On this day (August 16) in 2018, the music world lost one of its greatest voices—Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul was 76 years old when she passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Many of Franklin’s biggest hits and best-known songs were interpretations of other artists’ tunes or penned by acclaimed songwriters. Examples of these are “Respect” (Otis Redding), “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (Carole King & Gerry Goffin), “Chain of Fools” (Don Covay), and “Bridge over Troubled Water” (Paul Simon).
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That being said, Franklin was no slouch in the songwriting department herself. Aretha had a hand in writing several of her major hits and most enduring tunes. In commemoration of the anniversary of the Queen of Soul’s passing, here are four great songs she wrote or co-wrote:
“Think” (1968)
“Think” was one of many major hits Franklin enjoyed in the late 1960s, and is among her best-known songs. Aretha co-wrote “Think” with her first husband and manager, Ted White.
The tune appeared on Franklin’s 1968 album Aretha Now. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Franklin’s sixth song to top the Billboard R&B singles chart.
“Think” features an unforgettable gospel-inspired chorus in which Aretha repeatedly belts out “Freedom!”
“Rock Steady” (1971)
“Rock Steady” was funky, soulful tune that was released as a single in October 1971, and later was included on Franklin’s 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black.
The song, which was an original Franklin composition, peaked at No. 9 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B singles tally.
“Day Dreaming” (1972)
“Day Dreaming” was another song written by Franklin that was featured on the Young, Gifted and Black album. The grooving love ballad became one of Aretha’s most successful pop hits of the 1970s. It reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 and also spent two weeks at the top of Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
In 1973, “Day Dreaming” was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female category. That same year, Franklin’s Young, Gifted and Black album won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.
“Who’s Zoomin’ Who” (1985)
In the mid-1980s, Franklin enjoyed a career resurgence thanks in large part to her popular 1985 studio album Who’s Zoomin’ Who. The record featured three hit singles—“Freeway of Love,” the Eurythmics collaboration “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves,” and the title track.
Franklin co-wrote “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” with Narada Michael Walden and Preston Glass. The multi-talented Walden also produced and played drums and piano on the song. Randy Jackson contributed synth bass and backing vocals to the track.
“Who’s Zoomin’ Who” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Billboard’s R&B singles tally.
The song offers up a smooth, mid-tempo groove, as Franklin playfully croons about getting the upper hand on a man who’s used to controlling his romantic conquests.
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