Long live the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Rhino has announced plans to release a new box set simply called ARETHA.
The massive compilation of newly remastered classics and rarities, devoted to the celebrated music titan’s six-decade career from every label she recorded with, particularly Atlantic Records, is set to arrive on November 20. The anthology, which comprises 81 songs (19 of which were previously recorded yet went unreleased) will be available on CD and a 2-LP vinyl, as well as digitally.
Many of the songs on ARETHA are from Franklin’s time at Atlantic Records, where she remained on the roster from 1967 to 1979. Over the course of her Atlantic career, Franklin secured five back-to-back number-one R&B albums. Those prominent tracks include first-class originals and remakes, from “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” to “Without Love” to the signature rendition of Otis Redding’s “Respect.”
The set will include alternate versions, live recordings, and demos. Among the live tracks are must-hear duets with the likes of Smokey Robinson (“Ooo Baby Baby”), Dionne Warwick (“I Say A Little Prayer”), and Tom Jones (“It’s Not Usual / See Saw).”
ARETHA will also include liner notes from Rochelle Riley (author and director of arts and culture for the City of Detroit) and David Nathan (Southmusic.com founder and historian), along with exclusive artwork from esteemed artist Makeba KEEBS Rainey.
To heighten awareness for the forthcoming compilation, Rhino has put out an unreleased 1966 rendition of Frank Sintatra’s “My Kind of Town.” In the remake, titled “My Kind of Town (Detroit Is), Franklin replaces all the “Chicago” lyrics to make it more fitting for her hometown. Stream it below.
On Juneteenth, a solo version of Franklin’s Grammy-winning duet “Never Gonna Break My Faith” was released.
Respect, already the most-talked-about biopic of 2021, stars Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul. Mary J. Blige, Heather Headley, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, and Audra McDonald also costar in the upcoming film.
Stream “My Kind of Town (Detroit Is)” below.
Tracklisting for ARETHA
Disc One
1. “Never Grow Old”
2. “You Grow Closer”
3. “Today I Sing The Blues”
4. “Won’t Be Long”
5. “Are You Sure”
6. “Operation Heartbreak”
7. “Skylark”
8. “Runnin’ Out Of Fools”
9. “One Step Ahead”
10. “(No, No) I’m Losing You”
11. “Cry Like A Baby”
12. “A Little Bit Of Soul”
13. “My Kind Of Town (Detroit Is)” – Demo *
14. “Try A Little Tenderness” – Demo *
15. “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)”
16. “Do Right Woman – Do Right Man”
17. “Respect”
18. “A Change Is Gonna Come”
19. “Chain Of Fools” – Alternate Version
20. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – UK Single Version
21. “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone”
22. “Ain’t No Way”
23. “My Song”
24. “You Send Me”
25. “The House That Jack Built”
26. “Tracks Of My Tears”
Disc Two
1. “Baby I Love You” – Live
2. “Son Of A Preacher Man”
3. “Call Me” – Alternate Version *
4. “Let It Be”
5. “Young, Gifted And Black” – Alternate Longer Take *
6. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Long Version
7. “It’s Not Unusual/See Saw” – with Tom Jones *
(Originally Broadcast On This Is Tom Jones, October, 9, 1970)
8. “You’re All I Need To Get By” – Work Tape *
9. “Brand New Me” – Work Tape *
10. “Spanish Harlem” – Alternate Mix *
11. “Rock Steady” – Alternate Mix/Take
12. “Day Dreaming”
13. “Share Your Love With Me” – Live
14. “Don’t Play That Song” – Live
15. “Dr. Feelgood” – Live
16. “Spirit In The Dark” (Reprise with Ray Charles) – Live
17. “How I Got Over” (Single Edit) – Live
18. “Master Of Eyes (The Deepness Of Your Eyes)”
Disc Three
1. “Somewhere” – Alternate Version *
2. “Angel” – Work Tape *
3. “The Boy From Bombay” *
4. “Til It’s Over” – Demo *
5. “Oh Baby” (a.k.a. “There’s Something Magic About You”) – Demo *
6. “Until You Come Back To Me” – Work Tape *
7. “I’m In Love” – Alternate Vocal
8. “Without Love”
9. “Mr. D.J. (5 For The D.J.)”
10. “You”
11. “Something He Can Feel”
12. “Look Into Your Heart”
13. “Break It To Me Gently”
14. “When I Think About You”
15. “Almighty Fire (Woman Of The Future)”
16. “Ladies Only” – Short Version
17. “You Light Up My Life” *
18. “Ooo Baby Baby” – with Smokey Robinson *
(Originally Broadcast On Soul Train, December 1, 1979)
19. “Amazing Grace”
(Originally Broadcast On Royal Variety Performance, November 23, 1980)
Disc Four
1. “Think”
2. “I Say A Little Prayer” – with Dionne Warwick *
3. “United Together”
4. “Jump To It”
5. “The Wind”
6. “Freeway Of Love”
7. “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” – Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin
8. “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) – Aretha Franklin and George Michael
9. “Oh Happy Day” – with Mavis Staples (Live at New Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit, MI – July 1987)
10. “A Rose Is Still A Rose”
11. “Someday We’ll All Be Free”
12. “The Makings Of You”
13. “Nessun Dorma” – Live
14. “At Last” – with Lou Rawls *
(Originally Broadcast On American Soundtrack: Rhythm, Love And Soul, March 2003)
15. “You’ve Got A Friend” – Ronald Isley featuring Aretha Franklin
16. “Rolling In The Deep” – The Aretha Version
17. “My Country ’Tis Of Thee”
18. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” – Live *
(Originally Broadcast On The 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, December 19. 2015)
*Previously Unreleased Audio
