Who's Zoomin' Who?
Who's Zoomin' Who? | ||||
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Studio album by Aretha Franklin | ||||
Released | July 9, 1985 (1985-07-09) | |||
Recorded | October 1984 – May 1985 | |||
Studio |
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Length | 47:15 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer |
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Aretha Franklin chronology | ||||
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Singles from Who's Zoomin' Who? | ||||
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Who's Zoomin' Who? is the thirtieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on July 9, 1985, by Arista Records. A departure from the Luther Vandross-produced adult contemporary sound of her previous albums Jump to It (1982) and Get It Right (1983), Franklin worked with producer Narada Michael Walden on the majority of the album, envisioning "a record with a younger sound to it".[1] As a result, Who's Zoomin' Who? contains influences of several popular mid-1980s genres, including dance-pop, synth-pop, and contemporary R&B, as well as pop songs with crossover appeal.
Released to praising reviews, Who's Zoomin' Who? became Franklin's highest-charting album since Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and her first and only studio album to earn a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with more than one million copies physically distributed. A top-10 entry in New Zealand and Sweden, the album also went platinum in Canada and reached silver status in the United Kingdom. "Freeway of Love", the album's lead single, proved both a commercial success, as well as a career achievement for Franklin, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance while holding the number-one position on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five consecutive weeks.
Who's Zoomin' Who? was considered Franklin's comeback album, with many journalists comparing its performance to Tina Turner's late-career crossover success with her album Private Dancer (1984), and marked the start of several collaborations with Walden. With the album, the singer established herself as a star of music video, with popular videos for "Freeway of Love", "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" and "Another Night" enjoying heavy rotation on MTV. In 1989, the album was ranked number 89 on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Best Albums of the Eighties" listing.[2] At the time of its release, Franklin rated Who's Zoomin' Who? as one of her best albums.[1]
Background
In 1983, Franklin released her twenty-ninth studio album, Get It Right. Produced by singer Luther Vandross, following his successful teaming with the singer on her 1982 album, Jump to It, it spawned the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one hit "Get It Right" but became a moderate commercial success in the United States only where it peaked at number 36 on US Billboard 200.[3] Franklin spent a great part of the following years in her hometown of Detroit, looking after her seriously ill father, the Reverend C. L. Franklin. After her father died in 1984, the singer began thinking about returning to the music scene.[2] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Franklin said that following Get It Right, she wanted to do "a record with a younger sound to it. I'd been listening to the radio and I really liked what I heard. I figured to myself that it was time for me to do something serious."[1]
Arista Records arranged a telephone conversation with producer and singer Narada Michael Walden to discuss working together on Franklin's next studio album.[2] Since Franklin disliked traveling, Walden subsequently started assembling backing tracks in Los Angeles and brought the session tapes to Detroit, where Franklin added her vocals.[2] According to Walden, Franklin "had to get reacquainted with being in the studio" following her hiatus but "it didn't take long for the singer to regain her form".[2] Despite Franklin's reputation as a singer, Walden found her easy to work with, citing her a "black Mae West".[2] Further elaborating on the recording process, he stated: "She'll sing a song down in the lower range maybe four or five times. Then she'll sing it up in her range and do two or three takes."[2] Looking for a male singer to work with Franklin on the duet song "Push", Walden "put out signals, but a lot of people were frightened to death to sing" with Franklin. Former The J. Geils Band vocalist Peter Wolf, however, jumped at the chance.[2]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | A[5] |
Who's Zoomin' Who? received generally favorable reviews from music critics. AllMusic editor Craig Lytle called the album a return "in style" and praised the album for its singles as well as Franklin's vocal performance which he declared as "lively", "laudable" and "soulful".[4] Lytle rated the album three and a half out of five stars.[4] in his review for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau found that Franklin "hasn't done anything near this good in over a dozen [years]. It couldn't have happened without the top-forty revival, and it couldn't have happened without Narada Michael Walden, who unhesitatingly plugged his first legend into one pop format after another and came up with classics almost every time." Giving the album an A rating, he concluded that "from lead rocker to hooked ballad to Caribe Richie carnivalesque, these songs go no deeper than Franklin can make them by breathing, but their instant inevitability could keep this album alive for years."[5]
