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La Diva is the twenty-fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on September 6, 1979, by Atlantic Records. The album marked the end of her 12-year tenure with Atlantic and a run of 19 original albums. The album was a commercial flop as the singer attempted to make a comeback by recording a disco-oriented project with producer Van McCoy. It was McCoy's final work as he died in June of that year; the record was released as disco was running its course.
La Diva | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 6, 1979 | |||
Recorded | February–May, 1979 | |||
Studio | Penny Lane Studios (New York City, New York) Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | Disco, R&B, pop | |||
Length | 44:28 | |||
Label | Atlantic (#19248) | |||
Producer | Aretha Franklin, Charles Kipps, Skip Scarborough, Van McCoy | |||
Aretha Franklin chronology | ||||
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Singles from La Diva | ||||
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It stands as the lowest charting and poorest selling album of Franklin's entire Atlantic Records catalogue. "Ladies Only" reached number 33 on Billboard's R&B singles chart while the follow-up, "Half A Love", stalled at number 65.[1] This album was recorded at Franklin's vocal peak and features three of her own compositions, as well as a song by her eldest son Clarence Franklin.
Although remembered[by whom?] as Franklin's failed disco LP, La Diva also includes substantial funk and R&B tracks such as The Emotions' "Reasons Why", Zulema's "Half a Love" and scorching versions of Lalomie Washburn's "It's Gonna Get A Bit Better" and her own "Honey I Need Your Love".
Critical reception
editReview scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B[3] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
The Globe and Mail wrote that "the Van McCoy rhythm tracks which push along a large part of the album are generally second-rate for [disco], and tend to restrict her – she's always been best when working in a variety of styles."[5]
Track listing
editSide one
edit- "Ladies Only" (Aretha Franklin) – 5:15
- "It's Gonna Get a Bit Better" (Lalome Washburn) – 5:20
- "What If I Should Ever Need You" (Charles H. Kipps) – 3:32
- "Honey I Need Your Love" (Aretha Franklin) – 2:45
- "I Was Made for You" (Clarence Franklin) – 4:03
Side two
edit- "Only Star" (Aretha Franklin) – 5:04
- "Reasons Why" (Skip Scarborough, Wanda Hutchinson, Wayne Vaughan) – 3:55
- "You Brought Me Back to Life" (Van McCoy) – 4:24
- "Half a Love" (Zulema Cusseaux) – 5:25
- "The Feeling" (Van McCoy) – 4:45
Personnel
editMusicians
- Aretha Franklin – lead and backing vocals, rhythm arrangements (4)
- Van McCoy – keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements (1, 3–5, 8, 10)
- Kenneth Ascher, Richard Tee, Paul Griffin – keyboards
- Ken Bichel – synthesizer, orchestra bells
- Jack Cavari, Cornell Dupree, Tom Hanlon – guitar
- Brian Aslop, Gordon Edwards – bass guitar
- Chris Parker – drums
- Errol "Crusher" Bennett, George Devens – percussion
- Richard Gibbs – rhythm arrangements (2)
- Arthur Jenkins – rhythm arrangements (6)
- Skip Scarborough – rhythm arrangements (7)
- Gene Orloff – conductor
- Albert Bailey – backing vocals
- Sharon Brown – backing vocals
- Zulema Cusseaux – backing vocals, rhythm arrangements (9)
- Diane Destry – backing vocals
- Carolyn Franklin – backing vocals
- Richard Harris – background vocals
- Brenda Hilliard – backing vocals
- Jerome Jackson – backing vocals
- Pete Marshall – backing vocals
- Pat Williamson – backing vocals
Production
- Producers – Charles Kipps and Van McCoy (Tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8–10); Aretha Franklin (Track 4); Skip Scarborough (Track 7)
- Engineers – Lee Decarlo and Alan Varner
- Assistant engineers – Rick Delana, Brian Marine and John Terrell
- Mastered by George Piros at Atlantic Studios (New York, NY)
References
edit- ^ "Chart History Aretha Franklin". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ La Diva review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: F". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 262.
- ^ McGrath, Paul (November 3, 1979). "La Diva Aretha Franklin". The Globe and Mail. p. F12.