7 Favorite Aretha Franklin Songs

Aretha Franklin earned her title "The Queen of Soul" with her smooth, jazzy voice and her charisma. In the entertainment world, she held her own when being an African-American woman were considered two strikes against her. Aretha's voice lent well to her well-known hits and her lesser known songs. Here's a collection of my picks for the 10 best Aretha Franklin songs. Don't worry, you can have a different list.

"Skylark"
This 1963 single from the album "Laughing on the Inside" is her cover of this classic jazz song from Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael. This is a beautiful and smooth song that shows off Aretha's voice and range.

"Think"
This song was originally recorded by Aretha Franklin and released on her 1968 album, "Aretha Now." It was featured in the movie "The Blues Brothers" ("We're on a mission from God. . .") and the song has Aretha tellin' it like it is. The movie featured a cameo of Aretha as a waitress singing the song.

"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
This song was a single from the 1967 album "Lady Soul" and if there is a love song that is full of awesome sauce, this is it. It was actually written by singer Carole King and recorded by her later (and by many others, including Mary J. Blige), but the Aretha Franklin version is probably the most well-known. It's classic Aretha.

"I Say a Little Prayer for You"
Aretha covered this song on her 1968 album "Aretha Now." Written by the famous Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1967 but Aretha later put her own personal voice to it. It was written as a Vietnam War era woman's ode to the man she loves and it's still relevant today.

"Respect"
Probably the best known Aretha Franklin song, "Respect" has long been accepted as a feminist anthem (along with her song "Think"). The song was originally written and recorded by Otis Redding in 1965 but after Aretha recorded it for her 1967 album "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You."

"Honey"
"Honey" is a smooth R&B song that should be on everyone's make out play list. This song was part of the 1996 album "Greatest Hits (1980-1994)."

"I've Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"
It's easy to understand why Aretha Franklin is called "The Queen of Soul" when you listen to her songs, especially "I've Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)." This one comes from her 1967 album of the same name. The same album was packed full of some of the greatest Aretha songs ("Respect," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools").

While it wasn't a recording on an album, Aretha's rendition of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the Presidential Inauguration in 2009 reflects the honor and yes, respect, this amazing singer garners. Check it out HERE.

There are so many phenomenal Aretha Franklin songs that span her lengthy career that it's difficult to choose just a few favorites, but these are mine. Check them out and come up with your own favorites list.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aretha_Franklin_discography#Soundtrack_albums