1985 Aretha Franklin – Freeway Of Love (US:#3 UK:#68)
“Freeway of Love” is a song by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was written by Jeffrey Cohen and Narada Michael Walden and produced by the latter for her thirtieth studio album Who’s Zoomin’ Who? (1985). The song features a notable contribution from Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist from Bruce Springsteen’’s E Street Band. Sylvester and Jeanie Tracy provided backup vocals on “Freeway of Love”.
Released as the album’s leading single, it became Franklin’s highest-charting single in twelve years, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while topping the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five weeks from July 27, 1985 to August 24, 1985. In a remixed “rock” version, the song also topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The accompanying promotional music video was filmed entirely in the Detroit, Michigan area, and became one of the most popular videos of the year. “Freeway of Love” earned Franklin her 12th Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Owing to the pink Cadillac appearing on the album cover and several times in the lyrics, more than 100 pink Cadillacs accompanied Franklin in her funeral procession in August 2018.
Album
Who’s Zoomin’ Who? is the thirtieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released by Arista Records on July 9, 1985 in the United States. A breakaway from the Luther Vandross–produced adult contemporary sound of her previous albums Jump to It (1982) and Get It Right (1983), Franklin worked with producer Narada Michael […]
Musicians
| Bass (synthesizer) | Randy Jackson |
| Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
| Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
| Keyboards | Preston Glass |
| Vibraphone | Preston Glass |
| Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
| Percussion | Greg Gonaway |
| Sax | Clarence Clemons |
| Background Vocals | Carolyn Franklin |
| Background Vocals | Craig Thomas |
| Background Vocals | Jeanie Tracy |
| Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
| Background Vocals | Karen Benington |
| Background Vocals | Kitty Beethoven |
| Background Vocals | Laundon von Kendricks |
| Background Vocals | Nikita Germaine |
| Background Vocals | Preston Glass |
| Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
| Background Vocals | Sylvester James |
| Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
Produced By
Narada Michael Walden
Charts
US:#3
UK:#68