Young, Gifted and Black
Young, Gifted and Black | ||||
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Studio album by Aretha Franklin | ||||
Released | January 24, 1972 | |||
Recorded | August 12, 1970 – February 16, 1971[1] | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 44:46 | |||
Label |
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Producer |
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Aretha Franklin chronology | ||||
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Singles from Young, Gifted and Black | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A[2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
Young, Gifted and Black is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin, released in early 1972, by Atlantic Records. The album climbed to number 2 on Billboard's R&B albums survey and peaked at Number 11 on the main album chart. It was quickly certified Gold by the RIAA. Its title was cut from "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", recorded and released by Nina Simone in 1969.
Franklin won a 1972 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.[4]
In 2003, the television network VH1 named it the 76th greatest album of all time.[5] In 2020, it was ranked number 388 by Rolling Stone in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[6]
Songs
Young, Gifted and Black contains original songs written and performed by Franklin, such as "Day Dreaming" and "Rock Steady". It also features cover versions of songs by other artists, including "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" by Nina Simone, as well as "I've Been Loving You Too Long" by Otis Redding, "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles, and "Border Song (Holy Moses)" by Elton John.[7]
Critical reception
Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic wrote that "Young, Gifted and Black certainly ranks highly among [Franklin's] studio efforts, with many arguing that it may be her greatest. [...] If you really want to go song by song, you'd be hard-pressed to find any throwaways here -- this is quite honestly an album that merits play from beginning to end."[1]
In 2003, the television network VH1 named Young, Gifted and Black the 76th greatest album of all time.[5] In 2020, the album was ranked number 388 by Rolling Stone in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[6]
In 2018, Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield praised Franklin's cover of "The Long and Winding Road" from the album as "the greatest of all Beatle covers — the one that improves most on the original and defines everything the song is about".[8]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)" | Jim Doris | 3:42 |
2. | "Day Dreaming" | Aretha Franklin | 4:00 |
3. | "Rock Steady" | Aretha Franklin | 3:15 |
4. | "Young, Gifted and Black" | 3:34 | |
5. | "All the King's Horses" | Aretha Franklin | 3:56 |
6. | "A Brand New Me" |
| 4:26 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "April Fools" | 3:29 | |
8. | "I've Been Loving You Too Long" | 3:36 | |
9. | "First Snow in Kokomo" | Aretha Franklin | 4:04 |
10. | "The Long and Winding Road" | 3:38 | |
11. | "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" |
| 3:42 |
12. | "Border Song (Holy Moses)" | 3:22 |
Personnel
- Aretha Franklin – lead vocals (all), piano (1-4, 6, 8-12), celesta (5), piano, Fender Rhodes (7)
- Cornell Dupree – guitar (2-5, 7-12)
- Hugh McCracken – guitar (1, 6)
- Don Arnone – acoustic guitar (2)
- Donny Hathaway – Hammond organ (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9), piano, Fender Rhodes (2)
- Billy Preston – Hammond organ (4, 10, 12)
- Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (2-5, 7, 9-12)
- Eric Gale – bass guitar (1, 6)
- Robert Popwell – bass guitar (8), percussion (3)
- Bernard Purdie – drums (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11)
- Ray Lucas – drums (4, 10, 12)
- Al Jackson Jr. – drums (1, 6)
- Dr. John – percussion (3)
- The Memphis Horns – horns (3, 8)
- Neal Rosengarden – trumpet (9), vibraphone (5)
- Hubert Laws – flute (2, 7, 11)
- Pat Smith – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7–9, 11)
- Carolyn Franklin – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 8-10)
- Erma Franklin – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 8-10)
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7-11)
- Ann S. Clark – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7–9, 11)
- The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals (1, 4, 6, 12)
- Ronald Bright – backing vocals (12)
- J. R. Bailey – backing vocals (12)
- Sammy Turner – backing vocals (12)
Chart positions
Chart (1972) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200[9] | 11 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] | 2 |
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[11] | 295 |
Singles
Year | Title | US Pop[12] | US R&B[13] |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | "Border Song (Holy Moses)" | 37 | 5 |
1971 | "Rock Steady" | 9 | 2 |
1972 | "All the King's Horses" | 26 | 7 |
1972 | "Day Dreaming" | 5 | 1 |
1972 | "Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You Baby)" | 73 | 9 |
References
- ^ a b c "Young, Gifted and Black - Aretha Franklin | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: F". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 262–263.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2020.
- ^ a b Hoye, Jacob, ed. (2003). 100 Greatest Albums. MTV Books/Pocket Books. p. 172. ISBN 978-0743448765.
- ^ a b "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ^ Sheafer, Silvia Anne (2014). The Life of Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul. Legendary African Americans. Enslow Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 978-0766062252.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (16 August 2018). "Why Nobody Sang the Beatles Like Aretha". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "ヤング、ギフティッド・アンド・ブラック| アレサ・フランクリン | ORICON NEWS" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- 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
- Category