Spirit in the Dark

Spirit in the Dark
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 24, 1970
Recorded
  • May 26–27, 1969
  • October 3, 1969 – March 10, 1970
StudioCriteria (Miami)
Genre
Length40:28
Label
Producer
Aretha Franklin chronology
This Girl's in Love with You
(1970)
Spirit in the Dark
(1970)
Aretha Live at Fillmore West
(1971)
Singles from Spirit in the Dark
  1. "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"
    Released: May 1970
  2. "Spirit in the Dark" / "The Thrill Is Gone"
    Released: August 1970
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Christgau's Record GuideA
Pitchfork9.0/10
Rolling Stone(favorable)

Spirit in the Dark is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released in August, 1970, by Atlantic Records. It received critical acclaim, but met with sloping sales, despite continued hit singles.

"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" hit #1 R&B, #11 Pop, and was another million selling 45 for Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark", peaked at #3 R&B and #23 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100. This was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of the Top 20 but is still considered one of Aretha's classic Atlantic LPs.

In 1993, Rhino Records returned the album to print on compact disc. "Try Matty's" is used as the jingle for radio host Matt Siegel's Boston Kiss 108 show.