Aretha Franklin - Take A Look: Aretha Franklin Complete On Columbia (1960-1965) {11CD+DVD Box Set Columbia rel 2011}

Aretha Franklin has simply been one of the greatest singers of the modern generation, and whether bringing her powerful, passionate voice to bear on gospel standards, songs from the Great American Songbook, jazz standards, pop ditties, or deep Southern soul and R&B, she has always had the presence – much like Ray Charles – to make anything she touches unmistakably hers. Franklin began her career in gospel when she was still a teenager, and her amazing vocal talents, coupled with her fine piano playing, marked her as a once-in-a-lifetime kind of artist, qualities very apparent to legendary talent scout John Hammond, who signed her to Columbia Records.

The problem Hammond and Columbia immediately ran into, though, was how to best present that spirited voice to the secular pop world. Between 1960 and 1969 (her first release for the label was actually in 1961), Columbia tried Franklin in a variety of styles and settings, and if none of them exactly caught fire the way her legendary later sides for Atlantic Records would, they still allowed Franklin to explore a lot of avenues, and she was too good a singer not to be at least memorable in all of them. This wonderful box set includes CDs of Franklin's seven full-length albums for the label, two CDs of her work with producers Bobby Scott (in 1963) and Clyde Otis (in 1964), a CD of singles produced by Bob Johnston, plus rarities that were sweetened and released after Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic and a DVD featuring Franklin performing several songs at the piano on The Steve Allen Show in 1964. It’s a tremendous set, and it portrays an artist working her own way toward how to best present herself to the world. We all know she got there.

The 12 discs are housed in a beautiful box and are accompanied by a lavish 64-page, full color book. The book features extensive new liner notes, complete discography, and incredible, rare photography of a young Aretha.

TAKE A LOOK begins with expanded editions of Aretha’s seven original Columbia albums:

• Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo) (released February 27, 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 (1965)
• Yeah!!! In Person With Her Quartet (in two sequences: the original 1965 album recorded live in the studio with overdubbed applause, followed by a new previously unreleased version without the nightclub ambience)

Two CDs reflect Aretha’s collaborations with the influential producers Bobby Scott and Clyde Otis — collaborations that were either shelved or issued as singles, but never on LP:

• Tiny Sparrow: The Bobby Scott Sessions (1963)
• Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions (1964)

Two CDs are new compilations:

• A Bit of Soul (the full album as it was compiled in 1965, but never released)
• The Queen In Waiting (includes Aretha’s last Columbia recordings produced by Bob Johnston, noted for his work during this period with Bob Dylan; and songs that Columbia “sweetened” with new musicians after Aretha left the label)


A bonus DVD, Aretha ’64! Live on The Steve Allen Show, features Aretha singing and playing piano on the legendary comedian’s television program in the spring of 1964. The performances include “Lover Come Back to Me,” “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody,” “Won’t Be Long,” “Skylark,” and “Evil Gal Blues.”

tracklist:
Disc 1, Aretha (Columbia CS 8414) 63:46
01 Won't Be Long 03:12
02 Over The Rainbow 02:41
03 Love Is The Only Thing 02:44
04 Sweet Lover 03:25
05 All Night Long 03:01
06 Who Needs You? 02:50
07 Right Now 02:26
08 Are You Sure 02:44
09 Maybe I'm A Fool 03:20
10 It Ain't Necessarily So 02:57
11 By Myself 02:42
12 Today I Sing The Blues 02:47
13 Are You Sure (rehearsal) 02:27
14 Who Needs You? (tk 9) 03:05
15 Right Now (tk 1) 02:40
16 Maybe I'm A Fool (tk 4) 03:59
17 By Myself (mono mix) 02:42
18 Won't Be Long (mono mix) 02:59
19 All Night Long (mono mix) 03:08
20 Love Is The Only Thing (mono mix) 02:45
21 Right Now (mono mix) 02:24
22 Today I Sing The Blues (mono mix) 02:48




