Sweet Passion
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, she paired up with Motown producer Lamont Dozier to produce Sweet Passion. It was, however, a commercial and critical failure.
The album's lead single, "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.
Critical reception
The Bay State Banner noted that "her voice seems to free itself, even during the most stilted and contrived show tunes, stronger and lots weightier than Natalie Cole's cheery mimicry."Track listing
Side one
- "Break It To Me Gently" - 3:21
- "When I Think About You" - 4:46
- "What I Did for Love" - 5:17
- "No One Could Ever Love You More" - 3:36
- "A Tender Touch" - 3:58
Side two
- "Touch Me Up" - 4:38
- "Sunshine Will Never Be The Same" - 3:36
- "Meadows of Springtime" - 5:26
- "Mumbles / I've Got the Music in Me" - 3:40
- "Sweet Passion" - 7:12
Personnel
- Aretha Franklin – vocals, keyboards
- H. B. Barnum – rhythm arrangements, horn arrangements, string arrangements, keyboards
- Ray Brown – bass guitar
- Sonny Burke – keyboards
- Joe Clayton – congas, percussion
- Gary Coleman – percussion
- Ronald Coleman – keyboards
- Lamont Dozier – rhythm arrangements
- Scott Edwards – bass guitar
- James Gadson – drums
- McKinley Jackson – rhythm arrangements, horn arrangements
- Harold Mason – drums
- Craig McMillian – guitar
- Mike Morgan – guitar
- Gene Page – horn and string arrangements
- David Paich – keyboards
- Ray Parker Jr. – guitar
- Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
- Lee Ritenour – guitar
- Sylvester Rivers – keyboards
- Bob Zimmitti – percussion
Production
- Producers – Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager ; Lamont Dozier and Aretha Franklin.
- Co-Producers on Track 1 – David Paich and Marty Paich.
- Engineers – Frank Kemjar ; Reginald Dozier ; Barney Perkins.
- Mixing – Reginald Dozier ; Barney Perkins.
- Recorded and Mixed at ABC Recording Studios and Whitney Recording Studios.
- Track 1 mixed at Studio 55.
- Mastered by Dennis King at Atlantic Studios.
- Art Direction – Bob Defrin
- Photography – David Alexander