Aretha (1986 album)

As with Franklin's previous album, Who's Zoomin' Who?, Aretha was produced mainly by Narada Michael Walden and includes her duet with George Michael, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", which became Franklin's first #1 Pop single since "Respect" in 1967, and would also be her last. The album also yielded three other hit singles: "Jimmy Lee", "Rock-A-Lott" and a hard rock cover of The Rolling Stones' classic, "Jumpin' Jack Flash". All music videos were popular on MTV, BET and other video outlets.{{cite magazine | title = Artist Chart History: Aretha Franklin | magazine = Billboard Magazine | url = {{BillboardURLbyName|artist=aretha franklin|chart=all}} | access-date = 2009-03-30}}

Franklin's vocal from "Rock-A-Lott" was sampled extensively in the 49ers' 1990 hit "Touch Me", while her version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was the title song for the comedy film of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg. All four of the singles were shot as music videos that received extensive play.

The album cover was Andy Warhol's final work before his death in early 1987.{{Cite book | last = Bego | first = Mark | title = Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul | publisher = Da Capo Press | year = 2001 | page = 250 | isbn = 0-306-80935-4 | oclc = 46488152 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ErKigdCXUwoC&q=warhol+album+cover+1986&pg=PA250 | access-date = 2009-03-29}}

The album was remastered and re-released as an "Expanded Edition" in December 2014 by Funky Town Grooves, with bonus tracks and a second CD of material.{{cite web|title=Aretha (2 CD Deluxe Edition)|url=http://www.funkytowngrooves.com/DIANA-ROSS_DIONNE-WARWICK_ARETHA-FRANKLIN/113/Aretha-Franklin-Aretha-%282-CD-Deluxe-Edition%29/3550|website=FunkyTownGrooves.com|publisher=FunkyTownGrooves.com|access-date=January 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130193732/http://www.funkytowngrooves.com/DIANA-ROSS_DIONNE-WARWICK_ARETHA-FRANKLIN/113/Aretha-Franklin-Aretha-%282-CD-Deluxe-Edition%29/3550|archive-date=January 30, 2015}}

Following Franklin's first-ever Platinum record, Who's Zoomin' Who?, Aretha earned the singer her ninth Gold certified album from the RIAA, after only several weeks on the market. It eventually moved 900,000 copies.

{{Track listing

| headline = Aretha track listing

| extra_column = Producer

| title1 = Jimmy Lee

| writer1 = {{hlist|Narada Michael Walden|Jeffrey Cohen|Preston Glass|Anukampa Lisa Walden}}

| extra1 = N.M. Walden

| length1 = 5:47

| title2 = I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

| note2 = with George Michael

| writer2 = {{hlist|Simon Climie|Dennis Morgan}}

| extra2 = N.M. Walden

| length2 = 4:01

| title3 = Do You Still Remember

| writer3 = {{hlist|P. Glass|Walter Afanasieff|Cohen}}

| extra3 = N.M. Walden

| length3 = 5:10

| title4 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| writer4 = {{hlist|Mick Jagger|Keith Richards}}

| extra4 = Richards

| length4 = 5:10

| title5 = Rock-A-Lott

| writer5 = {{hlist|N.M. Walden|Joe Johnson|P. Glass}}

| extra5 = N.M. Walden

| length5 = 6:21

| title6 = An Angel Cries

| writer6 = {{hlist|Climie|Morgan}}

| extra6 = N.M. Walden

| length6 = 4:59

| title7 = He'll Come Along

| writer7 = Aretha Franklin

| extra7 = Franklin

| length7 = 4:11

| title8 = If You Need My Love Tonight

| note8 = with Larry Graham

| writer8 = {{hlist|N.M. Walden|P. Glass|Alan Glass}}

| extra8 = N.M. Walden

| length8 = 4:30

| title9 = Look to the Rainbow

| writer9 = {{hlist|Burton Lane|E. Y. Harburg}}

| extra9 = Franklin

| length9 = 5:14}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 2014 "Expanded Edition" CD1 bonus tracks

| title10 = Rock-A-Lott

| note10 = Single Mix

| length10 = 4:41

| title11 = Rock-A-Lott

| note11 = Radio Edit

| length11 = 5:32

| title12 = Rock-A-Lott

| note12 = Street Mix

| length12 = 9:26

| title13 = Rock-A-Lott

| note13 = Dub

| length13 = 6:40

| title14 = Rock-A-Lott

| note14 = Acapella

| length14 = 6:59

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 2014 "Expanded Edition" CD2

| title1 = If You Need My Love Tonight

| note1 = mislabeled as "An Angel Cries" 7" mix

| length1 = 4:34

| title2 = I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

| note2 = Instrumental

| length2 = 4:03

| title3 = I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

| note3 = Edited Remix

| length3 = 5:31

| title4 = I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

| note4 = Percapella

| length4 = 5:17

| title5 = I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

| note5 = Extended Remix

| length5 = 7:27

| title6 = Jimmy Lee

| note6 = Extended Version

| length6 = 7:19

| title7 = Jimmy Lee

| note7 = Dub Version

| length7 = 6:14

| title8 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| note8 = 7" Mix

| length8 = 4:30

| title9 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| note9 = Street Mix

