Let Me in Your Life explained

Let Me in Your Life is the twentieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on February 26, 1974, by Atlantic Records.

It was one of Franklin's top-selling Atlantic Records albums. The album hit number 1 on Billboards R&B albums chart and stopped just short of the Top 10 of Billboards main album chart, narrowly missing Gold certification.^[6] It featured three hit singles and is regarded as one of Franklin's best Atlantic recordings. After many years out of print, it was issued on compact disc through Rhino Records in 1994.^[7]

Track listing

Information is based on the album's Liner Notes^{[7] [8]}
Side One

1. "Let Me in Your Life" (Bill Withers) – 3:24
2. "Every Natural Thing" (Eddie Hinton) – 2:31
3. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) – 3:47
4. "I'm in Love" (Bobby Womack) – 2:48
5. "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (Clarence Paul, Stevie Wonder, Morris Broadnax) – 3:26
6. "The Masquerade is Over" (Herbert Magidson, Allie Wrubel) – 4:27

Side Two

1. "With Pen in Hand" (Bobby Goldsboro) – 5:03
2. "Oh Baby" (Aretha Franklin) – 4:55
3. "Eight Days On the Road" (Jerry Ragovoy, Mike Gayle) – 2:59
4. "If You Don't Think" (Aretha Franklin) – 3:50
5. "A Song for You" (Leon Russell) – 5:33

Personnel

Information is based on the album's Liner Notes^{[7] [8]}

Main

• Aretha Franklin – vocals (1, 6, 8, 10–11, lead on 2–5, 7, 9), acoustic piano (2, 5, 7–9), Fender Rhodes (10–11)
• Ken Bichel – synthesizer (5)
• Margaret Branch – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9)
• Ann S. Clark – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9)
• Stan Clarke – bass guitar (1, 3–4, 6)
• Judy Clay – backing vocals (3–4)
• Eumir Deodato – Fender Rhodes (1), acoustic piano
• Cornell Dupree – guitar (2, 4, 7–11)
• Gwen Guthrie – backing vocals (4)
• Donny Hathaway – keyboards (3, additional on 7), acoustic piano (4, 6), Fender Rhodes (5, 8)
• Cissy Houston – backing vocals (3–4)
• Bob James – Hammond organ (1), keyboards (3)
• Ralph MacDonald – percussion (1–4, 6–11)
• Rick Marotta – drums (1, 3–4, 6)
• Hugh McCracken – guitar (5)
• Pancho Morales – percussion (2, 5–6, 8–9)
• Bernard Purdie – drums (2, 5, 7–11)
• Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (2, 5, 7, 9)
• Sylvia Shemwell – backing vocals (3)
• Myrna Smith – backing vocals (3)
• Pat Smith – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9)
• David Spinozza – guitar (1, 3–4, 6)
• Richard Tee – acoustic piano (1, 9), Hammond organ (2, 5, 10–11), Fender Rhodes (2), synthesizer, additional keyboards (10)
• Deirdre Tuck – backing vocals (4)
• Willie Weeks – bass guitar (8, 10–11)

Arif Mardin's Horn Section^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

• Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone (2), flute (5)
• Ernie Royal – trumpet (10)

Arif Mardin's String Section^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

• Gene Orloff – concertmaster (1–2, 5, 7–11)

Technical personnel

• Producers – Aretha Franklin (all tracks); Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler (1–6, 9); Tom Dowd (7–8, 10–11)
• Arrangers – Eumir Deodato (rhythm & strings on 1), William Eaton (music on 3–4, 6), Arif Mardin (percussion on 1, horns 1–2, 4–5, 7–11, strings on 1–2, 4–5, 7–11)
• Engineers – Phil Ramone (tracks 1, 3, 4 & 6); Gene Paul (tracks 2 & 8–11); Lew Hahn (Track 5); Howard Albert and Ron Albert (track 7)
• Recorded at Atlantic Studios and A&R Studios (New York City); Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida)
• Remixed by Arif Mardin at Atlantic Studios
• Mastered by Gene Paul at Atlantic Studios
• Photography – Joel Brodsky

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1974 (U.S.)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aretha Franklin with Arif Mardin Orchestra. Atlantic Recording Sessions: March 24, 1973 (NYC). Jazz Disco. 19 September 2019.
2. Web site: Aretha Franklin with Arif Mardin Orchestra. Atlantic Recording Sessions: September 7, 1973 (NYC). Jazz Disco. 19 September 2019.
3. Web site: Aretha Franklin with Arif Mardin Orchestra. Atlantic Recording Sessions: August 13, 1973 (NYC). Jazz Disco. 19 September 2019.
4. Web site: Aretha Franklin with Arif Mardin Orchestra. Atlantic Recording Sessions: April 9, 1973 (NYC). Jazz Disco. 19 September 2019.
5. Web site: Aretha Franklin with William Eaton Orchestra. Atlantic Recording Sessions: April 10, 1973 (NYC). Jazz Disco. 19 September 2019.
6. Aretha Franklin. Billboard.
7. Franklin, Aretha, Let Me in Your Life (CD re-Issue liner notes). Rhino Records, 1994.
8. Franklin, Aretha. "Let Me in Your Life" (Original Album Notes). Atlantic. 1974.