Anatomy of a Song: Day Dreaming
Aretha Franklin is a TREASURE. She exudes soul and has been doing so her entire life. Her voice should be classified as the 9th wonder of the world. No other artist in R&B history has matched her unique combination of soul, jazz, gospel, charisma, fashion, AND hits. She is, without a doubt, THEE Undisputed Queen of Soul.
1972... Thirty year old Aretha releases her TWENTIETH (yes, 20 albums by age 30) album. The title cut, a Nina Simone remake, is nice... but the REAL star of the album is a song Aretha herself penned, Day Dreaming.
Produced by Arif Mardin & Jerry Wexler, the song features Donny Hathaway on piano, Hurbert Laws on flute, and Aretha's sisters (Erma and Carolyn) on background vocals.
It's rumored that Aretha wrote the song about soul singer Dennis Edwards, lead singer for The Temptations before launching his solo career.
(#TurnThisUp right quick)
Day Dreaming became Aretha's 12th number one single for Atlantic Records. The song went on to sell over one million copies and spawned over 10 remakes... Everyone from Mary J. Blige (who twice performed it live, once for Aretha herself) to Natalie Cole (it was her last single release before her death) to Cam'ron (yes... rapper Cam'ron remade it and I love it) to Will Downing. Check out the various renditions of the song below.
Which version of this classic song is your favorite? Do you prefer Aretha's original or one of the remakes?