Aretha Franklin, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 102^nd edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” by Aretha Franklin. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 102^nd edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”, performed by 🎙 Aretha Franklin. 

“Take another look and tell me, baby / (Who’s zoomin’ who?).” The sound of R&B/soul music dramatically changed in the 1980s, as it has in many decades. Those grand, symphonic orchestrations and productions that dominated the 1970s were being replaced with more keyboards and programming. 🎙 Aretha Franklin, of course, began her career in the late 1950s, with her 1967 album, 💿 I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Love You truly setting the tone – establishing her gospel-infused, deep soul sound.  Great musicians are able to adapt to the times and changing face of the music business, and Franklin found herself with some well-rounded pop hits in the 1980s. 🎵 “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”, from her 1985 album, 💿 Who’s Zoomin Who?, is one of those 1980s gems from The Queen of Soul.  “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” peaked at no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 – one of her 17 top-10 hits.

“Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” was written by Franklin, 🎛 Narada Michael Walden (who also produces), and Preston Glass. It’s idiomatic of the changing face of R&B in the 1980s with the drum programming, in its boxy, rhythm glory. The sound palette is also colorful thanks to the warm synths that help fuel the fire.  Of course, Aretha doesn’t need much fueling if any – she was a powerhouse who always seemed to be locked-in and on autopilot.  Her vocals sound remarkable, retaining their soulful sensibilities.  Of course, Franklin, who commandingly handles the lead, gets a marvelous assist from backing vocals, allowing her to riff and do her T-H-A-N-G. She offers up plenty of personality on the verses, fueled by its flirtation, led not by him, but rather, her. “Guess you believed the world / Played by your rules,” Franklin sings in the second verse, adding, “Here stands an experienced girl / I ain’t nobody’s fool, bump you.” Woo! She goes on to state in the pre-chorus, “You thought you had me covered now, boy /… But you’re bound to be my lover, oh.” Da-yum! We concentrate on the earlier part of Aretha’s career for good reason, but there are later gems like the infectious 🎵 “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” that deserve even more love.

🎙 Aretha Franklin • 💿 Who’s Zoomin’ Who? 🏷 Arista • 🗓 1985

Aretha Franklin, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 102 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Arista; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]