Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You (1967) [2013 Atlantic 1000 R&B Best Collection] CD-Rip

While the inclusion of "Respect" -- one of the truly seminal singles in pop history -- is in and of itself sufficient to earn I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You classic status, Aretha Franklin's Atlantic label debut is an indisputable masterpiece from start to finish. Much of the credit is due to producer Jerry Wexler, who finally unleashed the soulful intensity so long kept under wraps during her Columbia tenure; assembling a crack Muscle Shoals backing band along with an abundance of impeccable material, Wexler creates the ideal setting to allow Aretha to ascend to the throne of Queen of Soul, and she responds with the strongest performances of her career. While the brilliant title track remains the album's other best-known song, each cut on I Never Loved a Man is touched by greatness; covers of Ray Charles' "Drown in My Own Tears" and Sam Cooke's "Good Times" and "A Change Is Gonna Come" are on par with the original recordings, while Aretha's own contributions -- "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream," "Baby, Baby, Baby," "Save Me," and "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" -- are perfectly at home in such lofty company. A soul landmark.


Tracks:

1. "Respect" (Otis Redding) – 2:29
2. "Drown in My Own Tears" (Henry Glover) – 4:07
3. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (Ronnie Shannon) – 2:51
4. "Soul Serenade" (Curtis Ousley, Luther Dixon) – 2:39
5. "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream" (Aretha Franklin, Ted White) – 2:23
6. "Baby, Baby, Baby" (Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin) – 2:54
7. "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" (Aretha Franklin, Ted White) – 3:23
8. "Good Times" (Sam Cooke) – 2:10
9. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (Dan Penn, Chips Moman) – 3:16
10. "Save Me" (Curtis Ousley, Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin) – 2:21
11. "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke) – 4:20
12. "Respect" (mono version) – 2:28
13. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (mono version) – 2:47
14. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (mono version) – 3:14