So Damn Happy (Aretha Franklin album)

So Damn Happy
File:So-damn-happy.jpg
Studio album by Aretha Franklin
Released	September, 2003
Recorded	2002-03
Genre	R&B, Soul, hip hop
Label	Arista
Producer	Antonio "LA" Reid
Aretha Franklin chronology
A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)A Rose Is Still a Rose1998 So Damn Happy (2003) Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen (2007)Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen2007

So Damn Happy is a 2003 studio album by Aretha Franklin for Arista Records. Her first studio album since her Gold-certified A Rose Is Still a Rose in 1998, it included the Grammy-winning track, "Wonderful".

The album peaked at #33 on Billboard's album chart and #11 on the R&B Albums chart. As of 2012, the album had sold 304,000 copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Shortly after its release, Franklin left Arista after a stay of 23 years. She later announced plans to start her own Detroit-based record label, Aretha Records.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Rolling Stone	link
MSN Music	link

Track listing

1. "The Only Thing Missin'" (Gordon Chambers, Troy Taylor, Rick Williams, Mylia "Sunny" Davis) - 3:07
2. "Wonderful" (Aleese Simmons, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence) - 4:04
3. "Holdin' On" (ft. Mary J. Blige) (Earl Klugh, Mary J. Blige, Bruce Miller, Taylor) - 4:37
4. "No Matter What" (ft. Mary J. Blige) (Blige, Miller, Taylor) - 4:33
5. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" (James "Big Jim" Wright, Terry Lewis, James Harris) - 4:35
6. "So Damn Happy" (Aretha Franklin) - 4:29
7. "You Are My Joy" (Franklin) - 2:34
8. "Falling Out of Love" (Burt Bacharach, Jerry Leiber, Jed Leiber) - 4:31
9. "Ain't No Way" (Chambers, Barry J. Eastmond) - 4:37
10. "Good News" (Norman West) - 4:55
11. "You Are My Joy (Reprise)" (Franklin) - 2:33

Full Personnel

• Adi Yeshaya - strings, arranger, conductor, horn, keyboards, horn arrangements
• Alexander Vselensky - violin
• Alfred Brown - viola
• Allen Sides - engineer, mixing
• Andy Stein - violin
• Anthony Kadleck - trumpet
• Anthony Posk - violin
• Aretha Franklin - piano, vocals, backing vocals, producer, engineer, mixing
• B.J. - handclapping
• Barbara Wesotski - A&R
• Barry Eastmond - arranger, keyboards, producer, engineer
• Belinda Whitney - violin
• Birch Johnson - trombone
• Bobby Ross Avila - guitar, keyboards
• Brenda Corbett - backing vocals
• Burt Bacharach - rhythm, producer, string arrangements
• Byung Kook Kwak - violin
• Carl Robinson - engineer, assistant
• Cenovia Cummins - violin
• Charles "Prince Cha... - mixing
• Cindy Mizelle - backing vocals
• Dan Oniszczak - assistant engineer
• Darryl Houston - organ
• David Chase - digital editing
• David Foster - synthesizer strings
• Delant "Butta" Murphy - handclapping
• EMI Ferguson - digital editing
• Eugene J. Moye - cello
• George Flynn - trombone
• Gerald Tarack - violin
• Gloria Agostini - harp
• Gordon Chambers - backing vocals, producer, vocal arrangement
• Greg Phillinganes - digital editing
• Israel Chorberg - violin
• Iz - drum programming
• James "Big Jim" Wright - keyboards, producer
• Jean-Marie Horvat - mixing
• Jeff Burns - assistant
• Jesse Levy - cello, orchestra contractor
• Jimmy Jam - producer
• JoAnn Tominaga - production coordination
• Joe-Mama Nitzberg - creative director
• Joey Arbagey - A&R
• Joyce Hammann - violin
• Karen Karlsrud - violin
• Keith O'Quinn - trombone
• Keith Slattery - assistant
• Kenneth Burward-Hoy - viola
• Kenya Lucas - handclapping
• Kermit Moore - cello

• Kwaku Alston - photography
• L.A. Reid - executive producer
• Leo Grinhauz - cello
• Lew Soloff - trumpet
• Louis Alfred III - engineer
• Margeret Th. Hjalte... - viola
• Mary J. Blige - backing vocals, vocal arrangement, melodie, handclapping
• Michael Baker - strings, horn
• Michael Hart Thompson - guitar
• Michael J. Powell - engineer, mixing
• Mildred Scott - backing vocals
• Myiia "Sunny" Davis - backing vocals
• Nate Neblett - drums
• Neil Stubenhaus - bass guitar
• Norman West - synthesizer, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, producer, engineer, mixing
• Olivia Koppell - violin, viola
• Pablo Arraya - assistant
• Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
• Perry Hughes - guitar
• Ralphe Armstrong - bass guitar
• Randy Brecker - trumpet
• Regine Lambert - handclapping
• Regis Iandiorio - violin
• Richard Thomas Jenn... - art direction, design
• Rick Williams - guitar
• Ricky Lawson - drums
• Rob Shrock - synthesizer arrangements
• Robert Chausow - violin
• Roger Wendt - French horn
• Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence - keyboards, multi instruments, producer, engineer, drum programming
• Rowie Nomeri - engineer
• Sandra Dance - backing vocals
• Sara Divine - backing vocals
• Sharon Moe - French horn
• Sheila Reinhold - violin
• Shelly Ponder - backing vocals
• Steve Pageot - engineer
• Susan Heerema - violin
• Terry Lewis - producer
• Tom Coyne - mastering
• Tom Sweeney - assistant
• Tommy Morgan - harmonica, soloist
• Tommy Wilber - assistant
• Troy Taylor - bass guitar, drums, keyboards, programming, backing vocals, multi instruments, producer, vocal editing
• Vernon D. Fails - Fender Rhodes
• William Bush - arranger, keyboards, drum programming
• Winterton Garvey - violin