Freeway of Love

"Freeway of Love"
"Freeway of Love"
Single by Aretha Franklin
from the album Who's Zoomin' Who?
B-side	"Until You Say You Love Me"
Released	June 5, 1985
Recorded	1984
Studio	The Automatt (San Francisco, CA); United Sound Systems (Detroit, MI); Record Plant (Sausalito, CA); Right Track Recording (New York, NY);
Genre	R&B ; dance-pop ; synth-pop ;
Length	5:51 (album version) ; 4:10 (single version)
Label	Arista
Songwriters	Jeffrey Cohen ; Narada Michael Walden ;
Producer	Narada Michael Walden
Aretha Franklin singles chronology
Music video
	"Freeway of Love" by Aretha Franklin on YouTube

Last updated November 21, 2025

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Freeway of Love"	4:09
2.	"Until You Say You Love Me"	4:55

Personnel

Aretha Franklin – lead vocals
Walter "Baby Love" Afanasieff – keyboards
Preston "Tiger Head" Glass – keyboards and keyboard vibes, backing vocals
Corrado Rustici – guitar
Randy "The King" Jackson – synth bass
Narada Michael Walden – drums and percussion
Greg "Gigi" Gonaway – tambourine
Mingo Lewis – congas, percussion
The Santana Rhythm Section – percussion
Clarence Clemons – saxophone, guest appearance (courtesy of Columbia Records)
Karen "Kitty Beethoven" Brewington, Carolyn Franklin, Jim Gilstrap, Sylvester, Vicki Randle, Jeanie Tracy, Martha Wash, Laundon Von Hendricks – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1985–1986)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[7]	6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	27
Canada (The Record)^[9]	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	31
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	27
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[12]	3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[13]	16
UK Singles (OCC)^[14]	51
US Billboard Hot 100 ^[15]	3
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard )^[16]	11
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard )^[17]	1
US Hot Black Singles ( Billboard )^[18]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1985)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[19]	65
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard) ^[20]	43
US Hot Black Singles ^[21]	7

Cover versions

In 1986, "Weird Al" Yankovic covered the song as part of his polka medley "Polka Party!".
The song was covered in 2009 by house music/dance singer Pepper Mashay.^[22]
A version by jazz musician Lea DeLaria appears in and on the soundtrack of the 2017 Disney/Pixar movie Cars 3 .

References

1 2 3 4 "Review: Who's Zoomin' Who?". AllMusic . Retrieved August 30, 2018.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 216.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 103.
↑ John Leland (September 1985). "Singles". Spin . No. 5. p. 32.
↑ Armond White (October 1985). "Spins". Spin . No. 6. p. 30.
↑ "Freeway of Love" – US 7" single. Discogs.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
↑ "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide 1975-present. Mississauga, Ont.: Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Aretha Franklin" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
↑ "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
↑ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
↑ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
↑ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved September 3, 2017.
↑ "Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report . Retrieved January 23, 2023– via Imgur.
↑ "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. December 28, 1985. p. T-21.
↑ "Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: Year-End 1985". Billboard . Retrieved August 31, 2018.
↑ "Pepper Mashay's "Freeway Of Love" Out Now On Capp Records". PRLog. August 6, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

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[allmusic-1] 1 2 3 4 "Review: Who's Zoomin' Who?". AllMusic . Retrieved August 30, 2018.

[2] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 216.

[3] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 103.

[4] John Leland (September 1985). "Singles". Spin . No. 5. p. 32.

[5] Armond White (October 1985). "Spins". Spin . No. 6. p. 30.

[6] "Freeway of Love" – US 7" single. Discogs.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[7] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_Flanders_Aretha_Franklin-8] "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[9] Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide 1975-present. Mississauga, Ont.: Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.

[sc_Dutch40_Aretha_Franklin-10] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Aretha Franklin" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 27, 2023.

[sc_Dutch100_Aretha_Franklin-11] "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[sc_New_Zealand_Aretha_Franklin-12] "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[sc_Sweden_Aretha_Franklin-13] "Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[sc_UK_-14] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Aretha_Franklin-15] "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Aretha_Franklin-16] "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.

[sc_Billboarddanceclubplay_Aretha_Franklin-17] "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2017.

[18] "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved September 3, 2017.

[aus85-19] "Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report . Retrieved January 23, 2023– via Imgur.

[20] "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. December 28, 1985. p. T-21.

