What You See Is What You Sweat

What You See Is What You Sweat
Studio album by
Aretha Franklin
ReleasedJuly 2, 1991
Studio
Various
Genres
Length44:23
LabelArista
Producers
Aretha Franklin chronology
Through the Storm
(1989)		 What You See Is What You Sweat
(1991)		 Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings
(1992)
Singles from What You See Is What You Sweat
  1. "Everyday People"
    Released: June 1991
  2. "Someone Else's Eyes"
    Released: September 1991
  3. "What You See Is What You Sweat"
    Released: 1991
  4. "Ever Changing Times"
    Released: January 1992

What You See Is What You Sweat is the thirty-third studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on July 2, 1991, by Arista Records.

The album received mixed reviews, with some praising Franklin's vocal performance while others criticized the album's production and song quality. It peaked at number 153 on US Billboard 200, dropping off after seven weeks. This was Franklin's first new release in the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[1]
Calgary HeraldC−[4]
Robert Christgau(dud)[5]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[6]
NME4/10[7]
Rolling StoneStarStarStar[8]

Rolling Stone editor Stephen Holden found that "although the material runs a gamut of styles, Franklin infuses her personality so indelibly into every song that somehow it all holds together." Rating the album three out of five stars, he concluded: "Because Franklin brings more spirit than usual to the record, What You See Is What You Sweat stands as one of her better albums. If the songs are uneven, they don't prevent the Queen of Soul from exuberantly expressing the breadth of her musical personality, from regal pop-gospel diva to funky everyday person."[8] AllMusic also gave the album three out of five stars.[1] People Magazine gave a mixed review.[9]

New York Times critic Jon Pareles found that What You See Is What You Sweat was as "awkward as its title. Like Ms. Franklin's recent albums, it tacks a 1960's oldie [...] onto a group of new pop songs [though] they seem [like] the rejects from other projects." Parles further remarked: "The frustrating thing is that Franklin can still sing like no one else; her voice swoops, curves, coos, growls, caresses. Amid the trendy and pretentious trappings, it's a beacon of emotion. Trying to keep up with the latest pop only holds her back."[10] NME David Quantick felt that "only Vandross seems to have noticed the 1990s, and several tracks are burdened with lame mid-'80s "funky" production clutter and clatter. This record is mostly a dull mess."[7]

Commercial performance

The album opened at number 167 on the US Billboard 200 and peaked at number 153 the following week.[11] It marked Franklin's lowest-charting album on the Arista label.[11] At the time of its deletion, this album had sold 179,000 units, domestically.[12]

Track listing

What You See Is What You Sweat track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Everyday People"Sly StoneNarada Michael Walden3:50
2."Ever Changing Times" (duet with Michael McDonald)
  • Bacharach
  • Bayer Sager
4:54
3."What You See Is What You Sweat"
4:24
4."Mary Goes Round"
  • Wolff
  • Leiber
3:06
5."I Dreamed a Dream"
Conley4:17
6."Someone Else's Eyes"
  • Roberts
  • Bacharach
  • Bayer Sager
4:57
7."Doctor's Orders" (duet with Luther Vandross)
  • Vandross
  • Hubert Eaves III
Vandross4:35
8."You Can't Take Me for Granted"Aretha FranklinFranklin5:12
9."What Did You Give"FranklinMichel Legrand5:01
10."Everyday People" (Shep Pettibone Remix)Stone
  • Walden
  • Pettibone
4:07
Total length:44:23

