1985 Aretha Franklin – Who’s Zooming Who
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 Walden on the majority of the album, envisioning “a record with a younger sound to it.” As a result, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? contains influences of several popular mid–1980s genres, including dance pop, synth-pop, and contemporary R&B as well as pop songs with crossover appeal.
Released to praising reviews, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? became Franklin’s highest-charting album since Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and her first and only studio album to earn a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with over one million copies physically distributed. A top ten entry in New Zealand and Sweden, the album also went platinum in Canada and reached silver status in the United Kingdom. “Freeway of Love”, the album’s lead single, proved both a commercial success, as well as a career achievement for Franklin, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance while holding the number-one position on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five consecutive weeks.
Tracks
1 Freeway Of Love (Jeffrey Cohen, Narada Michael Walden) 5:50
2 Another Night (Beppe Cantarelli, Roy Freeland) 4:28
3 Sweet Bitter Love (Van McCoy) 5:10
4 Who’s Zooming Who? (Aretha Franklin, Narada Michael Walden, Preston Glass) 4:42
5 Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves (Annie Lennox, David A Stewart) 5:51
6 Until You Say You Love Me (Narada Michael Walden, Preston Glass) 4:53
7 Ain’t Nobody Ever Loved You (Jeffrey Cohen, Narada Michael Walden) 4:52
8 Push (Jeffrey Cohen, Narada Michael Walden) 5:34
9 Integrity (Aretha Franklin) 5:36
Biography
Musicians
1 Freeway Of Love
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 |
2 Another Night
Bass | Randy Jackson |
Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
Guitar (solo) | Ray Gomez |
Guitar | Corrado Rustici |
Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
Musician | 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 | Sylvester James |
Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
3 Sweet Bitter Love
Bass | Louis Johnson |
Drums | Yogi Horton |
Guitar | Steve Khan |
Guitar | William Powell |
Keyboards | Nat Adderley Jr |
Synthesizer | Robbie Kondor |
Percussion | Steve Kroon |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
4 Who’s Zooming Who?
Bass (synthesizer) | Randy Jackson |
Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
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 | Sylvester James |
Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
5 Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Stan Lynch |
Guitar | Mike Campbell |
Guitar | Dave Stewart |
Keyboards | Annie Lennox |
Organ | Benmont Tench |
Vocals | Annie Lennox |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
6 Until You Say You Love Me
Bass (synthesizer) | Randy Jackson |
Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
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 | Sylvester James |
Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
7 Ain’t Nobody Ever Loved You
Bass | Randy Jackson |
Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
Steel Drums | Andy Narell |
Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
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 | Sylvester James |
Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
8 Push
Bass (synthesizer) | Randy Jackson |
Drums | Narada Michael Walden |
Guitar | Carlos Santana |
Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
Percussion | Narada Michael Walden |
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 | Sylvester James |
Background Vocals | Vicki Randle |
Vocals | Peter Wolf |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
9 Integrity
Bass | Louis Johnson |
Drums | Yogi Horton |
Guitar | Steve Khan |
Guitar | William Powell |
Keyboards | Nat Adderley Jr |
Synthesizer | Robbie Kondor |
Trumpet | Dizzy Gillespie |
Percussion | Steve Kroon |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
Other Musicians
Choir (Gospel Choir) – The Charles Williams Singers (Track 5)
Liner Notes
Producer – Aretha Franklin (Tracks 3, 9)
Producer – Narada Michael Walden (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Producer – David Stewart (Track 5)
Producer (Executive) – Clive Davis
Arranged By (Strings) – Paul Riser (Tracks 3, 9)
Engineer – Mike Iacopelli (Tracks 3, 9)
Engineer – Adam Williams, Don Smith (Tracks 5)
Engineer (Second) – Maureen Droney
Engineer (Second) – Dana Chappelle, Gordon Logan, Moira Marquis, Paul Hamingson, Ray Pyle, Tim Crich (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Engineer (Chief) – David Frazer (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Engineer (Strings) – Josh Abbey (Tracks 3, 9)
Mastered By – Greg Calbi
Mastered By – Stephen Marcussen (Track 5)
Mixed By – David A. Stewart, Don Smith (Track 5)
Mixed By (Additional Mixing) – Michael Brauer (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Production Coordinator – Sephra Herman (Tracks 3, 9)
Production Assisitant – Dominik Celani (Tracks 3, 9)
Recorded By (Drums) – Shelly Yakus (Track 5)
Art Direction – Donn Davenport
Photography – John Pinderhughes
Recorded At The Automatt
Recorded At United Sound Systems
Recorded At The Plant Studios
Recorded At Right Track Recording
Phonographic Copyright Arista Records Inc
Copyright Arista Records Inc