Rolling Stone critic Vince Aletti wrote that "though Who's Zoomin' Who? never quite comes together as an album, Walden's ambitious eclecticism works cut by cut with few exceptions, and astonishingly, the hype is nearly justified: this is some of Aretha Franklin's best work since the 1960s." He felt that "the example of Tina Turner acted as goad and inspiration, and the edge of rich brashness in Aretha's performances seems sparked by Turner's electric drive [...] Zoomin' seems so anxious to cover all the angles that it scatters Aretha's energies rather than focusing them. Still, Franklin sweeps through this stylistic hodgepodge with more fire and verve than she's displayed in years. Even if this isn't her crossover breakthrough, there's enough vocal brilliance here to stun any listener within range."[3] Similarly, People found that Franklin "has never sounded better than she does on this album" but criticized the project for being "less than it might have been". The magazine noted that while Walden has "a way of making mediocre singers sound better than they are, he also has a way of making wonderful singers sound less wonderful, putting them up against grinding soul-funk backgrounds with which even someone like Franklin has trouble competing.[6] In 1989, Rolling Stone ranked Who's Zoomin' Who? 85th on its "100 Best Albums of the Eighties" listing.[2]
Chart performance
In the United States, Who's Zoomin' Who? peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, becoming Franklin's highest-charting album since Young, Gifted and Black had reached number 11 in 1972.[7] It also reached number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The singer's biggest commercial in years, the album reached gold status by August and was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 1985, indicating sales in excess of 1.0 million copies.[8] Franklin's biggest seller within her discography, it would remain her final album to enter the top 20 until the release of her 2014 album Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, which also peaked at number 13 and number three on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[7]
In Canada and the United Kingdom, Who's Zoomin' Who? also ranks among Franklin's biggest-selling albums.[9][10] It was certified platinum by Music Canada and silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), while reaching number 13 on the Canadian and 49 on the British Albums Chart, respectively.[11][12] Elsewhere, the album entered the top ten in New Zealand and Sweden, remaining Franklin's highest-charting album in both nations until her death in 2018,[13][14] while making it to the top 20 in Australia and Norway.[15] Who's Zoomin' Who? was considered Franklin's comeback album, with many journalist comparing its performance to Tina Turner's late career crossover success with her album Private Dancer (1984), and marked the start of several collaborations with Walden. With the album, the singer established herself as a star of music video, with popular videos for "Freeway of Love", "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" and "Another Night" enjoying heavy rotation on MTV.[2]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Freeway of Love" | Walden | 5:52 | |
2. | "Another Night" |
| Walden | 4:31 |
3. | "Sweet Bitter Love" | Van McCoy | Franklin | 5:11 |
4. | "Who's Zoomin' Who" |
| Walden | 4:44 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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5. | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (with Eurythmics) | Stewart | 5:52 | |
6. | "Until You Say You Love Me" |
| Walden | 4:23 |
7. | "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" |
| Walden | 4:50 |
8. | "Push" (with Peter Wolf) |
| Walden | 4:35/5:34 |
9. | "Integrity" | Franklin | Franklin | 4:24/5:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
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10. | "Freeway of Love" (Single mix) | 4:07 |
11. | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (Single mix) | 4:31 |
12. | "Who's Zoomin' Who?" (Radio mix) | 5:50 |
13. | "Another Night" (Radio mix) | 5:06 |
14. | "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (Single mix) | 4:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Freeway of Love" (Rock mix) | 4:52 |
2. | "Freeway of Love" (Extended remix) | 6:32 |
3. | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (ET mix) | 7:49 |
4. | "Who's Zoomin' Who?" (Dance mix) | 8:36 |
5. | "Who's Zoomin' Who" (Dub mix) | 5:23 |
6. | "Who's Zoomin' Who?" (Acappella mix) | 5:32 |
7. | "Another Night" (Dance mix) | 6:41 |
8. | "Another Night" (Dub mix) | 6:58 |
9. | "Another Night" (Single mix) | 4:08 |
10. | "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (Remix) | 6:25 |
