Break It to Me Gently (Aretha Franklin song)

"Break It to Me Gently" is a song by American singer Aretha Franklin, released in 1977 as the first single from her album, Sweet Passion. The track was written and produced by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch which was an R&B hit for Franklin, it reached number one on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart in June 1977.

The song's success was only faintly reflected on the Billboard Hot 100 with a Number 85 peak, before dropping out of the Hot 100 after two weeks. "Break It to Me Gently" would be Franklin's final Atlantic single to appear on the Hot 100 - from which she would be absent until 1980.

Track listing

US, UK 7" Vinyl single
- A1. "Break It to Me Gently" – 3:19
- B1. "Meadows of Springtime" – 5:34

Personnel and credits

Performers

Aretha Franklin – vocals
Joe Clayton – congas
Harold Mason – drums
David Paich – keyboards
Ray Parker Jr. – guitar
Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
Lee Ritenour – guitar
Sylvester Rivers – keyboards

Production

Producers – Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer-Sager.
Co-Producers – David Paich and Marty Paich.
Engineers – Frank Kemjar.
Mixed at Studio 55 (Los Angeles, CA).

Charts

Charts (1977)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	85
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles	1

References

Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 216.
"Aretha Franklin - Break It to Me Gently (7", Vinyl, Single)". discogs.com. 1977.

v t e Aretha Franklin
Studio albums	Aretha (1961) The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962) The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962) Laughing on the Outside (1963) Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington (1964) Runnin' Out of Fools (1964) Yeah!!! (1965) Songs of Faith (1965) Soul Sister (1966) Take It Like You Give It (1967) I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) Aretha Arrives (1967) Lady Soul (1968) Aretha Now (1968) Soul '69 (1969) Soft and Beautiful (1969) This Girl's in Love with You (1970) Spirit in the Dark (1970) Young, Gifted and Black (1972) Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) (1973) Let Me in Your Life (1974) With Everything I Feel in Me (1974) You (1975) Sparkle (1976) Sweet Passion (1977) Almighty Fire (1978) La Diva (1979) Aretha (1980) Love All the Hurt Away (1981) Jump to It (1982) Get It Right (1983) Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985) Aretha (1986) Through the Storm (1989) What You See Is What You Sweat (1991) A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998) So Damn Happy (2003) This Christmas, Aretha (2008) A Woman Falling Out of Love (2011) Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics (2014)
Live albums	Aretha in Paris (1968) Aretha Live at Fillmore West (1971) Amazing Grace (1972) One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (1987) Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live in Philly, 1972 (2007)
Compilation albums	Take a Look (1967) Aretha's Gold (1969) Aretha's Greatest Hits (1971) The Best of Aretha Franklin (1973) Aretha Sings the Blues (1980) 30 Greatest Hits (1985) Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (1992/2014) Greatest Hits: 1980–1994 (1994) The Very Best of Aretha Franklin, Vol. 1 (1994) Greatest Hits (1998) Aretha's Best (2001) Respect: The Very Best of Aretha Franklin (2002) The Queen in Waiting: The Columbia Years (1960–1965) (2002) Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul (2007) Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen (2007) A Brand New Me (2017) The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967–1970 (2018)
Singles	"Precious Lord (Part 1)" (1959) "Today I Sing the Blues" (1960) "Won't Be Long" (1960) "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" (1961) "Operation Heartbreak" (1961) "I Surrender, Dear" (1962) "Try a Little Tenderness" (1962) "Say It Isn't So" (1963) "Skylark" (1963) "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" (1964) "One Step Ahead" (1965) "You Made Me Love You" (1965) "Mockingbird" (1967) "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (1967) "Respect" (1967) "Baby I Love You" (1967) "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (1967) "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" "Chain of Fools" (1967) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1968) "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (1968) "Think" (1968) "You Send Me" (1968) "The House That Jack Built" (1968) "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968) "See Saw" (1968) "My Song" (1968) "The Weight" (1969) "Tracks of My Tears" (1969) "I Can't See Myself Leaving You" (1969) "Gentle on My Mind" (1969) "Share Your Love with Me" (1969) "Eleanor Rigby" (1969) "Call Me" (1970) "Son of a Preacher Man" (1970) "Spirit in the Dark" (1970) "The Thrill Is Gone" (1970) "Don't Play That Song" (1970) "Border Song (Holy Moses)" (1970) "You're All I Need to Get By" (1971) "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1971) "Spanish Harlem" (1971) "Rock Steady" (1971) "Day Dreaming" (1972) "Angel" (1973) "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (1973) "I'm in Love" (1974) "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1974) "Something He Can Feel" (1976) "Break It to Me Gently" (1977) "What a Fool Believes" (1981) "It's My Turn" (1981) "Jump to It" (1982) "Get It Right" (1983) "Freeway of Love" (1985) "Who's Zoomin' Who" (1985) "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (1985) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986) "Jimmy Lee" (1986) "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987) "Rock-A-Lott" (1987) "Oh Happy Day" (1988) "Gimme Your Love" (1989) "Through the Storm" (1989) "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" (1989) "Everyday People" (1991) "Someday We'll All Be Free" (1992) "Ever Changing Times" (1992) "A Deeper Love" (1993) "Willing to Forgive" (1994) "A Rose Is Still a Rose" (1998) "Here We Go Again" (1998) "Put You Up on Game" (2007) "Angels We Have Heard on High" (2009) "Rolling in the Deep (The Aretha Version)" (2014)
Related	Awards and nominations Discography "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" Amazing Grace (2018 film) Genius (2021 television series) Respect (2021 film) Ted White
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