"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 song by American soul singer Aretha Franklin. It was released as a single by Atlantic Records from her album Lady Soul. Gerry Goffin wrote the lyrics based on an idea from Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, and Carole King composed the music. The song was created for Franklin and reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of her most famous songs. It entered the UK singles chart at No. 79 one week after her death, which was its first appearance in the UK almost 51 years after its original release. Franklin also performed a live version of the song on her 1968 album Aretha in Paris.

Carole King recorded the song for her 1971 album Tapestry. Many artists have covered the song, including Mary J. Blige and Celine Dion. Both of their recordings reached the charts in 1995. In 2015, Franklin performed the song at the Kennedy Center Honors as a tribute to Carole King.

Background and release

The song "Natural Woman" was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was inspired by Jerry Wexler, a co-owner and producer at Atlantic Records. In his autobiography, Wexler explained that he was thinking about the idea of the "natural man" when he saw Carole King on a New York street. He told her he wanted a song called "natural woman" for Aretha Franklin's upcoming album, Lady Soul. Goffin and King wrote the song that same night. As a thank you, they gave Wexler credit as a co-writer.

A music magazine called Cash Box said the song's singing was unmatched. It also praised the work of the musicians and producers, calling the performance very powerful. The song reached new emotional highs, starting with a very strong opening.

In 1999, Franklin's 1967 recording of the song for Atlantic Records was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2021, the track was ranked number 90 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Personnel

• Aretha Franklin – lead vocals
• Spooner Oldham – piano
• Tommy Cogbill – bass
• Eric Gale – guitar
• Gene Chrisman – drums
• The Sweet Inspirations – background vocals
• Carolyn Franklin – background vocals
• Erma Franklin – background vocals
• Ralph Burns – strings conductor

Carole King version

Carole King recorded "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" for her 1971 album Tapestry, which became one of the most popular albums ever made. Her version uses a slower, simpler arrangement than the original, focusing on King's piano and Charles Larkey's bass. Her singing style does not try to match Aretha Franklin's strength, instead choosing a more natural, spoken-like tone.

In a review of Tapestry for Rolling Stone, critic Jon Landau called King's version of "Natural Woman" one of the album's "pleasantest moments" and "an entirely fresh and original interpretation." A later review from AllMusic noted that her recording gains extra meaning when sung in her own warm, persuasive voice. In a review for Pitchfork, Jenn Pelly wrote that while King's version is not the most famous one, it "carries the unique power of a woman reflecting on her past through music." She added that Franklin's version is "glory," while King's is "an act of pure conviction."

King also performed "A Natural Woman" in concerts during this time, often explaining that audiences could compare her version to the original recording she made for Franklin.

Mary J. Blige version

American singer Mary J. Blige recorded a version of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" for the 1995 New York Undercover soundtrack. The single was produced by James Mtume and reached number 23 on the UK singles chart and number 95 in the United States. It was later added to international versions of her 1994 album My Life. The music video was directed by Brett Ratner.

• US cassette single – UPTCS-55139
• "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" – 2:56
• "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz" – 3:55 (performed by Lost Boyz)

• US CD single – UPTDS-55139
• "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" – 2:56
• "You Bring Me Joy" (E-Smoove's soul mix) – 5:22

• US 12-inch single – UPT12 55152
• "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" – 2:56
• "You Bring Me Joy" (E-Smoove's soul mix) – 5:22
• "You Bring Me Joy" (E-Smoove's funk mix) – 4:39

• UK cassette single – MCSC 2108
• "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" – 2:57
• "Be Happy" (Puffy remix) – 4:40

• UK 12-inch single – MCST 2108 / UK CD single – MCSTD 2108
• "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" – 2:57
• "Be Happy" (Puffy remix) – 4:40
• "Mary's Joint" (Puffy remix) – 3:27
• "Changes I've Been Going Through" (Teddy Riley remix) – 4:30

Celine Dion version

Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded a version of the song "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" for the tribute album Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King, which was released on October 31, 1995. Her version was produced by David Foster and released as a promotional single in some countries in October 1995.

Ron Rogers of RPM praised Dion's version, calling it "the most outstanding track on the album." Gavin Report also gave the song positive feedback, stating that Dion's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" from Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King was "the best single that's not gonna be a single." The magazine noted that Dion "recreates the style of Aretha Franklin with an impressive performance that stands out on the album."

The song appeared on the Canadian music charts, reaching number 47 on the Top Singles chart and number four on the Adult Contemporary chart. In the United States, it reached number nine on Radio & Records' Adult Contemporary chart and number 31 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

In March 1996, "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" was added to the international versions of Dion's next studio album, Falling into You. In 2008, the song was included on the North American version of her greatest hits album, My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection.

VH1 Divas version

On April 14, 1998, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan, and Carole King performed the song at the VH1 Divas concert held at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The six singers were asked to join by VH1, a music network owned by Viacom, to help raise money for Save the Music, a charity that supports music education. The event was widely publicized in the media and became very popular, leading to the release of the concert on CDs and tapes on October 6, 1998. At that time, the song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," performed by all the singers, was released as a radio single in some countries. It reached number nine on the airplay chart in Belgium's Wallonia on January 5, 1999.