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Spirit in the Dark

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1970 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Spirit in the Dark
Studio album by Aretha Franklin
ReleasedAugust 24, 1970
Recorded
  • May 26–27, 1969
  • October 3, 1969 – March 10, 1970
StudioCriteria (Miami)
Genre
Length40:28
Label
Producer
Aretha Franklin chronology
This Girl's in Love with You
(1970) 		Spirit in the Dark
(1970) 		Aretha Live at Fillmore West
(1971)
Singles from Spirit in the Dark
  1. "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"
    Released: May 1970
  2. "Spirit in the Dark" / "The Thrill Is Gone"
    Released: August 1970
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Christgau's Record GuideA
Pitchfork9.0/10
Rolling Stone(favorable)

Spirit in the Dark is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 24, 1970, by Atlantic Records. It received critical acclaim, but was met with middling sales, despite having two hit singles, "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", which peaked at #1 R&B, #11 on the Hot 100, and "Spirit in the Dark", peaking at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100, in Billboard magazine. It was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of Billboard's Top 20, but it is now seen as one of Aretha's classic Atlantic LPs.

In 1993, Rhino Records re-issued the album on compact disc. "Try Matty's" is used as the jingle for radio host Matt Siegel's Boston Kiss 108 show.

Track listing

Unless otherwise indicated, Information is based on the album's liner notes

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Play That Song"Ahmet Ertegün, Betty Nelson3:02
2."The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday's Kiss)"Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins, Art Benson, Dale Petite4:41
3."Pullin'"Jimmy Radcliffe, Carolyn Franklin, Aretha Franklin3:38
4."You and Me"Aretha Franklin3:34
5."Honest I Do"Jimmy Reed, Ewart Abner Jr.3:19
6."Spirit in the Dark"Aretha Franklin4:03
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."When the Battle Is Over"Jessie Hill, Mac Rebennack2:43
8."One Way Ticket"Aretha Franklin2:52
9."Try Matty's"Aretha Franklin2:32
10."That's All I Want from You"Fritz Rotter2:44
11."Oh No Not My Baby"Gerry Goffin, Carole King2:55
12."Why I Sing the Blues"B.B. King, Dave Clark3:05

Personnel

Information is based on the album's liner notes.

Main
  • Aretha Franklin – vocals (5, lead on 1–4, 6–12), piano (1–6, 8–12)
  • Duane Allman – guitar (7)
  • Margaret Branch – background vocals (1–2, 7–8, 11)
  • Brenda Bryant – background vocals (1–2, 7–8, 11)
  • Harold "Hog" Cowart – bass guitar (8–9, 12)
  • Dave Crawford – organ (8–9, 12)
  • Cornell Dupree – guitar (8, 11–12)
  • Buzz Feiten – guitar (1)
  • Evelyn Green – background vocals (3, 9–10, 12)
  • Wylene Ivy – background vocals (3, 9–10, 12)
  • Almeda Lattimore – background vocals (1–3, 9–12)
  • Pat Lewis – background vocals (3, 9–10, 12)
  • Ray Lucas – drums (8, 12)
  • Jimmy O'Rourke – guitar (9)
  • The Sweet Inspirations – background vocals (4, 6)
  • Ron "Tubby" Ziegler – drums (9)
The Dixie Flyers
  • Sammy Creason – drums (1–2, 4, 6, 10)
  • Jim Dickinson – additional keyboards (1–2, 4, 6, 10)
  • Charlie Freeman – guitar (1–2, 4, 6, 10)
  • Tommy McClure – bass guitar (1–2, 4, 6, 10)
  • Michael Utley – additional keyboards (1–2, 4, 6, 10)
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

Production

Recorded at Atlantic South-Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida. Recording Engineers: Ron Albert, Chuck Kirkpatrick & Lewis Hahn. Produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin

Charts

Chart performance for Spirit in the Dark
Chart (1970) Peak
position
US Billboard 200 25
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 2

References

  1. ^ Franklin, Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark" (remastered CD liner notes). Rhino. 1993.
  2. Aretha Franklin, etc. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: May 26–27, 1969 (NYC)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  3. Aretha Franklin with Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: October 3, 1969 (Miami, FL)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  4. Aretha Franklin with The Dixie Flyers. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: March 10, 1970 (Miami, FL)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  5. AllMusic review
  6. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: F". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  7. Marino, Nick (May 20, 2018). "Aretha Franklin Spirit in the Dark". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. Amatneek, Bill (November 12, 1970). "Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  9. Mosley, Holly (August 24, 2018). "Album of the Week...'Spirit in the Dark'". Contactmusic.com.
  10. ^ Franklin, Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark" (Original Album Notes). Atlantic. 1970.
  11. Franklin, Aretha (2003). "The Thrill Is Gone (1970)". Second Hand Songs. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  12. Franklin, Aretha. "You're All I Need to Get By" (Single). Atlantic. 1971.
  13. Donn, Larry (September 12, 2019). "Rockabilly Days: Sammy Creason". Delta Boogie.
  14. Harris, Craig (September 12, 2019). "Biography: The Dixie Flyers". Allmusic.
  15. Kurutz, Steve. "Biography: Jimmy Johnson". AllMusic. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  16. Potter, Jeff (April 26, 2017). "Roger Hawkins: The Pulse of Muscle Shoals". Modern Drummer. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  17. Michael B. Smith and Roxanne Crutcher (May 2000). "The Most Important Things in Life are Rock & Roll...and a Hot Carr..." Swampland.com.
  18. "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  19. "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
Aretha Franklin
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