''Let Me in Your Life'' is the twentieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on February 25, 1974, by Atlantic Records. It was one of Aretha's top-selling Atlantic Records albums. The album hit #1 on '' Billboard''s R&B albums chart and just missed the Top 10 of ''Billboards main album chart, narrowly missing

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

certification. Featuring three hit singles, it is regarded as one of Franklin's best Atlantic recordings. It was issued on compact disc through

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

in 1994.Franklin, Aretha. "Let Me in Your Life" (CD Re-Issue Liner Notes). Rhino Records. 1994.

Track listing

Information is based on the album’s Liner NotesFranklin, Aretha. "Let Me in Your Life" (Original Album Notes). Atlantic. 1974.
Side One # "Let Me in Your Life" (

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including " Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), " Grandma's Hands" (1971), " Use Me" (197 ...

) – 3:24 # "Every Natural Thing" (

Eddie Hinton Eddie Hinton (15 June 1944 – 28 July 1995) was an American songwriter and session musician, best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers. He played lead guitar for Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section from 1969 to 1971 and after leaving th ...

) – 2:31 # "

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's ''United'' LP. The ...

" (

Nickolas Ashford Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

Valerie Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

) – 3:47 # " I'm in Love" (

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing gui ...

) – 2:48 # "

Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" is a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version was not released as a single and did not appe ...

" (

Clarence Paul Clarence Otto Pauling (March 19, 1928 – May 6, 1995) better known and published as Clarence Paul, was an American songwriter, record producer and singer who was best known for his career with Detroit's Motown Records. Early life and career Bo ...

, Stevie Wonder,

Morris Broadnax Morris Ervin Broadnax (February 9, 1931 – February 17, 2009), sometimes credited as Luvel Broadnax (the name of his first wife), was an American songwriter for Motown in the 1960s, most notably working with Stevie Wonder with whom, along ...

) – 3:26 # "The Masquerade is Over" (

Herbert Magidson Herbert A. Magidson (January 7, 1906 – January 2, 1986) was an American popular lyricist. His work was used in over 23 films and four Broadway revues. He won the first Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1934. Life and career Magidson was bo ...

, Allie Wrubel) – 4:27 Side Two # "

With Pen in Hand "With Pen in Hand" is a song written by Bobby Goldsboro and first released on his March 1968 album, ''Honey''. The song's lyrics address the subjects of divorce and losing custody of one's child, and are sung from the perspective of the parent wh ...

" (

Bobby Goldsboro Robert Charles Goldsboro (born January 18, 1941) is an American pop and country singer and songwriter. He had a string of pop and country hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature No. 1 hit "Honey", which sold over 1 million copies in ...

) – 5:03 # "Oh Baby" (Aretha Franklin) – 4:55 # "Eight Days On the Road" ( Jerry Ragovoy, Mike Gayle) – 2:59 # "If You Don't Think" (Aretha Franklin) – 3:50 # " A Song for You" ( Leon Russell) – 5:33

Personnel

Information is based on the album’s Liner Notes ;Main * Aretha Franklin – vocals (1, 6, 8, 10-11, lead on 2-5, 7, 9), acoustic piano (2, 5, 7-9), Fender Rhodes (10-11) *

Ken Bichel Ken Bichel is an American actor, composer, conductor, pianist, and synthesizer musician. Musical career Bichel attended the Juilliard School where he graduated with a master's degree in piano performance in 1969. While at Juilliard he met Gersh ...

– synthesizer (5) * Margaret Branch – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9) * Ann S. Clark – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9) * Stan Clarke – bass guitar (1, 3-4, 6) *

Judy Clay Judy Clay (September 12, 1938 – July 19, 2001)
Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved September 11, 2016. was an American < ...

– backing vocals (3-4) *

Eumir Deodato Eumir Deodato de Almeida (; born 22 June 1942) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues, classical, ...

– Fender Rhodes (1), acoustic piano *

Cornell Dupree Cornell Luther Dupree (December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman,

– guitar (2, 4, 7-11) * Gwen Guthrie – backing vocals (4) * Donny Hathaway – keyboards (3, additional on 7), acoustic piano (4, 6), Fender Rhodes (5, 8) * Cissy Houston – backing vocals (3-4) * Bob James – Hammond organ (1), keyboards (3) *

Ralph MacDonald Ralph Anthony MacDonald (March 15, 1944 – December 18, 2011) was a Trinbagonian-American percussionist, songwriter, musical arranger, record producer, steelpan virtuoso and philanthropist. His compositions include "Where Is the Love", a Gra ...

