[2011-03-22] Aretha Franklin "Take A Look: Aretha Franklin Complete On Columbia" 11CD/1DVD box set (Columbia)

Eddie Scott · 27 Jan 2007

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053XKUX6/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0053XKUX6/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0053XKUX6/?tag=imwan-21

Description
TAKE A LOOK: ARETHA FRANKLIN COMPLETE ON COLUMBIA celebrates the 50th anniversary of Aretha’s pop performance career with the first-ever collection of Aretha’s entire Columbia output, including master takes, unissued performances, rare mono mixes and studio conversations, in one deluxe 12-disc (11 CDs + DVD) box set.

The 12 discs are housed in a beautiful box and are accompanied by a lavish 64-page, full color book. The book features extensive new liner notes, complete discography, and incredible, rare photography of a young Aretha.

TAKE A LOOK begins with expanded editions of Aretha’s seven original Columbia albums:

• Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo) (released February 27, 1961)
• The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962)
• The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962)
• Laughing On The Outside (1963)
• Unforgettable – A Tribute To Dinah Washington (1964)
• Runnin’ Out Of Fools (1965)
• Yeah!!! In Person With Her Quartet (in two sequences: the original 1965 album recorded live in the studio with overdubbed applause, followed by a new previously unreleased version without the nightclub ambience)

Two CDs reflect Aretha’s collaborations with the influential producers Bobby Scott and Clyde Otis -- collaborations that were either shelved or issued as singles, but never on LP:

• Tiny Sparrow: The Bobby Scott Sessions (1963)
• Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions (1964)

Two CDs are new compilations:

• A Bit of Soul (the full album as it was compiled in 1965, but never released)
• The Queen In Waiting (includes Aretha's last Columbia recordings produced by Bob Johnston, noted for his work during this period with Bob Dylan; and songs that Columbia "sweetened" with new musicians after Aretha left the label)

A bonus DVD, Aretha '64! Live on The Steve Allen Show, features Aretha singing and playing piano on the legendary comedian's television program in the spring of 1964. The performances include “Lover Come Back to Me,” “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody,” “Won’t Be Long,” “Skylark,” and “Evil Gal Blues.”

Tracklist
Disc 1: ARETHA with THE RAY BRYANT COMBO
1. Won’t Be Long (3:08)
2. Over The Rainbow (2:38)
3. Love Is The Only Thing (2:40)
4. Sweet Lover (3:22)
5. All Night Long (2:57)
6. Who Needs You? (2:46)
7. Right Now (2:22)
8. Are You Sure (2:40)
9. Maybe I’m A Fool (3:16)
10. It Ain’t Necessarily So (2:51)
11. By Myself (2:38)
12. Today I Sing The Blues (2:45)

BONUS TRACKS:
13. Are You Sure (Rehearsal) (2:17)
14. Who Needs You? (Take 9) (3:03)
15. Right Now (Take 1) (2:13)
16. Maybe I’m A Fool (Take 4) (3:57)

Tracks 14-16 are previously unreleased.

MONO MIXES:
17. By Myself (2:39)
18. Won’t Be Long (2:54)
19. All Night Long (3:06)
20. Love Is The Only Thing (2:44)
21. Right Now (2:22)
22. Today I Sing The Blues (2:48)

Disc 2: THE ELECTRIFYING ARETHA FRANKLIN
1. You Made Me Love You (2:17)
2. I Told You So (2:41)
3. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody (2:22)
4. Nobody Like You (2:21)
5. Exactly Like You (2:35)
6. It’s So Heartbreakin’ (2:38)
7. Rough Lover (2:45)
8. Blue Holiday (2:52)
9. Just For You (2:19)
10. That Lucky Old Sun (3:18)
11. I Surrender, Dear (2:45)
12. Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive (2:16)

BONUS TRACKS:
13. Introduction To Hard Times (:31)
14. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (3:08)
15. When They Ask About You (2:59)
16. Operation Heartbreak (2:59)

MONO MIXES:
17. I Surrender, Dear (2:46)
18. Rough Lover (2:47)
19. Kissin’ By The Mistletoe (2:22)

Disc 3: THE TENDER, THE MOVING, THE SWINGING ARETHA FRANKLIN
1. Don’t Cry, Baby (3:21)
2. Try A Little Tenderness (3:15)
3. I Apologize (2:53)
4. Without The One You Love (2:47)
5. Look For The Silver Lining (3:04)
6. I’m Sitting On Top of The World (2:41)
7. Just For A Thrill (2:31)
8. God Bless The Child (3:02)
9. I’m Wandering (3:26)
10. How Deep Is The Ocean (2:48)
11. I Don’t Know You Anymore (2:48)
12. Lover Come Back To Me (2:34)

