Books by Bob

Classic Albums

It's always good to catch up on some of the classic albums of the pop-rock era, but these albums will be especially good companions during the coronavirus crisis. We'll put up a new classic album each week, reaching into different musical genres and picked from different eras.

---

This Week

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha was such a remarkably promising vocal talent that legendary record producer John Hammond (who has been associated with such premier talents as Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Bruce Springsteen, Count Basie and Leonard Cohen) signed her to a Columbia Records contract when she was still in her teens, but the label never found the right approach for Aretha in the studio.  It wasn't until she signed with Atlantic and released this album in 1967 that she was almost unanimously called the Queen of Soul.

After none of her Columbia singles to cracked the Top 100 sales chart, Aretha's first Atlantic single - the captivating title track - zoomed to No.9.  What made the record all the more remarkable was the flip-side, "Do Right, Woman," was equally haunting.  But the second single - "Respect," was a song written by Otis Redding, not only went higher on the charts (No.2), but it also became a cultural anthem.  And there's more to the album, including her splendid version of Sam Cooke's own pop anthem, "A Change is Gonna Come."  The album carries the thrill of great talent finally finding her wings.

---

Check out previous albums of the week here

---

ROCK N ROLL TIMES WITH ROBERT HILBURN
​TUESDAYS AT 9PM​ ON 88.5FM