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Aretha Franklin - Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings (1972)

Track listing:
CD1
  1. Organ Intro (On Our Way) 1:24
  2. Opening Remarks 1:35
  3. On Our Way 1:57
  4. Aretha's Introduction 1:59
  5. Wholly Holy 6:45
  6. You'll Never Walk Alone 8:08
  7. What a Friend We Have in Jesus 6:38
  8. Precious Memories 8:29
  9. How I Got Over 5:14
  10. Precious Lord, Take my Hand / 9:03
  11. Climbing Higher Mountains 3:15
  12. Amazing Grace 15:19
  13. My Sweet Lord (instrumental) 2:30
  14. Give Yourself to Jesus 5:17
CD2
  1. Organ Intro. / Opening Remarks 2:21
  2. On Our Way 3:04
  3. Aretha's Introduction 2:51
  4. What a Friend We Have in Jesus 6:05
  5. Wholly Holy 6:06
  6. Climbing Higher Mountains 5:26
  7. God will Take Care of You 9:02
  8. Old Landmark 2:51
  9. Mary, Don't You Weep 7:56
  10. Never Grow Old 15:55
  11. Remaks by Rev. C.L. Franklin 7:26
  12. Precious Memories 7:27
  13. My Sweet Lord (instrumental) 0:33

Notes

Aretha Franklin disproved the notion that once you leave the church, you can't go back. She returned in triumph on this 1972 double album, making what might be her greatest release ever in any style. Her voice was chilling, making it seem as if God and the angels were conducting a service alongside Franklin, Rev. James Cleveland, the Southern California Community Choir, and everyone else in attendance. Her versions of "How I Got Over" and "You've Got a Friend" are legendary.

Among Aretha aficionados, Amazing Grace has long been considered one of her high-water marks, since it captured her glorious return to her gospel roots in front of a live audience. The original 1972 album contained just 14 tracks, culled from two live performances with the Southern California Community Choir, Ken Lupper, and the Rev. James Cleveland at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Fans have long wished for the release of the two complete concerts — which is exactly what Rhino's Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings gives them. Over the course of two discs and 29 tracks, every performance Franklin gave that January, along with comments from Cleveland and solo tracks from Lupper and the Choir, is unfurled, and if anything, the music is even more impressive when heard complete and unedited. Of course, the nature of this set makes it of interest primarily to dedicated fans, but they'll likely be delighted by the entire package.