Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin song)

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"Rock Steady"
Rock Steady by Aretha Franklin Side-A US vinyl.png
One of Side-A labels of US vinyl single
Single by Aretha Franklin
from the album Young, Gifted and Black
A-side"Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)"
ReleasedFebruary 15, 1971
(Criteria - Master #21312)
October 11, 1971
(Atlantic #2838) [1]
Recordedunedited,
undubbed master w/o horns
at Criteria in Miami
different edit / mix
at Atlantic in Manhattan[2]
Genre
Length3:15
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Aretha Franklin
Producer(s)Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler
Aretha Franklin singles chronology
"Spanish Harlem"
(1971)
"Rock Steady"
(1971)
"Day Dreaming"
(1972)

"Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album Young, Gifted and Black.[3] The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart. The original A-side, a rendition of the song "Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)", peaked at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart.

Personnel[]

Chart positions[]

Charts Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 2

Cover versions[]

  • The first known cover of the song was in 1972 by who recorded a whip-snapping cover for their sole eponymous album.
  • The Jackson Sisters recorded a cover of the song in 1976 for their eponymous album.
  • In 1987, a house version of the song was recorded by singer Dalis and released on Trax Records.
  • Patti Austin covered the song on her 1994 album That Secret Place.
  • Prince released a version on his 2007 live album, Indigo Nights. The song features Beverley Knight.
  • In 2008 the song was sampled by Japanese R&B singer Namie Amuro in her own song, "Rock Steady".
  • Richard Elliot also covered this song as an instrumental in 2010 off his album, which was also titled Rock Steady. Aretha's vocals were replaced by Rich's saxophone.
  • Dawn Robinson of the group En Vogue did a solo cover of the song on 1998's Dr. Dolittle soundtrack.
  • The song is used as a diegetic track in Driver: San Francisco.
  • Rap group People Under the Stairs mention the song in their song "The Next Step II".
  • Daryl Hall and John Oates covered the song on their 2004 album Our Kind of Soul.
  • Regina Love covered the song in The Voice (U.S. season 9).
  • In 2012, Christine Anu covered the song on her album, Rewind: The Aretha Franklin Songbook.
  • Rap duo EPMD sampled the beat and Franklin's lyrics (more pronounced on the remix) for their 1989 single "I'm Housin" from their debut LP Strictly Business.
  • Spanish rock rap band Def Con Dos sampled the horn section of the song's chorus on their song "".

Usage in media[]

"Rock Steady" appeared in the 2017 American comedy-drama film The Upside.

External links[]

  • Jisi, Chris. "Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady"". Bass Player. New Bay Media. Archived from the original on 2010-08-09. – session details
  • Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

References[]

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