Sweet Passion
Appearance
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Sweet Passion | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 19, 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1976–1977 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 45:30 | |||
Label | Atlantic (#19102) | |||
Producer | Aretha Franklin, Lamont Dozier, Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager | |||
Aretha Franklin chronology | ||||
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Singles from Sweet Passion | ||||
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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
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | C+[2] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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
[edit]Side one
[edit]- "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
[edit]- "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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- ^ Sweet Passion review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 262.
- ^ Freedberg, Mike (30 June 1977). "Record Reviews". Bay State Banner. No. 89. p. 13.