Aretha Franklin

In case you fancy coloring books and lots of people do
I've a new one for you
A most unusual coloring book, the kind you'd never see
Crayons ready, very well, begin to color me

These are the eyes that watched him as he walked away
Color them gray
This is the heart that thought he would always be true
Color it blue

These are the arms that held him and touched him then lost him somehow
Color them empty now
This are the beads I wore until she came between
If you like, color it green

This is the room I sleep in and walk in and weep in and hide in
That nobody ever sees, color it lonely, please
This is the man, the one, the one I depended upon
You must color him gone

He's gone, color him gone

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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Take a Look - The Clyde Otis Sessions

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Aretha Franklin popular songs

My Coloring BookAretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Take a Look - The Clyde Otis Sessions