Thursday, August 2, 2018

"Who's Zoomin' Who" by Aretha Franklin

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  2483
Date:  09/28/1985
Debut:  51
Peak:  7
Weeks:  19
Genre:  R&B, Dance



Pop Bits:  With a new fresh sound, Franklin came roaring back with the big #3 hit "Freeway of Love." She certainly showed that she could still rule the charts in the new wave/synthpop 80s and this follow-up single provided further proof. The track would reach #1 at Dance, #2 R&B, and #10 AC while becoming her 16th Pop Top 10. It would be the fourth time in her career that an album of hers generated two Pop Top 10 hits and it was her first to do so since 1972's Young, Gifted and Black.

ReduxReview:   This was another terrific track for Franklin and as usual, she sings the bejezzus out of it. I always thought a line of this song was funny. During the chorus, all my ears could hear was "fish are jumpin' out for dinner babe" and I thought "what the hell does that mean?" Of course I found out later that the line is "fish jumped off the hook, didn't I babe," which makes much more sense! Franklin just kind of sings it quickly and the words mash together. Yet still today I envision Franklin sittin' down to a plate full of fried fish and singing "ooo-ooo babe!"

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Franklin co-wrote this song with producer Narada Michael Walden and Preston Glass. The title and the line "fish jumped off the hook" were taken from a conversation Walden had with Franklin prior to recording the album. When he asked her to describe what she would do on a fun night out, she said she'd go to the clubs and connect eyes with someone and find out "who's zooming who" and just when the guy thinks he's got her, "the fish jumps off the hook." When the song was first completed, Franklin really didn't like it. However, at the urging of label head Clive Davis, Franklin went ahead and recorded it. The song was the first one recorded for the album.

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