Customer Reviews

Who's Zoomin Who

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Much has been said of Aretha's somewhat disappointing post-Atlantic label output, when she left for Arista Records. This CD proves that notion wrong. The "Queen" sounds invigorated, sassy and in great voice on this outing. Like one of the songs, "Freeway of Love", she really steps on pedal in her pink Cadillac and ZOOMS her vocals. Compared with her other Arista CD's, she has rarely sounded better than on this recording. Of course having some great songs help too. There are the hits "Who's Zoomin Who" "Another Night" and the aforementioned.

But it is her rendition of "Sweet Bitter Love" that knocks the ball out of the park on a homerun. This is an old chestnut she recorded at Columbia Records in the mid-60s (pre-Atlantic days). She draws every emotional note from this blues-tinged song, it's almost like going to church, but Aretha is singing to hold on to an unfaithful lover. I wish she would do more songs in this vein, where she goes all out vocally. There's enough variety here to please almost any Aretha fan, the dance-floor hits and the gospel-flavored slow jams. She gets plenty of support from guests such as Annie Lennox, who only enhance this memorable CD. Producer Michael Narada should be credited with adding enough funk and juiced arrangements that don't get in the way of Aretha's remarkable vocals.

Or Aretha, Part Two. By the end of the 1970's Aretha Franklin's relationship with Atlantic Records had soured and her commercial and critical clout had all but disappeared. Enter Arista Records, and the dawn of a new decade. Never having got caught up in the Disco craze, Aretha was able to wipe her slate clean and get on with her life and her career. A few mildly succesful albums followed, she was able to again get nominated for Grammy Awards, and get her name in the soul charts. But pop success alluded her, until "Who's Zoomin Who?" took the nation by storm in the mid 1980's. The single lead single "Freeway of Love" was a huge smash. It managed to do what none of her singles in the previous ten years did - attract a big mainstream audience without sounding compromised and without alienating her fan base. Part dance, part rock, part soul. It was a winning combination and an undeniable, unstoppable hit. She broke out in a big way, garnering a new, younger audience, and recapturing the momentum that was seemingly lost. A few more Top Ten hits followed, and the Queen was back on top. Looking back, twenty years after "Who's Zoomin' Who?" was released, I think this album stands up. It doesn't sound dated, like some of her other 80's releases. "Freeway of Love" is still exciting, and managed to get me on my feet when I saw her in a rare concert performance a few years ago. The title track is still as funky as anything she's ever recorded. The single "Another Night" still has sass, and a lyric that really bites hard ( "you were phasing out, my sweet, and I knew it...you didn't give a damn how I got through it" ) The album cuts are just as good. "Until You Say You Love Me" still sounds as sweet to my ears as it did coming out of my boombox in 1985. "Sweet Bitter Love" ( a song she had recorded in the early 1960's when she was still with Columbia Records ) has a vocal that is much more mature, much more worldy ( and world weary ) than the original. The hit "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" is a duet with Eurythmics' Annie Lennox, and is another deft blend of rock, dance and soul. And with all due respect to Annie, whom I love, Aretha really steals the show ( indeed, she has the Last Words on this cut, "Thank you I'll get it myself.") This album is a real winner. A great comeback, a must-have for fans, and a good introduction for the curious.

This is perhaps the most successful album she's done for Arista.. and for good reason, since it's one of the best. Her Arista years haven't necessarily lived up to her glory years on Atlantic, but she's released some great stuff nonetheless.. From the megahit "Freeway of Love" to the pure soul of Van McCoy's "Sweet Bitter Love".. and even the pop reggae of "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You" (one of the few singers who managed to make a good song out of that pop-reggae trend in the mid 80s)..Every single track on this album is a gem...from start to finish...The title track, "Another Night" and "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" (with The Eurythmics) are pure pop perfection, as well as "Push" (with Peter Wolf and Carlos Santana) which is probably the best song that Michael Jackson never did.. Aretha and producer Narada Michael Walden had paired up several times throughout the 80s, but they never topped this one.. A great pop album from the Queen of Soul.. Definitely worth a listen..

