Aretha Franklin

Released: January 24, 1972

Songwriter: Jim Doris

Producer: Jerry Wexler Arif Mardin Tom Dowd

[Verse 1]
To make you laugh, I would be a fool for you
Although the people turn and stare
I really don't care
I would give my everything to keep you, boy
It breaks my heart when you're not there
I will stage a ballet on a tabletop
Command performance finger size
And although I ain't got no tune
My show ain't gonna fly
I will find the music there in your eyes

[Chorus]
Oh me, oh my, I'm a fool for you baby (baby now)
(Fool for you) Oh me oh my (I)
I am crazy baby (crazy baby)
Oh me, oh my (me oh my)
Yeah I'm a fool for ya baby
Common let your love light shine on me
(Shine on me)

[Verse 2]
We'll blow a genie from a cigarette
And then we'll take a magic carpet ride
Yes we will
And we'll tell our smokey friend, hey don't you forget
Because you've got to keep us side by side, yeah

[Chorus]
Oh me, oh my (oh me, oh my)
I am a fool for ya baby (be your)
(Your fool for ya)
Oh me, oh my, (I)
You know that I am (crazy) crazy baby
(Crazy baby) yes you do (crazy baby)
Oh me, oh my (oh me, oh my)
Whoa-oh I'm a fool (fool) for ya baby
(Need your)
Come on let your love light shine on me
(Shine on me)
Would you do that? (on me)
Come on let your love light shine
Just a little bit (shine) right on me

[Bridge]
Oh lover let your love light
Shine on me (shine on me)
Oh hear me now!
Oh me, me oh my
I'm a fool oh! for ya baby (now)

[Outro]
Oh me oh my (I)
You know that I'm crazy baby
(Crazy baby)
Oh me, oh my

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

Young, Gifted and Black

From the albums

Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
30 Greatest Hits (1985)

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Oh Me, Oh My (I’m A Fool For You Baby)Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

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