Aretha Franklin

Songwriter: Jimmy Radcliffe Carolyn Franklin

Producer: Jerry Wexler Arif Mardin Tom Dowd

[Verse 1]
Everyone knew but me, that soon
You would be calling it off and gone
Everyone pitied me, had so much sympathy
They didn't think i'd be strong

[Chorus]
Oh, i'm... oh, i'm pulling on... (pulling!)
Yeah! (moving!) i'm moving on
(I'm... Pulling!) pulling on! (moving!) pulling on in

[Verse 2]
If i'd meant to you what you lead me to believing
Baby, you wouldn't be gone, no
Turned your back on me (freezing!)
Just as cold as you can be... (yeah!)
I ain't been sitting here all alone

[Chorus]
Baby, cause i'm... hey, i'm pulling on... (pulling!)
Yeah... (moving!) and i'm moving
(I'm... Pulling!) oh, yes i am! (moving!) moving on
(Pulling! pulling! pulling! Pulling!)

[Bridge]
I'm pulling harder and harder
I'm moving higher and higher
I'm pulling harder and harder

[Chorus]
Oh, i'm... (pulling!) i'm pulling on! (moving!) moving on in
(I'm... pulling!) pulling on! (moving) moving!

[Verse 3]
So glad i'm free, found a man for me
Let me tell you while you're moving on:
Instead of begging you
I should have helped you pack your bags
And move along! Oh, cause

[Chorus]
Oh, cause i'm... (pulling!) pulling on... (moving!) moving on in!
(I'm... pulling!) oh, oh, no! (moving!) moving

[Outro]
(Moving! Higher! pulling! Harder!)
(Moving!) higher! (higher!) moving!
(Pulling!) pulling! (harder!) harder!
(Moving!) pulling! (higher!) higher!
(Pulling!) pulling! (harder!) harder!
(Moving!) pulling! (higher!) higher!
(Pulling!) moving! (harder!) harder!
(Moving!) pulling! (higher!) higher!
(Pulling!) moving! (harder!) harder!
(Moving!) moving... (higher!) higher
(Pulling!) pulling... (harder!) harder
(Moving!) yeah... (higher!) pulling...
(Pulling!) harder... (harder!) and higher
(Moving!) harder... (higher!) higher...
(Pulling!) pulling... (harder!) moving
(Moving!) pulling! (higher!) harder!
(Pulling!) pulling! (harder!) higher!
(Moving!) moving! (higher!) higher!
(Pulling!) higher! (harder!) higher!
(Moving!) higher! (higher!) yeah!
(Pulling!) yeah! (harder!) yeah!
(Moving!) go ahead! (higher!) higher!
(Pulling!) yeah! (harder!) go ahead, high!
(Moving! higher! pulling!) pulling... (harder!) harder
(Moving!) moving... (higher!) harder...
(Pulling!) pulling... (harder!) higher
(Moving! higher!) moving, hey, higher
(Pulling!) pulling... (harder!) harder
(Moving!) harder
(Higher!) harder
(Pulling!) well

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

Spirit in the Dark

From the album

Spirit in the Dark (1970)

Aretha Franklin popular songs

Pullin’Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Spirit in the Dark