Why can't Aretha put out another one like this? "Who's Zoomin' Who" is one of the great sassy love tunes of all time; and "Freeway of Love" is a highlight of '80s disco!! More please Aretha - what CAN'T you do??

I like this record. It's total '80s cheese, and the cover sucks big time, but I don't care. It's got a lot of variety, including a fun, funky Carribbean song ("Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You"), some funk (`Freeway of Love"), some pure lovely pop (title track; "Until You Say You Love Me"), even some pseudo-disco ("Integrity"). And some really bad pop, most of it in the typical overproduced '80s vein ("Push"; the hit "Another Night"; "Sweet Bitter Love"). And while I'm all for feminism, the Eurythmics collaboration "Sisters Are Doin' it for Themselves" ends in tears. Then again, the Eurythmics are one of my least favorite bands ever, so I've got biases the size of Alaska there. It's true that this is much more sterilized than Aretha's best material, and it's also true that it's really glossy, but it's a very solid, very entertaining soul record just the same.

After getting back on track thanks to Arista Records, and 1982's dance and Soul Hit, Jump To It. Aretha took it up a notch with this record.

Freeway of Love became one of her biggest hits ever, and many thought her biggest hits were left in years past. Another Night and Who's Zooming Who are also great 80's Soul/Pop classics, and the bluesy Sweet Bitter Love was song that Re Re recorded many years ago for Columbia, and this song was a great in your face answer to anyone who thought that he 80's work was not mature enough.

The Regae sway of Ain't Nobody Ever loved You, and her duet with Annie Lenoxx, Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves, round out this release nicely.

Drop the top baby and lets cruise!

1985 was the year of ms. franklin, great album and great sales/airplay.
This product is the proof that an album can be really multi-layered as the artist recording it: just listen to aretha's voice weave with eurythmics' annie lennox on SISTERS ARE DOIN IT FOR THEMSELVES and get on the rock side with the santana co-played track PUSH, get some tropical party feeling with AIN'T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU, stomp on the dancefloor with the title-track and get the meaning of soul music thru INTEGRITY. Though the besvt track of this collection is ANOTHER NIGHT...the Queen of Soul desrves this title after such an album!

Aretha's fifth Arista release is, by far, her best effort for the label. With the hits "Freeway of Love," "Another Night," Who's Zoomin' Who," and the feminist-friendly "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves," Miss Franklin struck gold. Beside those four, other highlights are the soulfully rocking "Push" and "Sweet Bitter Love," a throwback to an earlier Aretha.

Nine strong tracks rock out on this disc with Aretha, strong and smooth voice which soars and glides.

Living here in Motown, we hear Aretha and the rest each week on Oldies station with Motown Monday. Recently, got chance to see Aretha live. Her long stage version (closer of the show) took Freeway of Love to new heights, with Jesus as the Way. She's just outstanding performer.

Enjoy title cut as well as Another Night and Push.

This CD contains the best and most energetic hits of Ms Aretha Franklin such as "Free Way of Love" and "Who's Zoomin' Who". Another great hit is "Sister's Are Doing It for Themselves". It can be the theme song for almost any single woman or group of women in the 20th and 21st century. Aretha has soul, she has spirit and she has one powerful voice and sound. This CD will get even the most reticent person swaying to the music, humming and singing along.

Along with Ms Aretha Franklin, there is a the Charles Williams Gospel Choir featured on "Sisters Are Doing It for Tthemselves", plus Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics on the keyboards and adding her vocals to this smashing song. We can hear steel drums on "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You". There is a saxaphone solo on "Freeway of Love", along with the "Santana" rhythm section add their special effects providing the explosive beat. This CD contains some of the finest music Aretha Franklin has recorded. Smoldering hot music that never goes out of style. Erika Borsos (erikab93)