''Sweet Passion'' is the twenty-third studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released on May 19, 1977, by Atlantic Records. Following Franklin's Gold-certified 1976 soundtrack album, ''

Sparkle Sparkle may refer to: * Sparkle (catamaran), a catamaran designed by Angus Primrose * Sparkle (drink), a lemon-flavored soft drink * Sparkle, a brand of paper towels owned by Georgia-Pacific * Sparkle Plenty, a character in the ''Dick Tracy'' c ...

'', she paired up with Motown producer

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...

to produce ''Sweet Passion''. It was, however, a commercial and critical failure. The album's lead single, "

Break It To Me Gently "Break It to Me Gently" is a pop song written by blues musician Joe Seneca with lyrics by Diane Lampert. Both Brenda Lee and Juice Newton met with considerable success with their versions of the song. Brenda Lee recorded "Break It to Me Gently" ...

", topped the ''Billboard'' R&B chart but peaked at No. 85 on the Hot 100 and dropped off the chart after two weeks.

Track listing

Side one

" ( Marvin Hamlisch,

Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...

) - 3:21 #"When I Think About You" (Aretha Franklin) - 4:46 #" What I Did for Love" (Marvin Hamlisch,

Edward Kleban Edward "Ed" Kleban (April 30, 1939 – December 28, 1987) was an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. Kleban was born in the Bronx, New York City, in 1939 and graduated from New York's High School of Music & Art and Columbia Universi ...

) - 5:17 #"No One Could Ever Love You More" (

) - 3:36 #"A Tender Touch" (Aretha Franklin) - 3:58

Side two

#"Touch Me Up" (Lamont Dozier)- 4:38 #"Sunshine Will Never Be The Same" (Lamont Dozier) - 3:36 #"Meadows of Springtime" (Aretha Franklin) - 5:26 #"Mumbles /

I've Got the Music in Me "I've Got the Music in Me" is a pop song by The Kiki Dee Band, released in 1974. It was written in 1973 by Bias Boshell, Kiki Dee Band's keyboardist. It is also the title of a Kiki Dee Band album released in 1974 and re-mastered and re-issued wit ...

" ( Clark Terry, Aretha Franklin,

Bias Boshell Tobias Boshell (born 20 July 1950) is an English songwriter and musician, best known as the founder of the folk rock band Trees. He was born in Wye, Kent, was educated at Bedales and the Royal College of Music. Boshell formed Trees in 1969 wit ...

) - 3:40 #"Sweet Passion" (Aretha Franklin) - 7:12

Personnel

* Aretha Franklin – vocals, keyboards (5, 9, 10) * H. B. Barnum – rhythm arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8–10), horn arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8–10), string arrangements (2, 3, 5, 8, 10), keyboards (5) * Ray Brown – bass guitar (3, 8, 9) *

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

– keyboards (2, 3, 4, 6, 7) * Joe Clayton – congas (1), percussion (5) * Gary Coleman – percussion (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) * Ronald Coleman – keyboards (2, 4, 6, 7) *

– rhythm arrangements (4, 7) * Scott Edwards – bass guitar (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) *

James Gadson James Gadson ( James Edward Gadson; born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and ...

– drums (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) * McKinley Jackson – rhythm arrangements (4, 6, 7), horn arrangements (6) * Harold Mason – drums (1, 3, 5, 8, 9) * Craig McMillian – guitar (3, 8, 9) * Mike Morgan – guitar (3, 8, 9) *

Gene Page Eugene Edgar Page Jr. (September 13, 1939 – August 24, 1998) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. His sound can be heard in the arrangements he did for Jeffer ...

– horn and string arrangements (4, 7) * David Paich – keyboards (1) *

Ray Parker Jr. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film '' Ghostbusters''. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 h ...

– guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10) * Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (1, 5) * Lee Ritenour – guitar (1, 4–6, 10) *

Sylvester Rivers Sylvester Rivers (born October 28, 1953) is an American composer, arranger, pianist and producer, based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, he has recorded with numerous major artists including Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson ...

– keyboards (1, 3, 8, 9) * Bob Zimmitti – percussion (3, 8, 9)

Production

* Producers – Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager (Track 1); Lamont Dozier and Aretha Franklin (Tracks 2–10). * Co-Producers on Track 1 – David Paich and

Marty Paich Martin Louis Paich (January 23, 1925 – August 12, 1995) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director, and conductor. As a musician and arranger he worked with jazz musicians Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kento ...

. * Engineers – Frank Kemjar (Tracks 1, 5 & 10); Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2, 4, 6–8); Barney Perkins (3, 6 & 9). * Mixing – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2–10); Barney Perkins (Track 6). * Recorded and Mixed at ABC Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA) and Whitney Recording Studios (Glendale, CA). * Track 1 mixed at Studio 55 (Los Angeles, CA). * Mastered by Dennis King 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 ...

(New York, NY). * Art Direction – Bob Defrin * Photography – David Alexander

References

{{Authority control 1977 albums Aretha Franklin albums Albums arranged by Gene Page Albums arranged by H. B. Barnum Albums produced by Lamont Dozier Atlantic Records albums