Personnel

Musicians

Background and guest vocalists

  • Jarvis Barker – backing vocals (1)
  • Nikita Germaine – backing vocals (1)
  • Skyler Jett – backing vocals (1)
  • Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals (1)
  • Tony Lindsay – backing vocals (1)
  • Michael McDonald – vocals (2)
  • Aretha Franklin – backing vocals (3)
  • Gwen Guthrie – backing vocals (3)
  • Margaret Branch – backing vocals (6, 8)
  • Brenda Corbett – backing vocals (6)
  • Lynn Davis – backing vocals (6)
  • Sandra Feva – backing vocals (6)
  • Portia Griffin – backing vocals (6)
  • Jesse Richardson – backing vocals (6)
  • Luther Vandross – vocals (7)
  • Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (7)
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (7)
  • Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (7)
  • Donna Davis – backing vocals (8)
  • Sherry Fox – backing vocals (8)
  • Diane Green – backing vocals (8)
  • Marj Haber – backing vocals (8)
  • Esther Ridgeway – backing vocals (8)
  • Gloria Ridgeway – backing vocals (8)
  • Gracie Ridgeway – backing vocals (8)

Production

  • Clive Davis – executive producer
  • Derrick Culler – co-producer (3)
  • Gene Lennon – co-producer (3)
  • Joshua Thompson – co-producer (3)
  • Michael Hutchinson – additional production (3)
  • Aretha Franklin – co-producer (5)
  • Bobby Wooten – co-producer (5)
  • David "Pic" Conley – associate producer (6)
  • Janice Lee – production coordinator (1)
  • Kelly McRae – production coordinator (1)
  • Cynthia Shiloh – production coordinator (1)
  • Kevin Walden – production coordinator (1)
  • Marsha Burns – production coordinator (7)
  • Maurice Cevrero – music preparation (9)
  • Maude Gilman – art direction, design
  • Max Vadukul – photography
  • Reggie Wells – make-up
  • Eleanor Stokes – hair
  • Alexander White – stylist

Technical credits

  • David Frazer – recording (1), mixing (1)
  • Humberto Gatica – mixing (2)
  • Kevin Becka – engineer (2, 6)
  • Mick Guzauski – engineer (2, 6), mixing (6)
  • Erik Hanson – engineer (2)
  • Don Mack – engineer (2)
  • Jess Sutcliffe – engineer (2, 6)
  • Joey Wolpert – engineer (2)
  • Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff – engineer (2, 6)
  • Michael Hutchinson – mixing (3, 5)
  • David "Pic" Conley – basic track recording (3)
  • Bob Brockmann – string recording (3)
  • Mike Iacopelli – vocal recording (3–5), recording (8), mixing (8, 9)
  • Alan Meyerson – mixing (4)
  • Elliott Wolff – engineer (4)
  • Frans Hendrix – saxophone recording (4)
  • Ray Bardani – engineer (7), mixing (7)
  • Paul Brown – engineer (7)
  • Roland Guillotel – sound engineer (9)
  • Shep Pettibone – mixing (10), post-production (10)
  • Curt Frasca – mix engineer (10)
  • Steve Capp – additional recording (1), assistant engineer (8)
  • Marc Reyburn – additional recording (1), assistant engineer (1)
  • Greg McConnell – assistant engineer (4)
  • Tony Shimkin – editing (10)

Charts

Weekly chart performance for What You See Is What You Sweat
Chart (1991) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13]34
European Albums (Music & Media)[14] 73
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[15]14
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16]19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17]26
US Billboard 200[11]153
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[18]28

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AllMusic review
  2. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "Aretha Franklin – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Molanphy, Chris (November 15, 2024). "Say a Little Prayer Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ Obee, Dave (July 28, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
  5. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Aretha Franklin". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ Linden, Amy (July 26, 1991). "What You See Is What You Sweat". Entertainment Weekly.
  7. 1 2 Quantick, David (August 10, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 30. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Holden, Stephen (September 5, 1991). "What You See Is What You Sweat". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: What You See Is What You Sweat". People Magazine. August 5, 1991.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (July 28, 1991). "RECORDINGS VIEW; James Brown Is Up to His Old Tricks". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ Bell, Carrie (February 28, 1998). "Aretha Franklin Blossoms Anew". Billboard. p. 91. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Aretha Franklin – What You See Is What You Sweat" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  14. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 34. August 24, 1991. p. 24 – via World Radio History.
  15. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Aretha Franklin – What You See Is What You Sweat". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Aretha Franklin – What You See Is What You Sweat". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Aretha Franklin – What You See Is What You Sweat". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
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