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1977 studio album by Aretha Franklin
Sweet Passion is the twenty-third
studio album by
American singer
Aretha Franklin . It was released on May 19, 1977, by
Atlantic Records . Following Franklin's
Gold-certified 1976 soundtrack album,
Sparkle , she paired up with
Motown producer
Lamont Dozier to produce Sweet Passion . It was, however, a commercial and critical failure.
The album's lead single, "
Break It To Me Gently ", topped the
Billboard R&B chart but peaked at No. 85 on the
Hot 100 and dropped off the chart after two weeks.
Critical reception
The
Bay State Banner noted that "her voice seems to free itself, even during the most stilted and contrived show tunes, stronger and lots weightier than Natalie Cole's cheery mimicry."
[4]
Track listing
Side one
"
Break It To Me Gently " (
Marvin Hamlisch ,
Carole Bayer Sager ) - 3:21
"When I Think About You" (Aretha Franklin) - 4:46
"
What I Did for Love " (Marvin Hamlisch,
Edward Kleban ) - 5:17
"No One Could Ever Love You More" (
Lamont Dozier ) - 3:36
"A Tender Touch" (Aretha Franklin) - 3:58
Side two
"Touch Me Up" (Lamont Dozier)- 4:38
"Sunshine Will Never Be The Same" (Lamont Dozier) - 3:36
"Meadows of Springtime" (Aretha Franklin) - 5:26
"Mumbles /
I've Got the Music in Me " (
Clark Terry , Aretha Franklin,
Bias Boshell ) - 3:40
"Sweet Passion" (Aretha Franklin) - 7:12
Personnel
Aretha Franklin – vocals, keyboards (5, 9, 10)
H. B. Barnum – rhythm arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8–10), horn arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8–10), string arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8, 10), keyboards (5)
Ray Brown – bass guitar (3, 8, 9)
Sonny Burke – keyboards (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Joe Clayton – congas (1), percussion (5)
Gary Coleman – percussion (2, 4, 6, 7, 10)
Ronald Coleman – keyboards (2, 4, 6, 7)
Lamont Dozier – rhythm arrangements (4, 7)
Scott Edwards – bass guitar (2, 4, 6, 7, 10)
James Gadson – drums (2, 4, 6, 7, 10)
McKinley Jackson – rhythm arrangements (4, 6, 7), horn arrangements (6)
Harold Mason – drums (1, 3, 5, 8, 9)
Craig McMillian – guitar (3, 8, 9)
Mike Morgan – guitar (3, 8, 9)
Gene Page – horn and string arrangements (4, 7)
David Paich – keyboards (1)
Ray Parker Jr. – guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10)
Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (1, 5)
Lee Ritenour – guitar (1, 4–6, 10)
Sylvester Rivers – keyboards (1, 3, 8, 9)
Bob Zimmitti – percussion (3, 8, 9)
Production
Producers – Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager (Track 1); Lamont Dozier and Aretha Franklin (Tracks 2–10).
Co-Producers on Track 1 – David Paich and
Marty Paich .
Engineers – Frank Kemjar (Tracks 1, 5 & 10); Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2, 4, 6–8); Barney Perkins (3, 6 & 9).
Mixing – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2–10); Barney Perkins (Track 6).
Recorded and Mixed at
ABC Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA) and Whitney Recording Studios (Glendale, CA).
Track 1 mixed at Studio 55 (Los Angeles, CA).
Mastered by Dennis King at
Atlantic Studios (New York, NY).
Art Direction – Bob Defrin
Photography – David Alexander
References
Studio albums Live albums Compilation albums Singles Related