[year-end-21] "Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: Year-End 1985". Billboard . Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[22] "Pepper Mashay's "Freeway Of Love" Out Now On Capp Records". PRLog. August 6, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

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v t e Aretha Franklin
Studio albums	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)
Live albums	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)
Compilation 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)
Singles	"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)
Related	Awards and nominations Discography "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" Amazing Grace (2018 film) Genius (2021 television series) Respect (2021 film) Ted White
Category

v t e Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
Awarded to songwriters
1960s	"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" – Otis Redding & Steve Cropper (1969)
1970s	"Color Him Father" – Richard Lewis Spencer (1970) "Patches" – Ronald Dunbar & General Johnson (1971) "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers (1972) "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" – Barrett Strong & Norman Whitfield (1973) "Superstition" – Stevie Wonder (1974) "Living for the City" – Stevie Wonder (1975) "Where Is the Love" – Harry Wayne Casey, Willie Clarke, Richard Finch & Betty Wright (1976) "Lowdown" – Boz Scaggs & David Paich (1977) "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" – Leo Sayer & Vini Poncia (1978) "Last Dance" – Paul Jabara (1979)
1980s	"After the Love Has Gone" – David Foster, Jay Graydon & Bill Champlin (1980) "Never Knew Love Like This Before" – Reggie Lucas & James Mtume (1981) "Just the Two of Us" – Bill Withers, William Salter & Ralph MacDonald (1982) "Turn Your Love Around" – Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather & Bill Champlin (1983) "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson (1984) "I Feel for You" – Prince (1985) "Freeway of Love" – Jeffrey E. Cohen & Narada Michael Walden (1986) "Sweet Love" – Anita Baker, Louis A. Johnson & Gary Bias (1987) "Lean on Me" – Bill Withers (1988) "Giving You the Best That I Got" – Anita Baker, Randy Holland & Skip Scarborough (1989)
1990s	"If You Don't Know Me by Now" – Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (1990) "U Can't Touch This" – MC Hammer, Rick James & Alonzo Miller (1991) "Power of Love/Love Power" – Marcus Miller, Luther Vandross & Teddy Vann (1992) "End of the Road" – Babyface, L.A. Reid & Daryl Simmons (1993) "That's the Way Love Goes" – Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (1994) "I'll Make Love to You" – Babyface (1995) "For Your Love" – Stevie Wonder (1996) "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" – Babyface (1997) "I Believe I Can Fly" – R. Kelly (1998) "Doo Wop (That Thing)" – Lauryn Hill (1999)
2000s	"No Scrubs" – Kandi Burruss, Kevin Briggs & Tameka Cottle (2000) "Say My Name" – Beyoncé, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson & Kelly Rowland (2001) "Fallin'" – Alicia Keys (2002) "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" – Erykah Badu, Glenn Standridge, James Poyser, Madukwu Chinwah, Raphael Saadiq, Lonnie Lynn & Robert Ozuna (2003) "Crazy in Love" – Beyoncé Knowles, Shawn Carter & Rich Harrison (2004) "You Don't Know My Name" – Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly & Kanye West (2005) "We Belong Together" – Mariah Carey, Johntá Austin, Manuel Seal Jr. & Jermaine Dupri (2006) "Be Without You" – Bryan-Michael Cox, Jason Perry, Johntá Austin & Mary J. Blige (2007) "No One" – Alicia Keys, George M. Harry & Kerry "Krucial" Brothers (2008) "Miss Independent" – Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Hermansen & Ne-Yo (2009)
2010s	"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart (2010) "Shine" – John Legend (2011) "Fool for You" – CeeLo Green, Melanie Fiona & Jack Splash (2012) "Adorn" – Miguel Pimentel (2013) "Pusher Love Girl" – James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake (2014) "Drunk in Love" – Shawn Carter, Rasool Diaz, Noel Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Beyoncé Knowles, Timothy Mosley, Andre Eric Proctor & Brian Soko (2015) "Really Love" – D'Angelo, Gina Figueroa & Kendra Foster (2016) "Lake by the Ocean" – Hod David & Musze (2017) "That's What I Like" – Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip (2018) "Boo'd Up" – Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane (2019)
2020s	"Say So" – PJ Morton (2020) "Better Than I Imagined" – Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson (2021) "Leave the Door Open" – Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & Bruno Mars (2022) "Cuff It" – Denisia "Blu June" Andrews, Beyoncé, Brittany "Chi" Coney, Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant, Morten Ristorp, Nile Rodgers & Raphael Saadiq (2023) "Snooze" – Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas III (2024) "Saturn" – Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solána Rowe, Jared Solomon & Scott Zhang (2025)