I Never Loved A Man (Aretha Franklin)

• 18 Aug 15:22
• •
• 2 lists

"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" is a 1967 soul single released by American singer Aretha Franklin. It became a defining song for the Memphis-born, Detroit-raised musician, in that it became the first big hit of her career. The song peaked at number one on the Rhythm and Blues charts and number nine on the pop charts. The B-side was "Do Right Woman". Up until then, Franklin placed two Top 40 singles on the pop chart during her modest tenure on Columbia Records.

At the request of signing with Atlantic Records in 1966, producer Jerry Wexler requested Franklin to record a blues song (written by Ronny Shannon) in the famed Alabama music studio, FAME Studios, with the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Franklin later says of her Atlantic tenure that "they just told me to sit on the piano and sing". Within minutes of Franklin's recording, Wexler knew he had a hit.

The song's recording was later marred because of a fight between Franklin's then manager and husband, Ted White, and a Muscle Shoals session musician after the musician was seen flirting with Franklin forcing Wexler to move the recording of more songs with Franklin in their traditional New York home studio where...

Read more...