May 12, 2025

1968 - September: Aretha Franklin ”Aretha in Paris”

30 minutes

Aretha Franklin got her start at an early age in Gospel music. As the granddaughter of Gospel great Mahalia Jackson and the daughter of a prominent Baptist preacher, Franklin was heard on her father's "gospel caravan" tours at the age of twelve. By the time she became an adult in 1960 she had decided that she wanted to go into more pop music, and moved to New York for this purpose. She signed a deal with Columbia Records, in 1960, but her career would not really take off until moving to Atlantic Records in 1966. By 1968 she was considered by many to be the most successful singer in the nation, and already crowned the "Queen of Soul."

Franklin toured outside the US for the first time in late April 1968 through May 1968. She performed in Paris on May 7, 1968, and this concert would be released as the live album Aretha in Paris in the fall of 1968. It was Franklin's second live album, and the first for Atlantic Records where most of her hits were recorded.

Some have criticized the backing band as not up to the task of supporting Franklin. However, this album captures Franklin at the top of her game at a time when she was cranking out some of the biggest hits of her career. It would be difficult for any supporting band to keep up, particularly one assembled for an overseas tour. Regardless, this is a great album to explore as a snapshot of Aretha Franklin at the height of success.

Lynch brings us a high energy live soul album from the Queen of Soul in her prime for today's podcast.

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

This Rolling Stones cover is the lead-off track to the album and to the concert. The Stones had released this song in 1965, and it had become their first number 1 song in the States. Franklin takes the tempo up for this cover.

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote this song for Franklin based on an idea from producer Jerry Wexler. It originally appeared on Franklin's album "Lady Soul", and went to number 8 on the U.S. charts. It would make history when it hit the UK charts a week after Franklin's death in 2018, 51 years after the single was first released.

(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone

The original single for this live song was released on the "Lady Soul" album, and reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was written by Franklin and her then-husband Teddy White. The studio version of this song utilized the talents of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, who were flown in from Alabama to record in a New York City studio.

Chain of Fools

Songwriter Don Covay wrote this song in his youth, and presented it to producer Jerry Wexler as a song for Otis Redding. Wexler decided to have Franklin record it instead of Redding. It was a big hit, taking the number 1 slot on the R&B charts for four weeks, number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and delivering Franklin a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the television comedy show “Laugh In”

This sketch comedy show would capture a lot of American counter-culture of the time from Tiny Tim to "sock it to me!"

STAFF PICKS:

Ride My See Saw by the Moody Blues

Wayne kicks off the staff picks with a psychedelic song from the second Moody Blues album, "In Search of the Lost Chord." The song is about leaving school and finding that the world isn't what you thought it would be. On the album, the song is preceded by a spoken word introduction called "Departure."

Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley

Rob's staff pick is a storytelling song written by Tom T. Hall about a widow named Mrs. Johnson and her tangle with the PTA. When her teenage daughter received a note from the Harper Valley PTA criticizing the way she is living, Mrs. Johnson attends the next meeting and reveals some indiscretions of the other PTA members.

Light My Fire by Jose Feliciano

Bruce features an acoustic cover of the Doors hit single with a Latin twist. Jose Feliciano is best known for the Christmas song "Feliz Navidad," but this Puerto Rican artist also had a hit with this cover that peaked at number 3 on in late summer 1968. His album "Feliciano!" is a selection of acoustic cover songs, and his most successful one. He won "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" at the 1969 Grammy Awards for this cover.

Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield

Lynch closes out the staff picks with a song that writers John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins wrote with Aretha Franklin in mind. When Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler heard it, he thought it would be a good fit for Dusty Springfield who was recording her "Dusty in Memphis" album at the time.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

And I Love Her by Jose Feliciano

We double up on the Latin acoustic stylings of Feliciano as this Beatles cover takes us out of this week's podcast.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

...more

View all episodes

By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

4747 ratings