Friday Night Throwback: Aretha Franklin - "A Rose Is Still a Rose"

Having recently celebrated her 74th birthday and with a long-planned biopic finally near ready, this week's Friday Night Throwback is dedicated to multiple Grammy winner and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. In 1998, Franklin collaborated with Lauryn Hill (who produced and wrote the record) for "A Rose Is Still A Rose," a heartfelt ode that saw Franklin dispensing advice to an unsuspecting young woman who's had her first round of unrequited love, having made out with a scheming dude who, as Franklin sings, spouts a "sticky game." Off the album of the same name, "A Rose Is Still a Rose" became a instant hit for Franklin, 40-plus years into her legendary career, reaching number twenty-six on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Hot 100 and number-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart while also reaching the UK top forty. The song also helped its parent album reach gold status and remains one of Franklin's most played songs from her later years.