11. | "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (Dub mix) | 7:01 |
12. | "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (Percapella mix) | 7:06 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Aretha Franklin – lead vocals
- Walter Afanasieff – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 6–8)
- Preston Glass – keyboards (1, 2, 6–8), keyboard vibes (1), backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 7)
- Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards (3, 9)
- Robbie Kondor – synthesizer (3, 9)
- Annie Lennox – keyboards (5), lead vocals (5)
- David A. Stewart – keyboards (5), rhythm guitar (5)
- Benmont Tench – Hammond organ (5)
- Corrado Rustici – guitar (1, 2, 4, 6–8), guitar synthesizer (2)
- Ray Gomez – guitar solo (2)
- Doc Powell – guitar (3, 9)
- Steve Khan – guitar (3, 9)
- Mike Campbell – lead guitar (5)
- Carlos Santana – guitar solo (8)
- Randy Jackson – synth bass (1, 2, 4, 6, 8), bass guitar (2, 7), backing vocals (2, 4)
- Louis Johnson – bass guitar (3, 9)
- Nathan East – bass guitar (5)
- Narada Michael Walden – drums (1, 2, 4, 6–8), percussion (1, 2, 6–8), acoustic piano (4), keyboards (7)
- Yogi Horton – drums (3, 9)
- Stan Lynch – drums (5)
- Steve Kroon – percussion (3, 9)
- Gigi Gonaway – tambourine (1)
- The Santana Rhythm Section – percussion (1, 7)
- Andy Narell – steel drums (7)
- Clarence Clemons – saxophone (1)
- Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet solo (9)
- Paul Riser – string arrangements (3, 9)
- Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
- Carolyn Franklin – backing vocals (1, 4)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 7)
- Vicki Randle – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 7)
- Sylvester – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 7)
- Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6–8)
- Martha Wash – backing vocals (1)
- Laundon Von Hendricks – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 7, 8)
- Nikita Germaine – backing vocals (2)
- The Charles Williams Singers – choir (5)
- Peter Wolf – lead vocals (8)
- Craig Thomas – backing vocals (8)
- Karen Benington – backing vocals (8)
- Sandra Feva – backing vocals (9)
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals (9)
- Brenda Corbett – backing vocals (9)
Technical
- Josh Abbey – engineer (3, 9)
- Michael Brauer – additional mixing
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Dominick Celani – assistant engineer
- Dana Chappelle – second engineer
- Tim Crich – second engineer
- Clive Davis – executive producer
- Maureen Droney – second engineer
- Aretha Franklin – producer (3, 9)
- David Frazer – engineer (1, 2, 6–8)
- Paul Hamingson – second engineer
- Sephra Herman – production coordination (3, 9)
- Gordon Logan – second engineer
- Stephen Marcussen – original mastering
- Moira Marquis – second engineer
- Ray Pyle – second engineer
- Don Smith – engineer (5), mixing
- David A. Stewart – producer (5), mixing
- Narada Michael Walden – producer (1, 2, 6–8)
- Adam Williams – engineer (5)
- Jay Willis – assistant engineer
- Shelly Yakus – drum recording
Artwork
- Donn Davenport – art direction
- Artis Lane – painting
- John Pinderhughes – photography
Charts
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] | Gold | 7,500^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[8] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ a b c Rolling Stone magazine, circa 1985 - upon the release of Who's Zoomin' Who?, "Aretha Franklin's New Wave of Pop" written by Eliza Graham, p. 11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "100 Best Albums of the Eighties". Rolling Stone. 16 November 1989. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ a b "Review: Who's Zoomin' Who?". Rolling Stone. 29 August 1985. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Review: Who's Zoomin' Who?". AllMusic. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ a b "Aretha Franklin". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Who's Zoomin' Who?". People. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?". Recording Industry Association of America. December 10, 1985. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0578". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin Who?". Music Canada. December 17, 1985. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "British album certifications – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who". British Phonographic Industry. May 28, 1986. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Charts.nz – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Swedishcharts.com – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Norwegiancharts.com – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ Kent 1993, p. 233.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 35. September 2, 1985. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who?". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ Kent 1993, p. 437.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "1986 The Year in Music and Video – Top Black Albums". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. December 27, 1986. p. Y-24. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin Who". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
