"30 Greatest Hits" (01/14/1997) R&B Franklin, Aretha, Atlantic & Atco RemastersPersonnel includes: Aretha Franklin (vocals, piano); Chips Moman, Jimmy Johnson, Eddie Hinton, Jerry Weaver, Charlie Freeman, Hugh McCracken, Cornell Dupree, Don Arnone, David Spinozza (guitar); Joe Farrell (flute, tenor saxophone); Hubert Laws (flute); The Memphis Horns (horns); Spooner Oldham (electric piano, organ); Richard Tee, Ken Lupper (organ); Barry Beckett, Jim Dickinson, Mike Utley, Donny Hathaway (keyboards); Kenneth Bichel (synthesizer); Tommy Cogbill, David Hood, Tommy McClure, Eric Gale, Chuck Rainey (bass), Roger Hawkins, Sammy Creason, Al Jackson, Ray Lucas, Bernard Purdie, Rick Marotta (drums); Pancho Morales (congas); Robert Popwell, Doctor John, Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Erma Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, The Sweet Inspirations, The Sweethearts Of Soul, The Southern California Community Choir (background vocals); Joe South. Producers: Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones. Compilation producer: Kim Cooke. Producers: Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield. Compilation producers: Norma Edwards, David Nathan. Includes liner notes by Norma Edwards. 30 Greatest Hits zeroes in on Aretha Franklin's prime recording period for Atlantic, from her breakout in 1967 with "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" through the end of 1974, during which the Queen of Soul truly reigned over the charts -- she averaged over one pop hit every two months. This two-disc set delivers all of her classics ("Respect," "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools," "Think," "Spanish Harlem," "Rock Steady"), plus much more excellent material for those who won't recognize much more than the songs (and there are quite a few) that have entered the cultural consciousness ("I Say a Little Prayer," "The Weight," "Spirit in the Dark," "Day Dreaming"). It's a great foundation to any collection that has yet to be equaled by a pair of Rhino sets, the two-volume Very Best of Aretha Franklin from 1994 and Aretha's Best from 2001. ~ John Bush Musically, Love Songs is hard to fault -- 16 romantic tunes from Aretha Franklin's 1967-1976 Atlantic years, including such hits as "Baby I Love You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "A Natural Woman," and "Call Me." Whether you want to add this to your collection depends very much on the way you assemble records. If you want to get these tunes, many of them are heard in better contexts on a number of greatest-hits anthologies. Its appeal is principally for the casual Franklin fan who prefers her softer side. ~ Richie Unterberger The title may not be 100-percent accurate, since the songs here are culled from Franklin's soul years, roughly between 1967 and 1974, and she's had lots more hits since then. That nit picked, however, this is a genuine embarrassment of riches, with Aretha's soaring voice and under-appreciated piano decorating one wonderful genre-defining song ("Respect," "Chain of Fools," "Natural Woman," "Since You've Been Gone") after another. The most revelatory cut is probably "I Say a Little Prayer," in which Franklin imbues the song with a spine-tingling gospel flavor without ever losing the pop delicacy of the original Dionne Warwick version. But just about everything else here is essential listening. This compilation spans the late-'60s to the mid-'70s. Aretha's impassioned voice soars with unbridled spirit through each classic performance. This release opens with "Baby I Love You," an R&B hit from the summer of 1967. From 1972's Grammy-winning YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK comes "Day Dreaming," featuring gospel maven Cissy Houston providing ethereal backing vocals. Other gems include the Bacharach/David song Franklin made famous in 1968, "I Say A Little Prayer." The strength and energy behind Aretha's performance in "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman" make it an anthem. On her own "You Don't Think," her voice evokes tears as she pleads for the faith of her true love. Franklin's 1974 version of Ashford and Simpson's "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" is arranged as a ballad, a brilliant