MONO MIXES:
13. Trouble In Mind (2:15)
14. Without The One You Love (2:46)
15. Don’t Cry, Baby (3:14)
16. I’m Wandering (3:25)
17. Try A Little Tenderness (3:14)
18. I Apologize (2:52)
19. Lover Come Back To Me (2:34)
20. I Don’t Know You Anymore (2:47)

Disc 4: LAUGHING ON THE OUTSIDE
1. Skylark (2:52)
2. For All We Know (3:27)
3. Make Someone Happy (3:49)
4. I Wonder (Where Are You Tonight) (3:16)
5. Solitude (3:49)
6. Laughing On The Outside (3:12)
7. Say It Isn’t So (3:08)
8. Until The Real Thing Comes Along (3:06)
9. If Ever I Would Leave You (4:06)
10. Where Are You? (3:50)
11. Mr. Ugly (3:22)
12. I Wanna Be Around (2:26)

BONUS TRACK:
13. Ol’ Man River (4:01)

MONO MIXES:
14. You’ve Got Her (2:40)
15. Here’s Where I Came In (Here’s Where I Walk Out) (2:53)
16. Say It Isn’t So (3:08)

Disc 5: TINY SPARROW: THE BOBBY SCOTT SESSIONS
1. Here Today And Gone Tomorrow (3:29)
2. Please Answer Me (2:31)
3. Harbor Lights (2:50)
4. I May Never Get To Heaven (3:28)
5. Moon River (2:11)
6. I Won’t Cry Anymore (2:50)
7. Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home (2:20)
8. My Little Brown Book (3:19)
9. Tiny Sparrow (2:51)
10. Johnny (3:06)
11. Looking Through A Tear (3:11)

MONO MIXES:
12. Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home (2:20)
13. Johnny (2:59)

Disc 6: UNFORGETTABLE: A TRIBUTE TO DINAH WASHINGTON
1. Unforgettable (3:41)
2. Cold, Cold Heart (4:36)
3. What A Diff’rence A Day Made (3:31)
4. Drinking Again (3:28)
5. Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning (5:11)
6. Evil Gal Blues (2:41)
7. Don’t Say You’re Sorry Again (2:45)
8. This Bitter Earth (4:35)
9. If I Should Lose You (3:36)
10. Soulville (2:21)

MONO MIX:
11. Lee Cross (3:05)

Disc 7: TAKE A LOOK: THE CLYDE OTIS SESSIONS
1. I’ll Keep On Smiling (3:23)
2. Shangri-La (3:14)
3. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart (2:33)
4. People (4:17)
5. A Mother’s Love (2:32)
6. Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love) (2:17)
7. But Beautiful (2:56)
8. That’s Entertainment (1:50)
9. Take A Look (2:40)
10. (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young (4:42)
11. Jim (2:28)
12. Sweet Bitter Love (2:58)
13. Only The Lonely (4:53)
14. My Coloring Book (4:07)
15. I Wish I Didn’t Love You So (2:54)

MONO MIXES:
16. People (4:21)
17. A Mother’s Love (2:31)

Disc 8: RUNNIN’ OUT OF FOOLS
1. Mockingbird (2:34)
2. How Glad I Am (2:32)
3. Walk On By (2:47)
4. Every Little Bit Hurts (2:46)
5. The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) (2:22)
6. You’ll Lose A Good Thing (2:38)
7. I Can’t Wait Until I See My Baby’s Face (2:44)
8. It’s Just A Matter Of Time (2:56)
9. Runnin’ Out Of Fools (2:33)
10. My Guy (3:03)
11. Two Sides Of Love (2:26)
12. One Room Paradise (2:06)

BONUS TRACKS:
13. A general market advertisement from Columbia Records (0:40)
14. A special ad for Christmas (0:53)

MONO MIXES:
15. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (2:53)
16. Winter Wonderland (2:12)

Disc 9: A BIT OF SOUL
1. Follow Your Heart (2:26)
2. Only The One You Love (2:24)
3. One Step Ahead (2:34)
4. Can’t You Just See Me (2:03)
5. How To Murder Your Wife (2:55)
6. A Little Bit Of Soul (2:21)
7. Cry Like A Baby (2:13)
8. Her Little Heart Went To Loveland (2:34)
9. Remember Me (2:13)
10. Land Of Dreams (2:14)
11. Little Miss Raggedy Ann (2:10)

BONUS TRACKS:
12. Deeper (2:12)
13. I Still Can’t Forget (2:55)
14. Rose Of Washington Square (2:38)

MONO MIXES:
15. Take It Like You Give It (1:53)
16. Follow Your Heart (2:26)
17. Only The One You Love (2:22)
18. One Step Ahead (2:27)
19. How To Murder Your Wife (2:49)
20. A Little Bit Of Soul (2:18)
21. Cry Like A Baby (2:06)
22. Her Little Heart Went To Loveland (2:35)