Disc 2, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (Columbia CS 8561) 49:32
01 You Made Me Love You 02:21
02 I Told You So 02:46
03 Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody 02:26
04 Nobody Like You 02:25
05 Exactly Like You 02:38
06 It's So Heartbreakin' 02:42
07 Rough Lover 02:49
08 Blue Holiday 02:55
09 Just For You 02:22
10 That Lucky Old Sun 03:22
11 I Surrender, Dear 02:48
12 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 02:18
13 Introduction To Hard Times 00:30
14 Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) 03:09
15 When They Ask About You 03:01
16 Operation Heartbreak 03:00
17 I Surrender, Dear (mono mix) 02:48
18 Rough Lover (mono mix) 02:49
19 Kissin' By The Mistletoe (mono mix) 02:23




Disc 3, The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin (Columbia CS 8676) 59:16
01 Don't Cry, Baby 03:25
02 Try A Little Tenderness 03:19
03 I Apologize 02:57
04 Without The One You Love 02:51
05 Look For The Silver Lining 03:07
06 I'm Sitting On Top Of The World 02:45
07 Just For A Thrill 02:35
08 God Bless The Child 03:06
09 I'm Wandering 03:30
10 How Deep Is The Ocean 02:51
11 I Don't Know You Anymore 02:53
12 Lover Come Back To Me 02:36
13 Trouble In Mind (mono mix) 02:16
14 Without The One You Love (mono mix) 02:48
15 Don't Cry, Baby (mono mix) 03:16
16 I'm Wandering (mono mix) 03:27
17 Try A Little Tenderness (mono mix) 03:16
18 I Apologize (mono mix) 02:54
19 Lover Come Back To Me (mono mix) 02:36
20 I Don't Know You Anymore (mono mix) 02:48




Disc 4, Laughing On The Outside (Columbia CS 8879) 53:49
01 Skylark 02:56
02 For All We Know 03:32
03 Make Someone Happy 03:53
04 I Wonder (Where You Are Tonight) 03:20
05 Solitude 03:53
06 Laughing On The Outside 03:16
07 Say It Isn't So 03:12
08 Until The Real Thing Comes Along 03:10
09 If I Ever Would Leave You 04:10
10 Where Are You? 03:54
11 Mr. Ugly 03:27
12 I Wanna Be Around 02:27
13 Ol' Man River 04:04
14 You've Got Her (mono mix) 02:42
15 Here's Where I Came In (Here's Where I Walk Out) (mono mix) 02:45
16 Say It Isn't So (mono mix) 03:08




Disc 5, Tiny Sparrow: The Bobby Scott Sessions 37:41
01 Here Today And Gone Tomorrow 03:30
02 Please Answer Me 02:33
03 Harbor Lights 02:52
04 I May Never Get To Heaven 03:29
05 Moon River 02:13
06 I Won't Cry Anymore 02:50
07 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home 02:21
08 My Little Brown Book 03:20
09 Tiny Sparrow 02:53
10 Johnny 03:15
11 Looking Through A Tear 03:05
12 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home (mono mix) 02:21
13 Johnny (mono mix) 02:59




Disc 6, Unforgettable: A Tribute To Dinah Washington (Columbia CS 8963) 40:08
01 Unforgettable 03:45
02 Cold, Cold Heart 04:39
03 What A Diff'rence A Day Made 03:35
04 Drinking Again 03:32
05 Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning 05:15
06 Evil Gal Blues 02:45
07 Don't Say You're Sorry Again 02:50
08 This Bitter Earth 04:38
09 If I Should Lose You 03:40
10 Soulville 02:24
11 Lee Cross (mono mix) 03:05




Disc 7, Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions 55:07
01 [Studio chatter & count off to I'll Keep On Smiling] 00:31
02 I'll Keep On Smiling 02:53
03 Shangri-La 03:16
04 Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart 02:35
05 People 04:19
06 A Mother's Love 02:35
07 Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love) 02:18
08 But Beautiful 02:58
09 That's Entertainment 01:52
10 Take A Look 02:42
11 (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young 04:44
12 Jim 02:30
13 Sweet Bitter Love 03:00
14 Only The Lonely (mono mix) 04:55
15 My Coloring Book (mono mix) 04:09
16 I Wish I Didn't Love You So (mono mix) 02:56
17 People (mono mix) 04:23
18 A Mother's Love (mono mix) 02:31




