Aretha Franklin: Artist Essentials

First released: 1967 (year verified)

The original album appeared in March 1967 before the same recording's April single. The year is verified; the modern remaster date does not set it.

Recording: Original 1967 Atlantic studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original album: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Love You - Rhino catalog
Identifies the original 1967 Atlantic album and track list, with its original mono mixes separated from stereo bonuses. Its 1995 CD date and inconsistent displayed track durations are not used. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

The Atlantic Singles 1967 - official Rhino release listing
Identifies the five original 1967 single pairings, including I Never Loved a Man, Respect, A Natural Woman and Chain of Fools. The modern box date is not an original-release date. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1967 (year verified)

The original single was released in 1967 before its inclusion on Lady Soul in 1968. Later live performances are separate recordings.

Recording: Original 1967 Atlantic studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like) / Baby, Baby, Baby

The Atlantic Singles 1967 - official Rhino release listing
Identifies the five original 1967 single pairings, including I Never Loved a Man, Respect, A Natural Woman and Chain of Fools. The modern box date is not an original-release date. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Lady Soul - Rhino original-album catalog
Identifies Lady Soul as a 1968 album including Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman. The selected recordings' earlier singles are documented separately. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1967 (year verified)

The February 1967 single precedes the March album of the same name. Only the shared verified year is asserted.

Recording: Original 1967 Atlantic studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) / Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

The Atlantic Singles 1967 - official Rhino release listing
Identifies the five original 1967 single pairings, including I Never Loved a Man, Respect, A Natural Woman and Chain of Fools. The modern box date is not an original-release date. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Love You - Rhino catalog
Identifies the original 1967 Atlantic album and track list, with its original mono mixes separated from stereo bonuses. Its 1995 CD date and inconsistent displayed track durations are not used. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1967 (year verified)

The original single appeared in 1967 before Lady Soul in 1968. The selection is the released single version, not an alternate performance or later cover.

Recording: Original released 1967 single version
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: Chain of Fools / Prove It

The Atlantic Singles 1967 - official Rhino release listing
Identifies the five original 1967 single pairings, including I Never Loved a Man, Respect, A Natural Woman and Chain of Fools. The modern box date is not an original-release date. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Chain of Fools - official Aretha/Rhino original-release history
Explicitly places Aretha's original single in November 1967 and the Lady Soul album in 1968; distinguishes the much later television-cast cover. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Lady Soul - Rhino original-album catalog
Identifies Lady Soul as a 1968 album including Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman. The selected recordings' earlier singles are documented separately. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha boxed set - Rhino recording-version inventory
Explicitly identifies the later Blues Brothers Think, alternate Chain of Fools and Rock Steady, television duet I Say a Little Prayer, and a work tape of Until You Come Back to Me as different versions; none is silently substituted here. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1968 (year verified)

The original Think single was issued in May 1968 before Aretha Now in June. The later Blues Brothers recording is a separate performance.

Recording: Original 1968 Atlantic studio recording, not the Blues Brothers remake
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: Think / You Send Me

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha Now - Rhino original-album history
Documents the 1968 Aretha Now album, including its opening Think and I Say a Little Prayer recordings; identifies the Sweet Inspirations as the backing vocal group. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha boxed set - Rhino recording-version inventory
Explicitly identifies the later Blues Brothers Think, alternate Chain of Fools and Rock Steady, television duet I Say a Little Prayer, and a work tape of Until You Come Back to Me as different versions; none is silently substituted here. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1968 (year verified)

The original studio recording appeared on Aretha Now in June 1968 before the July single coupling with The House That Jack Built. The later television duet is not the selected recording.

Recording: Original Aretha Now studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist; the Sweet Inspirations provide backing vocals

Original album: Aretha Now

Aretha Now - Rhino original-album history
Documents the 1968 Aretha Now album, including its opening Think and I Say a Little Prayer recordings; identifies the Sweet Inspirations as the backing vocal group. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha Now - Rhino track list
Original album track membership for Think and I Say a Little Prayer; the modern CD release date is excluded. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha boxed set - Rhino recording-version inventory
Explicitly identifies the later Blues Brothers Think, alternate Chain of Fools and Rock Steady, television duet I Say a Little Prayer, and a work tape of Until You Come Back to Me as different versions; none is silently substituted here. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1972 (year verified)

The full recording appeared on the January 1972 album. A separate single version followed that year; contemporary and later label sources differ on its month, so year precision is retained.

