The 500 - #84 - I've Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by New York-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

---

Album: #84

Album Title: I've Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

Artist: Aretha Franklin

Genre:  R&B, Soul, Blues

Recorded: FAME Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, U.S.A.

Released: March, 1967

My age at release: 1

How familiar was I with it before this week: One song

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #13 - rising 71 spots

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Drown in my own Tears

Last week I ended by saying I'd need to find a different angle for a second consecutive Aretha Franklin post. After listening to I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, I realized the angle was right in front of me. Simply put, when one of the greatest singers who ever lived shows up twice in a row, you don't look for a clever angle. You press play and just enjoy the music.

One unexpected benefit of this project has been the occasional crash course it provides on an artist. Before these past two weeks, I knew Aretha Franklin's biggest songs, had respect for her reputation (pun intended), and understood that she occupied a special place in music history. What I didn't fully appreciate was just how extraordinary she was. Listening to Lady Soul and I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You back-to-back has been like taking a master class in soul music. It made me realize that the Aretha hits with which I was familiar were an appetizer to an even better feast...one that I hadn't been aware was available on the menu.

In fact, I found myself doing something that may feel borders on music sacrilege. After a few mornings, I started skipping the title track, Respect. This was not because I don't love it. Quite the opposite. It is an earworm that can get stuck in my head all day.

I've heard the track hundreds of times over the years. What I really wanted to get to was the album's second track, Drown in My Own Tears. Every time it came on, it stopped me in my tracks. The song delivers an intimate conversation between Aretha, the piano, the emotions she brought into the studio that day...and me. The vocals are steeped in gospel, blues and heartbreak -- raw, soulful and mesmerizing. It soon became plain that it would be this week’s featured headliner -- an easy pick from The 500 Playlist.

As I listened, I also found myself reading more about Aretha's life. It is almost impossible to comprehend some of the challenges she faced at such a young age. She became a mother while still a child herself and still managed to forge a career at a time when women, and black women in particular, were given little respect.  We often talk about legendary artists as if greatness was inevitable. However, as I have learned in this listening and writing journey over the past several years behind the records are people who carried weighty burdens.

Perhaps that's one reason these songs resonate so deeply. When Aretha sings about love, loss, pain, faith, or perseverance, there is a conviction behind her voice that feels earned her success. You believe every word.

Last week I described Lady Soul as sounding vibrant and surprisingly modern nearly 60 years after its release. The same is true here. More than anything, though, this album reminded me that Aretha Franklin wasn't simply the Queen of Soul because she possessed a remarkable voice. She earned that crown because she could make listeners feel every ounce of humanity behind it.

Needless to say, Lady Soul and I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You will make many return trips to my headphones and home stereo speakers. It is not surprising that this record vaulted to #13 on The 500 List  that was updated in 2020. It is spectacular.