Home Music Love Letter To A Record: Ainsley Farrell On Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Never...

Love Letter To A Record: Ainsley Farrell On Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You’

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Many of us can link a certain album to pivotal moments in our lives. Whether it’s the first record you bought with your own money, the chord you first learnt to play on guitar, the song that soundtracked your first kiss, the album that got you those awkward and painful pubescent years or the one that set off light bulbs in your brain and inspired you to take a big leap of faith into the unknown – music is often the catalyst for change in our lives and can even help shape who we become.

In this series, Music Feeds asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share with us stories about the effect music has had on their lives.

Here are their love letters to records that forever changed their lives.

Ainsley Farrell – Aretha Franklin’s I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

Dear I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You,

I first heard your voice when I was just a blooming bud in my troubled teen years. I was thirteen and very naive to the world, but I had a feeling we’d be together forever. My dad was driving me to school when I heard you sing those seven magic letters: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I thought, “Wow, Aretha. Where have you been all my life?”

I got home from school that day and we danced and sung together for hours. You were the cherry to my sundae, the tater to my tots, the wind to my sails. You lifted me higher than I ever thought I could go before.

We ended up going to different high schools, you and I, so naturally we split apart. I filled the void with other albums – younger, more fickle. I never did forget you.

Who knew I would have needed you again later on in college when I had my heart broken. You were right there for me. You picked me back up, soothed my soul, and taught me self-respect. You empowered me to follow in your footsteps and not to let this male-dominated world get me down. We were perfect for each other.

We still get to dance and sing together every now and then. I still love you and I know we will grow old together and I will love you every bit as much as I did when I first heard you sing those seven magic letters.

Love,

Ainsley

Californian born, Sydney-based Ainsley Farrell’s new single & self-directed music video for ‘Walls’ is out now.

The post Love Letter To A Record: Ainsley Farrell On Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You’ appeared first on Music Feeds.