One of the greatest singers the world has ever known, Aretha Franklin recorded some earthshattering covers over the years, ranging from her signature song “Respect” – first recorded by Otis Redding – to her version of Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep.”  Of course, Aretha wasn’t really a writer – she only wrote or co-wrote a few songs throughout her career, but she had an uncanny ability to make songs her own.  

To coincide with the release of the new collection Queen Of Soul, we look back at some of her greatest and most loved covers.

Respect (1967)

Of course, everyone knows Aretha’s version, which was a hit in 1967, but it was Otis Redding who wrote it and first had a run with it in 1965. His version came across very much as a working man’s anthem, but Aretha made it something else entirely. In Aretha’s hands the song became an anthem for Women’s Rights, and of course Civil Rights. As Otis playfully said in his introduction to the song when performing it at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 – “this girl she just took this song."  She took it in more ways than one. 

Silent Night - Solo Piano Version (2018)

Aretha Franklin at a piano, with her stunning vocal power, and nothing else, is pure magic. This newly released version of the classic "Silent Night" will make your hairs stand on end. This is Aretha in her element.

I Say A Little Prayer (1968) 

A 1967 hit for Dionne Warwick, this classic was written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, whose sophisticated style was perhaps at odds with the more forceful soul singers. Certainly, you never would’ve expected to hear Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett record one of their tunes. But Aretha, of course, could do anything. 

Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)

Aretha’s church background no doubt came into play when she tackled Paul Simon’s classic tune, for which he credited legendary gospel vocal group the Swan Silvertones for inspiration. Aretha’s stunning version won her the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1972. 

The Weight (1970)

The Band are credited with helping rock rediscover its roots after the psychedelic excesses of 1967. Their 1968 debut album was a massive influence on the Beatles and other significant figures like Eric Clapton (whose future bandmate Duane Allman plays slide on this), and Robbie Robertson’s songwriting would find favor amongst many great interpretive vocalists.  Of course, no one could touch Aretha. 

Let It Be (1970) 

A song that Paul McCartney most certainly wrote under the influence of The Band, and a song that in turn impacted on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water’, “Let It Be” was another gospel-inflected rock tune taken to new levels by the Queen of Soul. 

Son of a Preacher Man (1970) 

The daughter of a Preacher Man, Aretha maybe thought this one was too close to home when she was first offered it. But after Dusty Springfield claimed it as her own, Aretha decided to claim it back, putting in a powerhouse performance that rose to No.13 on the US charts. 

Love The One You’re With (1971)

Following “Son of a Preacher Man,” Aretha was certainly happy to move with the times. Maybe she thought that Stephen Stills’ free love smash could just as easily be interpreted as a “love your fellow man” type thing but her suggestive intro to the song on the classic Live at the Fillmore West album – “a little something that we’re experimenting with tonight’ - she makes it pretty clear she knew what was going on. 

  
Border Song (1972) 

Aretha found in Elton John’s early song for peace something that she could fit into her proudly titled Young Gifted & Black album in 1972. And by changing a lyric from “There's a man standing over there/What's his color, I don’t care” to “What’s his color? Do you care?”, she similarly transformed the song into something much more confrontational.  

What A Fool Believes (1980)

American R&B rockers the Doobie Brothers were pioneering the smooth sounds that we now know and love as Yacht Rock by the end of the 70s, but Aretha could still find a bit of soul in them and certainly gave their Grammy-winning hit a bit more funk than Michael McDonald would ever have been capable of. 

Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986)

Reckon anyone else could have got Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood to not only show up for the recording but for the video? Nah… 

Rolling In The Deep (2014)

From her 2014 album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics. Aretha took the worldwide Adele smash, and, as she did with everything else here, entirely made it her own. Enough said really.