The queen of soul’s imperious late-60s, early-70s output was unsurpassed, but through the eras of disco, hip-hop and house, she always offered something special
In one sense, United Together is symbolic of what went wrong with Franklin’s career in the early 80s – it’s a high-gloss MOR ballad, a world away from the
music that made her name. But you can’t get away from the fact that she sounds amazing, investing the lyric with undeniable power.