Bibliography
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- v
- t
- e
- Aretha (1961)
- The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962)
- The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962)
- Laughing on the Outside (1963)
- Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington (1964)
- Runnin' Out of Fools (1964)
- Yeah!!! (1965)
- Songs of Faith (1965)
- Soul Sister (1966)
- Take It Like You Give It (1967)
- I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)
- Aretha Arrives (1967)
- Lady Soul (1968)
- Aretha Now (1968)
- Soul '69 (1969)
- Soft and Beautiful (1969)
- This Girl's in Love with You (1970)
- Spirit in the Dark (1970)
- Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
- Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) (1973)
- Let Me in Your Life (1974)
- With Everything I Feel in Me (1974)
- You (1975)
- Sparkle (1976)
- Sweet Passion (1977)
- Almighty Fire (1978)
- La Diva (1979)
- Aretha (1980)
- Love All the Hurt Away (1981)
- Jump to It (1982)
- Get It Right (1983)
- Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985)
- Aretha (1986)
- Through the Storm (1989)
- What You See Is What You Sweat (1991)
- A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)
- So Damn Happy (2003)
- This Christmas, Aretha (2008)
- A Woman Falling Out of Love (2011)
- Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics (2014)
- Aretha in Paris (1968)
- Aretha Live at Fillmore West (1971)
- Amazing Grace (1972)
- One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (1987)
- Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live in Philly, 1972 (2007)
albums
- Take a Look (1967)
- Aretha's Gold (1969)
- Aretha's Greatest Hits (1971)
- The Best of Aretha Franklin (1973)
- Aretha Sings the Blues (1980)
- 30 Greatest Hits (1985)
- Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (1992/2014)
- Greatest Hits: 1980–1994 (1994)
- The Very Best of Aretha Franklin, Vol. 1 (1994)
- Greatest Hits (1998)
- Aretha's Best (2001)
- Respect: The Very Best of Aretha Franklin (2002)
- The Queen in Waiting: The Columbia Years (1960–1965) (2002)
- Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul (2007)
- Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen (2007)
- A Brand New Me (2017)
- The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967–1970 (2018)
- "Precious Lord (Part 1)" (1959)
- "Today I Sing the Blues" (1960)
- "Won't Be Long" (1960)
- "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" (1961)
- "Operation Heartbreak" (1961)
- "I Surrender, Dear" (1962)
- "Try a Little Tenderness" (1962)
- "Say It Isn't So" (1963)
- "Skylark" (1963)
- "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" (1964)
- "One Step Ahead" (1965)
- "You Made Me Love You" (1965)
- "Mockingbird" (1967)
- "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (1967)
- "Respect" (1967)
- "Baby I Love You" (1967)
- "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (1967)
- "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"
- "Chain of Fools" (1967)
- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1968)
- "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (1968)
- "Think" (1968)
- "You Send Me" (1968)
- "The House That Jack Built" (1968)
- "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968)
- "See Saw" (1968)
- "My Song" (1968)
- "The Weight" (1969)
- "Tracks of My Tears" (1969)
- "I Can't See Myself Leaving You" (1969)
- "Gentle on My Mind" (1969)
- "Share Your Love with Me" (1969)
- "Eleanor Rigby" (1969)
- "Call Me" (1970)
- "Son of a Preacher Man" (1970)
- "Spirit in the Dark" (1970)
- "The Thrill Is Gone" (1970)
- "Don't Play That Song" (1970)
- "Border Song (Holy Moses)" (1970)
- "You're All I Need to Get By" (1971)
- "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1971)
- "Spanish Harlem" (1971)
- "Rock Steady" (1971)
- "Day Dreaming" (1972)
- "Angel" (1973)
- "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (1973)
- "I'm in Love" (1974)
- "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1974)
- "Something He Can Feel" (1976)
- "Break It to Me Gently" (1977)
- "What a Fool Believes" (1981)
- "It's My Turn" (1981)
- "Jump to It" (1982)
- "Get It Right" (1983)
- "Freeway of Love" (1985)
- "Who's Zoomin' Who" (1985)
- "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (1985)
- "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986)
- "Jimmy Lee" (1986)
- "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987)
- "Rock-A-Lott" (1987)
- "Oh Happy Day" (1988)
- "Gimme Your Love" (1989)
- "Through the Storm" (1989)
- "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" (1989)
- "Everyday People" (1991)
- "Someday We'll All Be Free" (1992)
- "Ever Changing Times" (1992)
- "A Deeper Love" (1993)
- "Willing to Forgive" (1994)
- "A Rose Is Still a Rose" (1998)
- "Here We Go Again" (1998)
- "Put You Up on Game" (2007)
- "Angels We Have Heard on High" (2009)
- "Rolling in the Deep (The Aretha Version)" (2014)
- Awards and nominations
- Discography
- "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)"
- Amazing Grace (2018 film)
- Genius (2021 television series)
- Respect (2021 film)
- Ted White
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