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Aretha Franklin - Think [1968] (original Version) May 2026

Critics consistently rank it among the greatest songs of the 1960s, with Pitchfork placing it at #15 on its list of the decade's top tracks. It remains a definitive statement of Franklin’s status as the .

Released less than a month after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , the insistent refrain of "Freedom" mirrored the era's sociopolitical calls for justice and resilience. Aretha Franklin - Think [1968] (Original Version)

Aretha’s delivery is characterized by "fiery intensity". Unlike the more polished 1980 Blues Brothers re-recording, the 1968 original has a raw, urgent quality. Critics consistently rank it among the greatest songs

Beyond its initial success, "Think" saw major rebirths, most notably in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers , where Franklin famously performed it as Mrs. Murphy. Martin Luther King Jr

Co-written by Aretha and her then-husband/manager , the lyrics are often viewed through the lens of their turbulent marriage.

Aretha Franklin's is more than just a soul classic; it is a three-minute masterclass in musical defiance. Released in May 1968 as the lead single from her album Aretha Now , the song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B charts for three weeks. Musical Composition and Vocal Performance