Aretha Franklin recorded Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) in 1973, a period when she was riding high on a string of hits that had defined the early 1970s. This album is less a statement of intent than a collection of leftovers, covers, and collaborations that never quite cohere into a single vision. The record runs ten tracks and 51 minutes, and it wants to be both a pop record and a soul record at once, a commercial vehicle dressed up as art. Mostly, it fails to settle on either.
Opening With “Hey Now Hey”
The title track, “Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky),” sets the tone immediately. It is a bright, gospel-tinged opener that leans into the kind of radio-friendly pop sound Franklin was chasing at the time. The arrangement is full of strings and horns, and Franklin delivers the vocal with warmth, but the song itself never earns its place. It is pleasant, forgettable, and exactly the kind of track that makes you wonder why it opens an album with so much potential behind it.
“Somewhere” follows, and it is the first sign of the album’s range. This is a cover of a classic Broadway standard, and it is a standout. Franklin strips the song down to its emotional core, letting her voice carry the weight of longing without resorting to overstatement. The piano line is sparse, the production is clean, and the result is one of the best things she recorded that year.
“So Swell When You’re Well” is the first misstep. It is a light, pop-oriented track with a melody that does not stick, and Franklin’s delivery feels forced. The song is not bad, exactly, but it lacks the conviction that defines her best work. It is the kind of filler that pads the album’s running time without adding anything to it.
“Angel” is the other standout of the first half. It is a Carolyn Franklin composition, and Franklin’s sister sings backing vocals. The song is warm, intimate, and genuine, and Franklin’s performance is one of her most restrained and effective on the whole record. It is a quiet highlight, a moment of real connection in an album that mostly drifts.
The First Half in Review
The album’s opening four tracks show its full range within just four songs. “Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)” and “So Swell When You’re Well” are the commercial, radio-friendly side of the record, while “Somewhere” and “Angel” reach for something more intimate and true to Franklin’s voice. The contrast between those two approaches is the record’s central tension.
The Middle Stretch
“Sister From Texas” is a cover of a song about a Texas singer, and it is a competent but unremarkable performance. The track is pleasant enough, but it does nothing to advance the album’s narrative. It is the kind of song that fills space without leaving much of an impression.
“Mister Spain” is a longer track, clocking in at over six minutes, and it is one of the more ambitious cuts on the record. The song builds slowly, with Franklin layering her vocals over a Latin-tinged rhythm. It is not a failure, but it is also not a success. The build never quite reaches a payoff, and the song drags through its final minutes.
“That’s the Way I Feel About Cha” is another long track, and it is one of the weakest moments on the album. The song is a ballad about love, and Franklin sings it with sincerity, but the melody is forgettable and the arrangement is overly ornate. The song runs seven minutes, and by the halfway point it starts to feel like padding.
Moody’s Mood and the Closer
“Moody’s Mood” is a cover of the classic jazz standard, and it is a strong performance. Franklin takes the song at a brisk pace, and her voice carries the energy of the original. It is a brief track, but it lands with force.
“Just Right Tonight” is the longest track on the album, stretching past seven minutes. It is a slow, romantic ballad, and Franklin delivers the vocal with warmth and control. The song is not a failure, but it is also not a highlight. It is a solid, middle-of-the-road performance that does not elevate the record.
“Master of Eyes (The Deepness of Your Eyes)” closes the album, and it is a return to the pop sound that opens it. The song is pleasant, but it is also the kind of track that leaves you wondering what the album was trying to be. It ends the record on a note that feels unresolved, rather than definitive.
The Verdict
The album’s critical reputation is deserved. The record is uneven, and its best moments are isolated rather than woven into a cohesive whole. The standout tracks — “Somewhere,” “Moody’s Mood,” and “Angel” — are genuinely excellent, but they are surrounded by filler that dilutes their impact. The production is inconsistent, ranging from the lush strings of the title track to the sparse intimacy of “Angel,” and the sequencing does little to help the flow.
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) | 4:44 |
| Somewhere | 6:20 |
| So Swell When You’re Well | 4:17 |
| Angel | 4:30 |
| Sister From Texas | 3:13 |
| Mister Spain | 6:47 |
| That’s the Way I Feel About Cha | 7:08 |
| Moody’s Mood | 3:00 |
| Just Right Tonight | 7:46 |
| Master of Eyes (The Deepness of Your Eyes) | 3:24 |
Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) is a flawed record, but it is a flawed record with flashes of brilliance. The standout tracks are worth seeking out, and the album’s unevenness is part of its character. It is not a lost classic, but it is not a failure either. It is a transitional record, a document of an artist in flux, and it deserves to be heard for what it is rather than judged harshly for what it is not.
- Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)4:44
- Somewhere6:20
- So Swell When You’re Well4:17
- Angel4:30
- Sister From Texas3:13
- Mister Spain6:47
- That’s the Way I Feel About Cha7:08
- Moody’s Mood3:00
- Just Right Tonight7:46
- Master of Eyes (The Deepness of Your Eyes)3:24
