(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

When you dive into "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," you encounter a song that, beyond its catchy melody, has a rather peculiar creation story. The original idea came from Jerry Wexler, an Atlantic Records producer, who was contemplating the notion of the "natural man" while studying African-American musical culture. Seeing Carole King on the street in New York, he had the idea to ask her for a song that would capture the essence of a "natural woman" for Aretha Franklin. That night, Gerry Goffin and Carole King got to work and wrote the lyrics and music, and as a thank you for the inspiration, they gave Wexler a co-writing credit. Aretha Franklin's recording was made in 1967 at American Sound Studio and was released as a single from her album *Lady Soul*.

The version by Aretha Franklin, with her characteristic vocal power, became one of her most recognized songs, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's interesting to note that this song made an appearance on the UK charts in 2018, shortly after Franklin's passing, more than 50 years after its initial release. Years later, in 1971, Carole King recorded her own interpretation for her acclaimed album *Tapestry*. Her version, with a more intimate arrangement centered on piano and bass, offers a different, more conversational perspective, contrasting with Franklin's vocal intensity. The song has been covered by many other artists, including Mary J. Blige and Celine Dion, whose 1995 recordings also charted. In 1999, Franklin's original 1967 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2021, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 90th on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.