do I love what I see
But where is the schoolgirl that used to be me

Ah, the apple trees
Where at garden teas
Jack-o-lanterns swung:
Fashions of the day
Vests of applique
Dresses of shantung
Only yesterday
When the world was young

While sitting around we often recall
The laugh of the year the night of them all
The blonds who was so attractive that year
Some opening night that made us all cheer;
Remember that time we all got so tight
And jacques and antoine got into a fight
The gendarmes who came, passed out like a light
I laugh with the rest it's all very bright

Ah, the apple trees
Sunlight memories
Where the hammock swung
On our backs we'd lie;
Looking at the shy
'til the stars were strung
Only last July
When the world was young

You'll see me in cape d'antibes, or in spain
I follow the sun by boat or by plane
It's any old millionaire in a storm
For I've got my mink to keep my heart warm:
And sometimes I drink too much with the crowd
And, sometimes I talk a little too loud
My head may be aching, but it's unbowed
And sometimes I see it all through the clouds

Ah, the apple trees
And the hive of bees
Where we once got stung
Summers at bordeau
Rowing at bateau
Where the willow hung
Just a dream ago
When the world was young

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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(Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was YoungAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Take a Look - The Clyde Otis Sessions