"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 song recorded by American soul singer Aretha Franklin and released as a single by Atlantic from her album Lady Soul. The lyrics were written by Gerry Goffin from an idea by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, with music composed by Carole King. Created specifically for Franklin, the single reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of her signature recordings. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 79 in 2018, one week after Franklin's death, marking its first appearance there more than 50 years after its original release. Franklin later included a live version on her 1968 album Aretha in Paris.
King recorded her own version for the 1971 album Tapestry. The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Mary J. Blige and Celine Dion, whose 1995 recordings both reached the charts. Franklin performed the song in tribute to King at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors.[1][2][3]
Background and release
Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the song was inspired by Atlantic Records co-owner and producer Jerry Wexler. In his autobiography, Wexler recalled that he had been thinking about the idea of the "natural man" while studying African-American musical culture. After seeing King on a New York street, he called out that he wanted a "natural woman" song for Aretha Franklin's upcoming album Lady Soul. Goffin and King wrote the song that same night.[4] In appreciation, they gave Wexler a co-writing credit.
Cash Box wrote that "from the vocal standpoint, the side is unmatched; and in the ork and production departments, excellent work add up to a shattering performance", adding that the song rises to "new emotional peaks" from a "shattering" opening.[5]
Carole King recorded "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" for her 1971 album Tapestry, which later became one of the best-selling albums of all time.[18] Her rendition adopts a slower, more minimal arrangement than Franklin's,[19] centered on King's piano and Charles Larkey's bass.[20] Instead of matching Franklin's vocal intensity,[20] King delivers the song in a more conversational style.[19]
In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, critic Jon Landau called King's version one of the album's "pleasantest moments" and "an entirely fresh and original interpretation".[20] A retrospective review from AllMusic notes that the recording "take[s] on added resonance when delivered in her own warm, compelling voice".[18] Writing for Pitchfork, Jenn Pelly argues that while Franklin's version remains the definitive one, King's carries "the bespoke power of a woman reckoning with her history in song", describing Franklin's as "glory" and King's as "an act of pure conviction".[21]
King also performed the song in concert during this period, often noting that audiences could consider her rendition in relation to the original demo recording she had created for Franklin.[21]
American singer Mary J. Blige recorded a cover of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" for the 1995 New York Undercover soundtrack. Produced by James Mtume, the single reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and number 95 in the United States. It was later included on international editions of her 1994 album My Life. The accompanying music video was directed by Brett Ratner.
Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded a cover of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" for the tribute album Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King, released on October 31, 1995.[38] Produced by David Foster, Dion's version was released as a promotional single in selected countries in October 1995.[39]
Ron Rogers of RPM praised Dion's rendition, calling it "the gem of the gems".[40]Gavin Report also responded positively, describing it as "the best single that's not gonna be a single" and noting that Dion "captures the Aretha Franklin magic with a scintillating performance that goes unchallenged on the remainder of the album".[41]
In March 1996, "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" was included on the international editions of Dion's next studio album, Falling into You. In 2008, it appeared on the North American edition of her greatest hits album, My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection.
On April 14, 1998, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan, and Carole King performed the song during the VH1 Divas concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The six vocalists were recruited by the Viacom-owned music network VH1 to raise money for Save the Music, the channel's education charity. Extensively promoted in the press, the event became a ratings success for VH1, leading to the release of the concert on disc and tape on October 6, 1998. At that time, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", performed by all six artists, was issued as a radio single in selected countries. It reached number nine on the airplay chart in Belgium's Wallonia on January 5, 1999.[50]
↑"Grammy Hall of Fame Award". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
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