| length9 = 6:11

| title10 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| note10 = Edited Street Mix

| length10 = 4:40

| title11 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| note11 = Master Dub Mix

| length11 = 4:36

| title12 = Jumpin' Jack Flash

| note12 = Beat Dub Mix

| length12 = 4:13

| title13 = Aretha Megamix

| note13 = Who's Zoomin' Who / Another Night / Integrity / Freeway of Love

| length13 = 7:48

}}

{{div col begin}}

• Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, acoustic piano (4)
• George Michael – lead vocals (2)
• Larry Graham – lead vocals (8)
• Walter Afanasieff – acoustic piano (1), synthesizers (1–3, 5, 6), Moog synth bass (2), programming (2, 3), keyboards (8)
• David Sancious – synthesizers (1), harp (3), synth horns (5)
• Chuck Leavell – keyboards (4)
• Nick Johnson – keyboards (7)
• Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards (9)
• Corrado Rustici – Charvel MIDI guitar synthesizer (1, 2, 5), guitar (8)
• Keith Richards – lead guitar (4)
• Allen Rogan – guitar (4)
• Ronnie Wood – guitar (4)
• Vernon "Ice" Black – guitar (6)
• Teddy White – rhythm guitar (6)
• Greg Porée – guitar (7)
• David T. Walker – guitar (7)
• Doc Powell – guitar (9)
• Randy Jackson – acoustic bass (1), bass guitar (2–4, 6, 8), Moog bass (5)
• James Jamerson, Jr. – bass guitar (7)
• Francisco Centeno – bass guitar (9)
• Narada Michael Walden – drums (1–3, 5, 6, 8), acoustic piano intro (1), programming (6), percussion (8)
• Steve Jordan – drums (4)
• James Gadson – drums (7)
• Yogi Horton – drums (9)
• Preston Glass – drum programming (2), percussion (2), bells (3), keyboards (8)
• Gigi Gonaway – tambourine (2), percussion (2, 5), timbales (5), backing vocals (5)
• Jason Martin – cymbal (5)
• Paul Rekow – congas (6), shekere (6)
• Orestes Vilato – timbales (6), cowbell (6)
• Daryl "Munyungo" Jackson – percussion (7)
• Kenny G – tenor saxophone (1)
• Marc Russo – alto saxophone (1)
• Eddie Mininfield – tenor saxophone (5)
• David Wallace – trombone (1)
• Jerry Hey – trumpet (1), horn arrangement (1), string arrangement (2, 3, 6, 8)
• Ernie Fields, Jr. – horns (7)
• Charles Veal – strings (7)
• Sanford Allen – strings (9)
• Gil Askey – horn, rhythm and string arrangements (7); conductor (7)
• Paul Riser – horn, rhythm and string arrangements (9)
• Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals (2, 5, 6)
• Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 6)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 6)
• Jennifer Hall – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 6)
• Myrna Matthews – backing vocals (2, 3, 6)
• Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals (2, 5)
• Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals (2, 3, 6)
• Ortheia Barnds – backing vocals (4)
• Margaret Branch – backing vocals (4, 7)
• Brenda Corbett – backing vocals (4, 7)
• Dana Joe Chappelle – backing vocals (5)
• Janice Lee – backing vocals (5)
• Cynthia Shiloh – backing vocals (5)
• Anukampa Walden – backing vocals (5)
• Liz Jackson – backing vocals (6)
• Esther Ridgeway – backing vocals (7)
• Gloria Ridgeway – backing vocals (7)

{{div col end}}

• Producers – Narada Michael Walden (tracks 1–3, 5 & 6); Keith Richards (track 4); Aretha Franklin (tracks 7 & 9).
• Recording engineers – David Frazier (tracks 1–3, 5 & 6); Steve Lillywhite (track 4); Russ Terrana (track 7); Jim Dougherty (track 9).
• Assistant engineer – Dana Jon Chappelle
• Additional assistant engineers – Maureen Droney, Mike Iacopelli, Gordon Lyon, Jim "Watts" Vereecke and Lenette Viegas.
• Additional engineers – Dana Jon Chappelle (track 2 & 5); Maureen Droney (track 2); Gordon Lyon (track 3); Mike Iacopelli (track 4); Mark Roule (track 9).
• Mixing – David Frazier (tracks 1–6 & 8); Mike Iacopelli (track 7 & 9).
• Vocal engineer (track 7 & 9) – Mike Iacopelli
• Recording studios – Tarpan Recording Studios (San Rafael, CA); The Plant Studios (Los Angeles, CA); The Automatt (San Francisco, CA); Studio "D" (Sausalito, CA); Motown Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA); Sigma Sound Studios (New York, NY); Electric Lady Studios (New York, NY); United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan).

• Art direction – Steven Shmerler
• Design and layout – Maude Gilman
• Photography – John Pinderhughes
• Front cover art and line drawings – Andy Warhol

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Aretha Franklin|title=Aretha|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=1987|access-date=April 4, 2023|refname="cria"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Aretha Franklin|title=Aretha|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=1986|access-date=April 4, 2023}}

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{{Aretha Franklin}}

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Category:1986 albums

Category:Aretha Franklin albums

Category:Arista Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Narada Michael Walden

Category:Albums with cover art by Andy Warhol