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During the five years that separated So Damn Happy from her previous album, A Rose Is Still a Rose, Aretha Franklin made the celebrity-gossip pages many more times than she earned airplay on the radio. Neatly side-stepping her problems with the law (including the mysterious circumstances that surrounded the fire at her home), Aretha's return to the studio illustrates that her power lies not in managing her career but in putting across any song that comes her way. Recording mostly in Detroit with a small group, she tempered the hip-hop inclinations of A Rose Is Still a Rose to deliver a refreshing (though admittedly sterilized) update of her '70s records. Various producers and songwriters -- including Troy Taylor, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Jam & Lewis -- give her backgrounds composed of earthy, acoustic-driven soul, similar to contemporary records by India.Arie or Jill Scott. Most of the songs, led by "The Only Thing Missin'," the title track, and "Holdin' On," are up to a high level, catchy and easy to understand (all the better to simply luxuriate in Aretha's powerful voice). Also, two mild concessions to the hip-hop world end up paying off: guest Mary J. Blige arranged the backing vocals for two songs, both of which reach a level not seen since the days of the Sweet Inspirations, while producer Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence delivered an organic arrangement for a song called "Wonderful" that evokes the glory days of '70s soul more than any other song here. Aretha shouldn't need to resort to overkill to proclaim her joy at making music; the songs on So Damn Happy are all the proof her fans need to understand that her talent remains undiminished nearly 50 years after her debut as a secular act.
© John Bush /TiVo
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Aretha Franklin, Performer - Rick Williams, Composer - Rick Williams, Lyricist - Rick Williams, Guitar - Troy Taylor, Composer - Troy Taylor, Lyricist - Troy Taylor, Producer - Troy Taylor, Programmer - Troy Taylor, Keyboards - Troy Taylor, Acoustic Bass - Troy Taylor, Drums - Troy Taylor, Vocal Arranger - Myiia Davis, Composer - Myiia Davis, Lyricist - Myiia Davis, Background Vocal - Myiia Davis, Vocal Arranger - Jean-Marie Horvat, Mixing Engineer - Gordon Chambers, Composer - Gordon Chambers, Lyricist - Gordon Chambers, Background Vocal - Gordon Chambers, Vocal Arranger - Rowie Nomeri, Recording Engineer - Pablo Arraya, 2nd Engineer - Regine Lambert, Performer - Kenya Lucas, Performer - Delanté "Butta" Murphy, Performer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Aretha Franklin, Performer - Aretha Franklin, Background Vocal - Troy Taylor, Edited By - Carl Robinson, Recording Engineer - Steve Pageot, Recording Engineer - Sara Divine, Background Vocal - Phillip "Silky " White, Composer - Phillip "Silky " White, Lyricist - Katrina Willis, Composer - Katrina Willis, Lyricist - "Prince Charles" Alexander, Mixing Engineer - Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Producer - Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Recording Engineer - Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Drum Programmer - Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Keyboards - Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Performer - Ron Lawrence, Composer - Ron Lawrence, Lyricist - Aleese Simmons, Composer - Aleese Simmons, Lyricist
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Bruce Miller, Composer - Bruce Miller, Lyricist - Mary J. Blige, Composer - Mary J. Blige, Lyricist - Mary J. Blige, Background Vocal - Mary J. Blige, Vocal Arranger - Aretha Franklin, Performer - Rowie Nomeri, Recording Engineer - Jean-Marie Horvat, Mixing Engineer - Troy Taylor, Composer - Troy Taylor, Lyricist - Troy Taylor, Producer - Troy Taylor, Performer - Troy Taylor, Programmer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Bruce Miller, Composer - Bruce Miller, Lyricist - Mary J. Blige, Composer - Mary J. Blige, Lyricist - Mary J. Blige, Background Vocal - Mary J. Blige, Vocal Arranger - Aretha Franklin, Performer - Rowie Nomeri, Recording Engineer - Jean-Marie Horvat, Mixing Engineer - Troy Taylor, Composer - Troy Taylor, Lyricist - Troy Taylor, Producer - Troy Taylor, Performer - Troy Taylor, Programmer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Aretha Franklin, Performer - Terry Lewis, Composer - Terry Lewis, Lyricist - Terry Lewis, Producer - Jimmy Jam, Producer - Brenda Corbett, Background Vocal - Sandra Feva Dance, Background Vocal - Jeff Robinett, 2nd Engineer - James Harris III, Composer - James Harris III, Lyricist - Bobby Ross Avila, Keyboards - Bobby Ross Avila, Guitar - IZ, Drum Programmer - John Nettlesby, Recording Engineer - John Nettlesby, Engineer - James Wright, Composer - James Wright, Lyricist - James Wright, Producer - James Wright, Keyboards - Neal H. Pogue, Mixing Engineer - Shelly Ponder, Background Vocal
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Kermit Moore, Acoustic Cello - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Eugene Moye, Acoustic Cello - Carl Robinson, Recording Engineer - Aretha Franklin, Performer - Aretha Franklin, Composer - Aretha Franklin, Lyricist - Aretha Franklin, Producer - Aretha Franklin, Mixing Engineer - Aretha Franklin, Piano - Susan Heerema, Violin - Lewis Soloff, Trumpet - Perry Hughes, Guitar - Regis Iandiorio, Violin - Sheila Reinhold, Violin - Adi Yeshaya, Composer - Adi Yeshaya, Arranger - Adi Yeshaya, Conductor - Adi Yeshaya, Keyboards - Darryl Houston, Organ - Tom Wilber, 2nd Engineer - Pamela Posk, Violin - Vernon D. Fails, Keyboards - Anthony Posk, Violin - Margaret Hjaltested, Viola - Birch Johnson, Trombone - Joyce Hammann, Violin - Alfred Brown, Viola - Roger Wendt, French Horn - Sharon Moe, French Horn - Michael Baker, Composer - Winterton Garvey, Violin - Shelly Ponder, Background Vocal - Robert Chausow, Violin - Sandra Feva Dance, Background Vocal - Ralphe Armstrong, Acoustic Bass - Leo Grinhauz, Acoustic Cello - Nate Nebett, Drums - Gloria Agostini, Harp - Israel Chorberg, Violin - Keith O'Quinn, Trombone - Mildred Scott, Background Vocal - Belinda Whitney, Violin - Jesse Levy, Acoustic Cello - Anthony Kadleck, Trumpet - Olivia Koppell, Viola - Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Viola - Brenda Corbett, Background Vocal - Byung-Kook Kwak, Violin - Karen Karlsrud, Violin - Alexander Vselensky, Violin - Andrew Stein, Violin - George Flynn, Trombone - Cenovia Cummins, Violin - Gerald Tarack, Violin
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Ralphe Armstrong, Acoustic Bass - Jesse Levy, Acoustic Cello - Nate Nebett, Drums - Shelly Ponder, Background Vocal - Gerald Tarack, Violin - Brenda Corbett, Background Vocal - Darryl Houston, Organ - Adi Yeshaya, Keyboards - Adi Yeshaya, Composer - Adi Yeshaya, Arranger - Adi Yeshaya, Conductor - Mildred Scott, Background Vocal - Anthony Posk, Violin - Vernon D. Fails, Keyboards - Tom Wilber, 2nd Engineer - Sandra Feva Dance, Background Vocal - Aretha Franklin, Performer - Aretha Franklin, Composer - Aretha Franklin, Lyricist - Aretha Franklin, Producer - Aretha Franklin, Mixing Engineer - Aretha Franklin, Piano - Winterton Garvey, Violin - Perry Hughes, Guitar - Regis Iandiorio, Violin - Olivia Koppell, Viola - Carl Robinson, Recording Engineer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Ricky Lawson, Drums - Alan Sides, Recording Engineer - Alan Sides, Mixing Engineer - Tommy Morgan, Harmonica - Paulhino DaCosta, Percussion - JoAnn Tominaga, Coordinator - Michael Thompson, Guitar - Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards - Eric Ferguson, Engineer - Jerry Leiber, Composer - Jerry Leiber, Lyricist - David Chase, Engineer - Jeff Burns, 2nd Engineer - Jed Leiber, Composer - Jed Leiber, Lyricist - Neil Stubenhauss, Acoustic Bass - Burt Bacharach, Composer - Burt Bacharach, Lyricist - Burt Bacharach, Producer - Burt Bacharach, Arranger - Aretha Franklin, Performer - David Foster, Synthesizer - Rob Shrock, Engineer - Tom Sweeney, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Aretha Franklin, Performer - Keith Slattery, 2nd Engineer - Cindy Mizelle, Background Vocal - William "Prez" Bush, Arranger - William "Prez" Bush, Keyboards - William "Prez" Bush, Drum Programmer - Barry J. Eastmond, Composer - Barry J. Eastmond, Lyricist - Barry J. Eastmond, Producer - Barry J. Eastmond, Arranger - Barry J. Eastmond, Recording Engineer - Barry J. Eastmond, Keyboards - "The Eastmond Crew" (Dolly, Melodie & B.J.), Performer - Gordon Chambers, Composer - Gordon Chambers, Lyricist - Gordon Chambers, Producer - Gordon Chambers, Background Vocal - Gordon Chambers, Vocal Arranger - Louis Alfred, Recording Engineer - "Prince Charles" Alexander, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Aretha Franklin, Performer - Dano, 2nd Engineer - Carl Robinson, 2nd Engineer - Brenda Corbett, Background Vocal - Sandra Feva Dance, Background Vocal - Norman West, Composer - Norman West, Lyricist - Norman West, Producer - Norman West, Recording Engineer - Norman West, Mixing Engineer - Norman West, Keyboards - Norman West, Piano - Norman West, Synthesizer - Norman West, Acoustic Bass - Michael J. Powell, Recording Engineer - Michael J. Powell, Mixing Engineer - Mildred Scott, Background Vocal - Tom Wilber, 2nd Engineer - Shelly Ponder, Background Vocal
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Ralphe Armstrong, Acoustic Bass - Jesse Levy, Acoustic Cello - Nate Nebett, Drums - Shelly Ponder, Background Vocal - Gerald Tarack, Violin - Brenda Corbett, Background Vocal - Darryl Houston, Organ - Adi Yeshaya, Keyboards - Adi Yeshaya, Composer - Adi Yeshaya, Arranger - Adi Yeshaya, Conductor - Mildred Scott, Background Vocal - Anthony Posk, Violin - Vernon D. Fails, Keyboards - Tom Wilber, 2nd Engineer - Sandra Feva Dance, Background Vocal - Aretha Franklin, Performer - Aretha Franklin, Composer - Aretha Franklin, Lyricist - Aretha Franklin, Producer - Aretha Franklin, Mixing Engineer - Aretha Franklin, Piano - Winterton Garvey, Violin - Perry Hughes, Guitar - Regis Iandiorio, Violin - Olivia Koppell, Viola - Carl Robinson, Recording Engineer
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
Album review
During the five years that separated So Damn Happy from her previous album, A Rose Is Still a Rose, Aretha Franklin made the celebrity-gossip pages many more times than she earned airplay on the radio. Neatly side-stepping her problems with the law (including the mysterious circumstances that surrounded the fire at her home), Aretha's return to the studio illustrates that her power lies not in managing her career but in putting across any song that comes her way. Recording mostly in Detroit with a small group, she tempered the hip-hop inclinations of A Rose Is Still a Rose to deliver a refreshing (though admittedly sterilized) update of her '70s records. Various producers and songwriters -- including Troy Taylor, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Jam & Lewis -- give her backgrounds composed of earthy, acoustic-driven soul, similar to contemporary records by India.Arie or Jill Scott. Most of the songs, led by "The Only Thing Missin'," the title track, and "Holdin' On," are up to a high level, catchy and easy to understand (all the better to simply luxuriate in Aretha's powerful voice). Also, two mild concessions to the hip-hop world end up paying off: guest Mary J. Blige arranged the backing vocals for two songs, both of which reach a level not seen since the days of the Sweet Inspirations, while producer Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence delivered an organic arrangement for a song called "Wonderful" that evokes the glory days of '70s soul more than any other song here. Aretha shouldn't need to resort to overkill to proclaim her joy at making music; the songs on So Damn Happy are all the proof her fans need to understand that her talent remains undiminished nearly 50 years after her debut as a secular act.
© John Bush /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:44:36
- Main artists: Aretha Franklin
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Arista
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
(P) 2003 Arista Records LLC
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