Spirit in the Dark

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Spirit in the Dark
Spiritinthedarkcover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 24, 1970 [1]
RecordedMay 26–27, 1969 [2]
October 3, 1969 [3] -March 10, 1970 [4]
Genre Soul, R&B
Length40:28
Label Atlantic (#8265),
Rhino (1993 Re-release)
Producer Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler
Aretha Franklin chronology
This Girl's in Love with You
(1970)
Spirit in the Dark
(1970)
Aretha Live at Fillmore West
(1971)
Singles from Spirit in the Dark
  1. "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"
    Released: May 1970
  2. "Spirit in the Dark"/"The Thrill Is Gone"
    Released: August 1970
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
Christgau's Record Guide A [6]
Pitchfork 9.0/10 [7]
Rolling Stone (favorable) [8]

Spirit in the Dark is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 24, 1970, by Atlantic Records. It received critical acclaim, but was met with middling sales, despite having two hit singles, "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", which peaked at #1 R&B, #11 on the Hot 100, and "Spirit in the Dark", peaking at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100, in Billboard magazine. It was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of Billboard's Top 20, but it is now seen as one of Aretha's classic Atlantic LPs.

Contents

In 1993, Rhino Records re-issued the album on compact disc. [1] "Try Matty's" is used as the jingle for radio host Matt Siegel's Boston Kiss 108 show. [9]

Track listing

Unless otherwise indicated, Information is based on the album's liner notes [1] [10]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Play That Song" Ahmet Ertegün, Betty Nelson3:02
2."The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday's Kiss)"Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins, [11] Art Benson, Dale Petite4:41
3."Pullin'" Jimmy Radcliffe, Carolyn Franklin, [12] Aretha Franklin 3:38
4."You and Me"Aretha Franklin3:34
5."Honest I Do" Jimmy Reed, Ewart Abner Jr. 3:19
6."Spirit in the Dark"Aretha Franklin4:03
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."When the Battle Is Over" Jessie Hill, Mac Rebennack 2:43
8."One Way Ticket"Aretha Franklin2:52
9."Try Matty's"Aretha Franklin2:32
10."That's All I Want from You" Fritz Rotter 2:44
11."Oh No Not My Baby" Gerry Goffin, Carole King 2:55
12."Why I Sing the Blues" B.B. King, Dave Clark 3:05

Personnel

Information is based on the album's liner notes. [1] [10]

Main
The Dixie Flyers [13]
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section [15] [16]

Charts

Chart (1970)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Pop Albums25
U.S. Top R&B Albums2

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Franklin, Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark" (remastered CD liner notes). Rhino. 1993.
  2. Aretha Franklin, etc. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: May 26–27, 1969 (NYC)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  3. Aretha Franklin with Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: October 3, 1969 (Miami, FL)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  4. Aretha Franklin with The Dixie Flyers. "Atlantic Recording Sessions: March 10, 1970 (Miami, FL)". Jazz Disco. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  5. AllMusic review
  6. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: F". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved February 24, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  7. Marino, Nick (May 20, 2018). "Aretha Franklin Spirit in the Dark". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. Amatneek, Bill (November 12, 1970). "Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  9. Mosley, Holly (August 24, 2018). "Album of the Week...'Spirit in the Dark'". Contactmusic.com.
  10. 1 2 Franklin, Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark" (Original Album Notes). Atlantic. 1970.
  11. Franklin, Aretha (2003). "The Thrill Is Gone (1970)". Second Hand Songs. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  12. Franklin, Aretha. "You're All I Need to Get By" (Single). Atlantic. 1971.
  13. Donn, Larry (September 12, 2019). "Rockabilly Days: Sammy Creason". Delta Boogie.
  14. Harris, Craig (September 12, 2019). "Biography: The Dixie Flyers". Allmusic.
  15. Kurutz, Steve. "Biography: Jimmy Johnson". AllMusic . Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  16. Potter, Jeff (April 26, 2017). "Roger Hawkins: The Pulse of Muscle Shoals". Modern Drummer. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  17. Michael B. Smith and Roxanne Crutcher (May 2000). "The Most Important Things in Life are Rock & Roll...and a Hot Carr..." Swampland.com.