Aretha Franklin 'A Portrait Of The Queen 1970-1974' Boxed Set to Release In December

BMG announces the release of the Aretha Franklin boxed set, A Portrait Of The Queen, featuring five classic albums from the early ‘70s, plus bonus material of session alternates, outtakes, B-sides, and demos. The limited 6-LP/5-CD collection, out December 1, is now available for pre-order here.

The set features the Lady Soul’s five original studio albums from the first half of the ‘70s – This Girl’s In Love With You, Spirit In The Dark, Young, Gifted And Black, Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky and Let Me In Your Life – and tracks her evolution as a singer/songwriter, showcases the fearlessness of her craft freely exploring genres and sounds, experimenting with writing and arranging various types of songs.  

The CD set includes bonus material collecting session alternates, outtakes, B-sides, and demos compiled with their accompanying albums, while the LP set includes a sixth LP of highlights from the bonus material.

The albums in both the vinyl and CD sets are remastered from the original analog master tapes by GRAMMY Award-winning engineers Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, respectively. Produced by GRAMMY Award-winning Cheryl Pawelski, the sets boasts extensive liner notes from Billboard’s Gail Mitchell and the British Ambassador of Soul David Nathan

By the time This Girl’s In Love With You was released on January 15, 1970, Aretha had completed over 80 recordings in just three years for Atlantic Records. Her 16th studio album, and eighth for Atlantic Records, reached Billboard’s Top 20 and includes her version of The Beatles’ “Let It Be,” which was the first recording of the song to be commercially issued—The Beatles release as a single came in March 1970. The album also includes The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby,” The Band’s “The Weight,” and Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.”

Released August 24, 1970, Spirit In The Dark was really a concept album, featuring two hit singles, “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied),” which peaked at #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and #11 on the Hot 100, and the title track at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100. Produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, the album also features B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section with an appearance by Duane Allman.

A lifelong civil and women’s rights activist, Aretha addressed the era’s Black Power movement with her 18thalbum, Young, Gifted And Black, released January 24, 1972. Climbing to #2 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, peaking at #11 on the Hot 100, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA shortly after release. Featuring The Delfonics’ “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time,” her self-penned “Day Dreaming” and “Rock Steady,” and the title track, which was originally recorded by its composer Nina Simone. Aretha won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. 

As one of her top-selling albums for Atlantic Records, Let Me In Your Life was Aretha’s 20th album rand released on February 25, 1974. The album yielded three hits: “Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do),” “I’m In Love,” and “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.”

With an unmatched, church-bred voice, the Detroit-raised daughter of a preacher man was an 18-time GRAMMY Award winner the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Often overlooked as a piano-playing virtuoso, Elton John noted to Billboard in 2003, “She is the greatest soul singer ever—and one of the most underrated pianists.”

LP 1: This Girl’s In Love With You (1970)

Side A:

1.Son Of A Preacher Man

2. Share Your Love With Me

3. Dark End Of The Street

4. Let It Be

Side B:

6. This Girl’s In Love With You

7. It Ain’t Fair

8. The Weight

9. Call Me

10. Sit Down And Cry

LP2: Spirit In The Dark (1970)

Side C:

1.Don’t Play That Song

2. The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday’s Kiss)

3. Pullin’

4. You And Me

5. Honest I Do

6. Spirit In The Dark

Side D:

7. When The Battle Is Over

8. One Way Ticket

9. Try Matty’s

10. That’s All I Want From You

11. Oh No Not My Baby

12. Why I Sing The Blues

LP3: Young Gifted And Black (1972)

Side E:

1.Oh Me Oh My (I’m A Fool For You Baby)

2. Day Dreaming

3. Rock Steady

4. Young Gifted And Black

5. All The King’s Horses

6. A Brand New Me

Side F:

7. April Fools

8. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long

9. First Snow In Kokomo

10. The Long And Winding Road

11. Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)

12. Border Song (Holy Moses)

LP4: Hew Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky) (1973)

Side G:

1.Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky)

2. Somewhere

3. So Swell When You’re Well

4. Angel

5. Sister From Texas

Side H:

6. Mister Spain

7. That’s The Way I Feel About Cha

8. Moody’s Mood

9. Just Right Tonight

LP 5: Let Me In Your Life (1974)

Side I:

1.Let Me In Your Life

2. Every Natural Thing

3. Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing

4. I’m In Love

5. Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)

6. The Masquerade Is Over

Side J:

7. With Pen In Hand

8. Oh Baby

9. Eight Days On The Road

10. If You Don’t Think

11. A Song For You

LP 6: Bonus Tracks- Rarities 

Side K:

1.Pledging My Love/The Check

2. You’re Taking Up Another Man’s Place

3. Are You Leaving Me

4. You’re All I Need To Get By (Take 2)

5. Spanish Harlem

Side L:

1.Lean On Me

2. Sweetest Smile And The Funkiest Style

3. Do You Know

4. At Last

5. Master Of Eyes (The Deepness Of Your Eyes)

6. Til It’s Over