Aretha Franklin

Released: July 1, 1972

Songwriter: Clara Ward

[Intro]
How I got over (how I got over)
How I got over (how I got over)
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over
How I got over (how I got over)
How I got over (how I got over)
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over

[Verse 1]
Just as soon as I see Jesus (oh yes)
The man who made me free (oh yes oh yes)
He was the man that bled and suffered (oh yes oh yes oh yes)
Who died for you and for me (oh yes)

I want to thank him because he brought me oh yes
I want to thank him because he taught me (oh yes oh yes)
I want to thank God because he kept me oh yes oh yes oh yes
I'm gonna thank Him 'cause he never left me oh yes

[Pre-Chorus]
I want to sing (hallelujah)
I might shout this evening (troubles over)
I'm going to thank Jesus for all He's done for me

[Chorus]
How I got over, over
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over
How I got over, over
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over

[Verse 2]
I want to wear a diamond gem (oh yes)
In the new Jerusalem (oh yes, oh yes)
I want to walk the streets of gold (oh yes, oh yes, oh yes)
In the homeland of the soul (oh yes)

I'm going to view the Host in white (oh yes)
Who travels both day and night (oh yes, oh yes)
Coming up from every nation (oh yes, oh yes, oh yes)
On the way to the great coronation (oh yes)

[Pre-Chorus]
I want to sing (hallelujah)
I might shout this evening (troubles over)
I'm going to thank Jesus for all He's done for me

[Chorus]
How I got over, over
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over
How I got over, over
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over
How I got over, over
My soul looks back and wonder
My soul looks back and wonder
My soul looks back and wonder how I got over

[Bridge]
I wanna thank you (thank you)
Thank you (thank you)
Thank you (thank you)
Thank you Jesus (thank you Lord)
Thank you Lord (thank you)
Thank you Jesus (thank you Lord)
You brought me (thank you)
You taught me lord (thank you)
You kept me (thank you)
And you never left me (thank you)
Thank you Jesus (thank you)
Thank you Lord (thank you)
How I got over how I got over
How I got over how I got over
My soul look back and wonder how I got over

[Chorus]

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

Amazing Grace

From the album

Amazing Grace (1972)

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How I Got OverAretha Franklin

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