– percussion (1-4, 6-11) *

Rick Marotta Richard Thomas Marotta (born January 7, 1948) is an American drummer and percussionist. He has appeared on recordings by leading artists such as Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Ste ...

– drums (1, 3-4, 6) *

Hugh McCracken Hugh Carmine McCracken (March 31, 1942 – March 28, 2013) was an American rock guitarist and session musician based in New York City, primarily known for his performance on guitar and also as a harmonica player. McCracken was additionally a ...

– guitar (5) * Pancho Morales – percussion (2, 5-6, 8-9) * Bernard Purdie – drums (2, 5, 7-11) * Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (2, 5, 7, 9) * Sylvia Shemwell – backing vocals (3) * Myrna Smith – backing vocals (3) * Pat Smith – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9) *

David Spinozza David Spinozza is an American guitarist and producer. He worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album '' Walkin ...

– guitar (1, 3-4, 6) *

Richard Tee Richard Edward Tee (born Richard Edward Ten Ryk; November 24, 1943 – July 21, 1993) was an American pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "In Your Eyes", " Sl ...

– acoustic piano (1, 9), Hammond organ (2, 5, 10-11), Fender Rhodes (2), synthesizer, additional keyboards (10) * Deirdre Tuck – backing vocals (4) *

Willie Weeks Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also ...

– bass guitar (8, 10-11) ;Arif Mardin's Horn Section *

Joe Farrell Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name o ...

– tenor saxophone (2), flute (5) * Ernie Royal – trumpet (10) ;Arif Mardin's String Section *

Gene Orloff Gene Orloff (June 14, 1921 – March 23, 2009) was an American violinist, concertmaster, arranger, contractor and session musician. Background The son of a Russian immigrant violin maker, Orloff would try and get his father's violin down from the ...

–

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

(1-2, 5, 7-11)

Production

* Producers – Aretha Franklin (all tracks);

Arif Mardin Arif Mardin (March 15, 1932 – June 25, 2006) was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco and country. He worked at Atlantic Records for o ...

and Jerry Wexler (1-6, 9);

Tom Dowd Thomas John Dowd (October 20, 1925 – October 27, 2002) was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multitrack recording method. Dowd worked on a veritable "who's who" of recording ...

(7-8, 10-11) * Arrangers – Eumir Deodato (rhythm & strings on 1), William Eaton (music on 3-4, 6), Arif Mardin (percussion on 1, horns 1-2, 4-5, 7-11, strings on 1-2, 4-5, 7-11) * Engineers –

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(tracks 1, 3, 4 & 6);

Gene Paul Gene William Paul (born August 20, 1944) is an American audio recording / mixing / mastering engineer, producer and musician. He was an engineer at Atlantic Recording Studios during their famed 1960s–80s period and is currently the chief mas ...

(tracks 2 & 8-11); Lew Hahn (Track 5); Howard Albert and Ron Albert (track 7) * Recorded at

Atlantic Studios Atlantic Studios was the recording studio of Atlantic Records. Although this recording studio was located at 1841 Broadway (at the corner of 60th Street), in New York City, Atlantic Recording Studios was initially located at 234 West 56th Street fr ...

and A&R Studios (New York City);

Criteria Studios Criteria Studios is a recording studio in North Miami, Florida, founded in 1958 by musician Mack Emerman. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and ...

(Miami, Florida) * Remixed by Arif Mardin at Atlantic Studios * Mastered by Gene Paul at Atlantic Studios * Photography –

Joel Brodsky Joel Lee Brodsky (October 7, 1939 – March 1, 2007) was an American photographer, best known for his photography of musicians, particularly his iconic "Young Lion" photographs of Jim Morrison. In his lifetime, he is credited with photographing o ...

References

{{Authority control 1974 albums Aretha Franklin albums Albums arranged by Arif Mardin Albums arranged by Eumir Deodato Albums produced by Jerry Wexler Atlantic Records albums Rhino Records albums Albums with cover art by Joel Brodsky

Track listing

Personnel

Production

See also

References