1977 Aretha Franklin – Sweet Passion
Sweet Passion is the twenty-fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, Released on May 19, 1977 by Atlantic Records. Following a brief resurgence in Aretha’s sales with the Gold-certified success of her 1976 soundtrack album, Sparkle, Aretha paired up with famed Motown producer Lamont Dozier, to produce Sweet Passion. It was, however, a commercial and critical failure. The album’s one single, “Break It To Me Gently”, peaked at #85 and dropped off the Hot 100 after only two weeks, although it topped the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. This recording was released on compact disc in Europe in 2008.
Tracks
1 Break It To Me Gently (Carole Bayer Sager, Marvin Hamlish) 3:20
2 When I Think About You (Aretha Franklin) 4:47
3 What I Did For Love (Ed Kleban, Marvin Hamlish) 5:19
4 No One Could Ever Love You More (Lamont Dozier) 3:40
5 A Tender Touch (Aretha Franklin) 3:57
6 Touch Me Up (Lamont Dozier) 4:41
7 Sunshine Will Never Be The Same (Lamont Dozier) 3:37
8 Meadows Of Springtime (Aretha Franklin) 5:21
9 Mumbles/I’ve Got The Music In Me (Aretha Franklin, Clark Terry, Bias Boshell) 3:37
10 Sweet Passion (Aretha Franklin) 7:11
Biography
Musicians
1 Break It To Me Gently
| Bass | Chuck Rainey |
| Drums | Harold Mason |
| Guitar | Lee Ritenour |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Keyboards | David Paich |
2 When I Think About You
| Bass | Scott Edwards |
| Drums | James Gadson |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Keyboards | Ron Coleman |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Percussion | Gary Coleman |
3 What I Did For Love
| Bass | Ray Brown |
| Drums | Harold Mason |
| Guitar | Craig McMillian |
| Guitar | Morgan, Michael |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
| Percussion | Rob Zermitti |
4 No One Could Ever Love You More
| Bass | Scott Edwards |
| Drums | James Gadson |
| Guitar | Lee Ritenour |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Keyboards | Ron Coleman |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Percussion | Gary Coleman |
5 A Tender Touch
| Bass | Chuck Rainey |
| Drums | Harold Mason |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Guitar | Lee Ritenour |
| Keyboards | Aretha Franklin |
| Keyboards | Hidle Brown Barnum |
| Percussion | Joe Clayton |
6 Touch Me Up
| Bass | Scott Edwards |
| Drums | James Gadson |
| Guitar | Lee Ritenour |
| Keyboards | Ron Coleman |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Percussion | Gary Coleman |
7 Sunshine Will Never Be The Same
| Bass | Scott Edwards |
| Drums | James Gadson |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Keyboards | Ron Coleman |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
8 Meadows Of Springtime
| Bass | Ray Brown |
| Drums | Harold Mason |
| Guitar | Craig McMillian |
| Guitar | Morgan, Michael |
| Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
| Percussion | Rob Zermitti |
9 Mumbles/I’ve Got The Music In Me
| Bass | Ray Brown |
| Drums | Harold Mason |
| Guitar | Morgan, Michael |
| Guitar | Craig McMillian |
| Keyboards | Aretha Franklin |
| Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
| Percussion | Rob Zermitti |
10 Sweet Passion
| Bass | Scott Edwards |
| Drums | James Gadson |
| Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
| Guitar | Lee Ritenour |
| Keyboards | Aretha Franklin |
| Percussion | Gary Coleman |
Liner Notes
Producer – Aretha Franklin, Lamont Dozier
Producer – Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager (Track 1)
Co-producer – David Paich, Marty Paich (Track A1)
Arranged By (Horns, Rhythm) – McKinley Jackson (Track 6)
Arranged By (Horns, Rhythm) – H.B. Barnum (Track 9)
Arranged By (Horns, Rhythm, Strings) – H.B. Barnum (Tracks 2, 3, 5, 8, 9)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – Lamont Dozier, McKinley Jackson (Tracks 4, 7)
Arranged By (Horns, Rhythm) – Gene Page (Tracks 4, 7)
Engineer (Mixing) – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 3, 5, 9, 10)
Engineer (Mixing) – Barney Perkins (Track 6), Reginald Dozier (Tracks 3, 5, 9, 10)
Engineer (Recording, Mixing) – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Engineer (Recording) – Frank Kejmar (Tracks 1, 5, 10)
Engineer (Recording) – Barney Perkins (Tracks 3, 6, 9)
Mastered By – Dennis King
Art Direction – Bob Defrin
Photography – David Alexander
Phonographic Copyright Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright Atlantic Recording Corporation