Disc 10: YEAH!!! IN PERSON WITH HER QUARTET
1. This Could Be The Start Of Something (1:30)
2. Once In A Lifetime (3:21)
3. Misty (3:38)
4. More (1:50)
5. There Is No Greater Love (4:40)
6. Muddy Water (2:28)
7. If I Had A Hammer (2:35
8. Impossible (3:22)
9. Today I Love Ev’rybody (3:25)
10. Without The One You Love (3:33)
11. Trouble In Mind (2:54)
12. Love For Sale (2:40)

THE ORIGINAL SESSIONS:
13. Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home (2:15)
14. Misty (3:36)
15. Love For Sale (2:30)
16. Once In A Lifetime (3:20)
17. Today I Love Ev’rybody (3:24)
18. Impossible (3:26)
19. This Could Be The Start Of Something (1:25)
20. More (2:09)
21. There Is No Greater Love (4:40)
22. If I Had A Hammer (2:31)
23. Muddy Water (2:29)
24. Without The One You Love (3:41)
25. Trouble In Mind (3:02)

Tracks 14-25 are previously unreleased.

Disc 11: THE QUEEN IN WAITING
1. Tighten Up Your Tie, Button Up Your Jacket (Make It For The Door) (1:57)
2. (No, No) I’m Losing You (3:08)
3. Why Was I Born? (2:51)
4. Hands Off (2:12)
5. Swanee (2:24)
6. You Made Me Love You (2:32)
7. Until You Were Gone (3:06)
8. Mockingbird (2:35)
9. Can’t You Just See Me (1:55)
10. Today I Sing The Blues (2:46)
11. Walk On By (3:06)
12. One Room Paradise (2:50)
13. Every Little Bit Hurts (1:59)
14. Evil Gal Blues (2:46)
15. Rough Lover (2:44)
16. Trouble In Mind (3:36)
17. Without The One You Love (2:43)
18. Won’t Be Long (2:06)
19. Take A Look (2:41)
20. Runnin’ Out Of Fools (3:02)
21. Skylark (6:11)

Tracks 1, 4 and 7-10 are mono mixes.
Tracks 20 and 21 are previously unreleased.

Disc 12 (DVD): ARETHA ’64! LIVE ON THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW
1. Lover Come Back To Me
2. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
3. Won’t Be Long
4. Skylark
5. Evil Gal Blues

Packshot (click for full size):

Rock'n'Roll Elitist · **Joined:** 31 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 415

What a treat for the aficionado! I follow the career of that OTHER diva from Detroit, but these are historically important. The Steve Allen Show is worth the price of admission in and of itself. I'm in.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

This is exciting news. I think Aretha's Columbia recordings are unfairly maligned. When I finally gave them a chance in the 90's, I was surprised at how good they actually were, and how soulful Aretha was! Aretha has always recorded standards and show tunes, so I don't find particular fault with the song selections either. I am really looking forward to this, as it seems to be put together in a very thoughtful, RESPECTful manner to honor one of the greatest vocalists of my lifetime!

Nathan_86 · 15 Jun 2007

If someone released a proper single-disc Columbia recordings comp, I'd buy it .... it's surprising no-one has, given the enormous amount of Columbia-era Aretha comps that have been released.

jimsumner · 07 Feb 2007

pghmusiclover wrote:

This is exciting news. I think Aretha's Columbia recordings are unfairly maligned. When I finally gave them a chance in the 90's, I was surprised at how good they actually were, and how soulful Aretha was! Aretha has always recorded standards and show tunes, so I don't find particular fault with the song selections either. I am really looking forward to this, as it seems to be put together in a very thoughtful, RESPECTful manner to honor one of the greatest vocalists of my lifetime!

You may be right about these recordings being unfairly maligned. But $130 is a lot of money to find out. I also would prefer a good, single-disc anthology.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

jimsumner wrote:

pghmusiclover wrote:

This is exciting news. I think Aretha's Columbia recordings are unfairly maligned. When I finally gave them a chance in the 90's, I was surprised at how good they actually were, and how soulful Aretha was! Aretha has always recorded standards and show tunes, so I don't find particular fault with the song selections either. I am really looking forward to this, as it seems to be put together in a very thoughtful, RESPECTful manner to honor one of the greatest vocalists of my lifetime!

You may be right about these recordings being unfairly maligned. But $130 is a lot of money to find out. I also would prefer a good, single-disc anthology.

