Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky), by Aretha Franklin

Aretha turned out this minor gem in 1973, co-producing with Quincy Jones. (It was the only time, as far as Mr Pinky knows, that Aretha worked with ‘Q’.)

The Queen of Soul also wrote three of the album’s nine tracks herself. Just Right Tonight she co-wrote with Quincy and a few other people. The bonus track, Master of Eyes, an Atlantic single released the same year, was co-written by Aretha and Bernice Hart.

Mr Pinky can’t find out in the liner notes when this song was recorded, but presumes it comes from the same April and August of 1972 Quincy Jones session. It remains a mystery why this excellent song was never included on the album.

One presume it was time constraints, as with Master of Eyes added to the CD release the album runs to some 50 minutes. ‘Back in the day’ of the vinyl record this could of course hamper the quality of the sound.

Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) works almost like a concept album.

Side one is more of a funkified Aretha, starting off with the Aretha penned Hey Now Hey, with its complex stop, start rhythms . Next the mood is inexplicably broken by a six minute version of Somewhere.

Track three launches into a groove laden, funky treat in So Well When You’re Well (another Aretha composition) which struts its stuff with Aretha throwing down some great piano playing.

Track four is the gorgeous and heartfelt single Angel, written by sister Carolyn. The first side finishes with another electrifying Aretha tune, Sister from Texas, where the Queen of Soul shows off those peerless vocal chops. The phrasing and delivery gives me that ‘shock of the new’ every time I hear it, and makes me realise why Aretha is the Queen of Soul.

Side two has a more jazzy, slower feel. Mister Spain moves along quite nicely, as does That’s the Way I Feel About You. Aretha then does a cover version of Moody’s Mood, which she brings off very well.

Side two finishes with the sizzling Just Right Tonight. (It was alright yesterday, it outta be, just right tonight is the catchphrase of this extended slow jam.) The track will leave you out of breath, and is the perfect track to end the album.

As mentioned above, Master of Eyes is the bonus track, released as a single in 1973, but never making the album. It’s in that fine gospel tradition that Aretha can do hands down.

While Hey Now Hey is not representative of the best Aretha’s best known work at Atlantic, it certainly a risk that paid off handsomely.