Recording: Original full Young, Gifted and Black album recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original album: Young, Gifted and Black

Young, Gifted and Black - Rhino original-release history
Original album released in January 1972; Day Dreaming was a later single that year. Rock Steady was already in circulation in 1971. Only the supported original-release years are asserted. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

The Atlantic Albums Collection - Rhino original track lists
Original Young, Gifted and Black album membership for Day Dreaming and Rock Steady; Let Me in Your Life membership for Until You Come Back to Me. The 2015 box-set date is not used. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1971 (year verified)

The contemporary release table documents the single in 1971, before the 1972 Young, Gifted and Black album. The alternate mix/take on the later boxed set is not selected.

Recording: Original released studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: Rock Steady / Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Young, Gifted and Black - Rhino original-release history
Original album released in January 1972; Day Dreaming was a later single that year. Rock Steady was already in circulation in 1971. Only the supported original-release years are asserted. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha boxed set - Rhino recording-version inventory
Explicitly identifies the later Blues Brothers Think, alternate Chain of Fools and Rock Steady, television duet I Say a Little Prayer, and a work tape of Until You Come Back to Me as different versions; none is silently substituted here. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1973 (year verified)

The original Aretha single appeared in 1973 before the Let Me in Your Life album in 1974. Contemporary and later label histories differ on the single's month; both support 1973. The later-issued work tape is a different version.

Recording: Original released 1973 studio recording
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist

Original single: Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) / If You Don't Think

Let Me in Your Life - Rhino single-before-album history
Documents Until You Come Back to Me as a 1973 lead single, followed by the Let Me in Your Life album in February 1974; it is Aretha's released recording, not Stevie Wonder's earlier session. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Record World, 29 May 1976 - Aretha singles and album discographies
Contemporary release-date tables in the Aretha supplement, PDF pages 44 and 46: 1967 singles and debut LP; Think single before Aretha Now in 1968; Rock Steady single in 1971 before Young, Gifted and Black in 1972; Day Dreaming in 1972; Until You Come Back to Me in 1973 before its 1974 album. Month differences against later Rhino histories are not resolved into exact dates. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

The Atlantic Albums Collection - Rhino original track lists
Original Young, Gifted and Black album membership for Day Dreaming and Rock Steady; Let Me in Your Life membership for Until You Come Back to Me. The 2015 box-set date is not used. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Aretha boxed set - Rhino recording-version inventory
Explicitly identifies the later Blues Brothers Think, alternate Chain of Fools and Rock Steady, television duet I Say a Little Prayer, and a work tape of Until You Come Back to Me as different versions; none is silently substituted here. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

First released: 1985 (year verified)

Sony dates the original Freeway of Love release to 1985, and the label-distributed catalog identifies the single mix separately from the album and expanded edition. No exact worldwide first day is asserted.

Recording: Original 1985 single mix
Credit: Aretha Franklin
Role in this collection: Primary artist; Clarence Clemons is credited on tenor saxophone

Original single: Freeway of Love

Knew You Were Waiting - Sony/Arista original release annotations
The label dates Freeway of Love and its Who's Zoomin' Who? album to 1985 and credits Clarence Clemons on tenor saxophone. The 2012 compilation date is separate. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Freeway of Love (Single Mix) - Arista/Apple Music catalog
Explicitly identifies the single mix and gives a 1985 track release. Used with Sony's original-year annotation; not treated as proof of an exact earliest day. | Reviewed 2026-10-17

Who's Zoomin' Who? expanded edition - Arista/Apple Music catalog
Distinguishes the 1985 album from the single mix and later expanded collection. The expanded track count is not claimed for the original LP. | Reviewed 2026-10-17