You can find a great two-disc set on Amazon.com for $17, with second-hand copies selling for as low as $8.75:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000281R/?tag=imwan-20

The music contained on these discs was enough to for me to go out and get the other available Columbia collections ("The First 12 Sides"; "Aretha Sings The Blues"; and "Sweet Bitter Love"), since none of the proper albums were available on CD at that time -- though "The First 12 Sides" was her first album in budget packaging; within a few years, Legacy did a nice release of Aretha's tribute to Dinah Washington "Unforgettable". I think another label released most of the albums on 2-fers, but I passed on those since I seem to recall reading they were mastered from vinyl sources, and were lacking in liner notes.

Ven · 13 Jul 2006

Aretha had 12 charted hits on the Columbia label. Of the numerous compilations of her Columbia material -- including the set mentioned in the previous post -- not a single one contains all 12 hits. That's just plain silly, IMHO. I'll be happy to pick up a sensible Sony comp when they actually decide to release one. A 12-disc box set is too much for me.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

Ven wrote:

Aretha had 12 charted hits on the Columbia label. Of the numerous compilations of her Columbia material -- including the set mentioned in the previous post -- not a single one contains all 12 hits. That's just plain silly, IMHO. I'll be happy to pick up a sensible Sony comp when they actually decide to release one. A 12-disc box set is too much for me.

Obviously then this isn't being released to appeal to a fan such as yourself. Perhaps you will be able to download the 12 charted hits from itunes and create your own compilation once this material is released digitally. Incidentally, according to Wikipedia, Aretha had 19 songs that charted (between the pop and R&B charts), though admittedly some of those would have been "bubbling under" the top 100.

Nathan_86 · 15 Jun 2007

Even if you only released a compilation containing her top 40 singles, that's only 9 songs. That could even be done on a budget comp, yet with all the comps of her Columbia recordings that have been done; there's never been one that's included them all.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

Nathan_86 wrote:

Even if you only released a compilation containing her top 40 singles, that's only 9 songs. That could even be done on a budget comp, yet with all the comps of her Columbia recordings that have been done; there's never been one that's included them all.

I'm sure it's frustrating to a casual fan that only wants those 9 tracks to not have such a compilation commercially. Once again, anyone that wants one can create their own via digital downloads. However, as an Aretha fanatic, I am thrilled to be able to get ALL of her Columbia recordings all in one place!

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

There is a single disc compilation that was released this past week, entitled "The Great American Songbook":

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EPYYG8/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004EPYYG8/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004EPYYG8/?tag=imwan-21

Tracklisting:

1. Little Brown Book
2. Trouble In Mind
3. Try A Little Tenderness
4. It Ain't Necessarily So
5. How Deep Is The Ocean
6. Cold, Cold Heart
7. Love For Sale
8. How Glad I Am
9. Skylark
10. This Bitter Earth
11. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive
12. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
13. Only The Lonely
14. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
15. God Bless The Child
16. Say It Isn't So
17. Are You Sure
18. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)

The cover artwork is the same as the upcoming box:

Plasquatch · **Joined:** 04 Apr 2009 **Posts:** 315

Interesting choice of "The Queen in Waiting" as one of the disc titles. That is also the name of a two-disc anthology of the same period (which is sitting right in front of me!).

JMarch3035 · **Joined:** 07 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 529

I'm currently listening to this box set, and recently finished Disc Four, containing the album LAUGHING ON THE OUTSIDE. Listed as Tracks 14 and 15 (bonus tracks) are "You've Got Her" and "Here's Where I Came In (Here's Where I Walk Out)." On my disc, at least, Track 14 is the title song "Laughing on the Outside" (also Track 6) and Track 15 is "For All We Know" (Track 2) but in a shorter edit minus the verse!

Could anybody else who picked up the box take a listen to this disc and let me know if this is an error in my pressing, or of the entire run? Am I missing something here? (Well, other than "You've Got Her" and "Here's Where I Came In (Here's Where I Walk Out)," that is!) I appreciate any help!

PhilMH · 23 Jul 2010

You're right - my copy has the same error! Dunno why I didn't notice earlier - maybe the phone rang when I played the disc before!

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

I wrote to Legacy Recordings recently about this problem via their website. I got this response this morning:

Quote:

We have identified the error and are in the process of manufacturing replacement discs. Can we have your address and phone number? Please expect a disc in the mail in the next 3 weeks.

djej · **Joined:** 26 Mar 2008 **Posts:** 195

I got my replacement disc in the mail today (I didn't have to return my original one). It just came in a generic, striped Columbia paper sleeve.

The CD label itself looks the exact same as the original disc from the set.

Matrix info
Original disc: DIDX 696167 and there are a couple of other numbers... K339301 and IFPIL027
Replacement disc: DIDX 696167 1 and IFPIL328 and A01 (and another number even closer to the center, IFPI 50A6)

Hope this helps.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

I also received my replacement disc yesterday!

[2011-03-22] Aretha Franklin "Take A Look: Aretha Franklin Complete On Columbia" 11CD/1DVD box set (Columbia)

Who is WANline