In the Mix

When I was adding to the blather about whether Sgt. Pepper is or isn't the absolutely best thing ever, I mentioned that, given the choice among 1967 LPs, I'd put Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You, among others, before Pepper. Beatlemaniacs given to grandiose claims about Sgt. Pepper's astounding "impact" consider that blasphemy. But consider for a minute the enormous impact in the real world among women, African Americans, and anyone in the need of a little long overdue R-E-S-P-E-C-T of I Never's lead track. And that's not to even mention "Drown In My Own Tears," "Baby, Baby, Baby," or "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man." But I'm not here to make the argument myself. Check out the tremendous multi-media package the Detroit Free Press did this week on the 40th Anniversary of "Respect."