Disc 8, Runnin' Out Of Fools (Columbia CS 9081) 38:53
01 Mockingbird 02:37
02 How Glad I Am 02:36
03 Walk On By 02:51
04 Every Little Bit Hurts 02:50
05 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) 02:25
06 You'll Lose A Good Thing 02:41
07 I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face 02:47
08 It's Just A Matter Of Time 03:00
09 Runnin' Out Of Fools 02:36
10 My Guy 03:06
11 Two Sides Of Love 02:31
12 One Room Paradise 02:10
13 A General Market Advertisement From Columbia Records 00:41
14 A Special Ad For Christmas 00:55
15 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (mono mix) 02:55
16 Winter Wonderland (mono mix) 02:12




Disc 9, A Bit Of Soul 53:58
01 Follow Your Heart 02:30
02 Only The One You Love 02:29
03 One Step Ahead 02:39
04 Can't You Just See Me 02:07
05 How To Murder Your Wife 02:59
06 A Little Bit Of Soul 02:26
07 Cry Like A Baby 02:18
08 Her Little Heart Went To Loveland 02:38
09 Remember Me 02:17
10 Land Of Dreams 02:19
11 Little Miss Raggedy Ann 02:14
12 Deeper 02:15
13 I Still Can't Forget 02:56
14 Rose Of Washington Square 02:40
15 Take It Like You Give It (mono mix) 01:55
16 Follow Your Heart (mono mix) 02:28
17 Only The One You Love (mono mix) 02:24
18 One Step Ahead (mono mix) 02:29
19 How To Murder Your Wife (mono mix) 02:51
20 A Little Bit Of Soul (mono mix) 02:21
21 Cry Like A Baby (mono mix) 02:08
22 Her Little Heart Went To Loveland (mono mix) 02:35




Disc 10, Yeah!!! In Person With Her Quartet (Columbia CS 9151) 74:53
01 This Could Be The Start Of Something 01:30
02 Once In A Lifetime 03:22
03 Misty 03:37
04 More 01:50
05 There Is No Greater Love 04:40
06 Muddy Water 02:31
07 If I Had A Hammer 02:35
08 Impossible 03:22
09 Today I Love Ev'rybody 03:25
10 Without The One You Love 03:33
11 Trouble In Mind 02:53
12 Love For Sale 02:42
13 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home (original session) 02:17
14 Misty (original session) 03:39
15 Love For Sale (original session) 02:32
16 Once In A Lifetime (original session) 03:22
17 Today I Love Ev'rybody (original session) 03:27
18 Impossible (original session) 03:28
19 This Could Be The Start Of Something (original session) 01:27
20 More (original session) 02:12
21 There Is No Greater Love (original session) 04:42
22 If I Had A Hammer (original session) 02:32
23 Muddy Water (original session) 02:31
24 Without The One You Love (original session) 03:43
25 Trouble In Mind (original session) 03:01




Disc 11, The Queen In Waiting 59:48
01 Tighten Up Your Tie, Button Up Your Jacket, Make It For The Door (mono mix) 01:58
02 (No, No) I'm Losing You 03:10
03 Why Was I Born? 02:52
04 Hands Off (mono mix) 02:14
05 Swanee 02:25
06 You Made Me Love You 02:34
07 Until You Were Gone (mono mix) 03:08
08 Mockingbird (mono mix with overdubs) 02:37
09 Can't You Just See Me (mono mix with overdubs) 01:57
10 Today I Sing The Blues (mono mix with overdubs) 02:48
11 Walk On By (with overdubs) 02:52
12 One Room Paradise (with overdubs) 02:02
13 Every Little Bit Hurts (with overdubs) 02:45
14 Evil Gal Blues (with overdubs) 02:44
15 Rough Lover (with overdubs) 02:43
16 Trouble In Mind (with overdubs) 02:08
17 Without The One You Love (with overdubs) 03:39
18 Won't Be Long (with overdubs) 03:08
19 Take A Look (with overdubs) 02:49
20 Runnin' Out Of Fools (original sessions) 03:04
21 Skylark (original sessions) 06:11




Disc 12: DVD, Aretha '64!: Live On The Steve Allen Show
01 Lover Come Back To Me
02 Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
03 Won't Be Long
04 Skylark
05 Evil Gal Blues