I've been listening to a lot of her material over the course of the week. Here are some of my favorite albums by her:

1. Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan Vol. 1 (Some of the new tracks some good)
2. The Very Best Of Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan
3. Ask Rufus (One of their best albums)

Well, to me, Chaka's best thing was when she was in Rufus. Their best album to me was "Ask Rufus" from 77. "Hollywood" and "Everlasting Love" are pure gems.

My favorites:

The rufus stuff still sounds fresh, The first record I bought was I Feel For You; that record sounds sooooo dated.

paligap said:

plus I'd like to add Come 2 My House... (despite the awful hand of Kirky J, there was some of Chaka's strongest material in years)
[Edited 3/22/05 15:31pm]

psykosoul said:

True! That was a welcome return to form!

My ULTIMATE(and her PERSONAL fave too):



Chaka in rare shape & form musically & vocally.

Everything from musicianship, to lyrical-concept, to singing is just out of the universe.

This is THEE MOST soulful effort she ever delievered IMVHO!

A lil' variety: Ron Wood of the RollingStones play guitar their and her husband Richard Holland was the one who wrote "Better Days" in which his father play the percussion in most of the album. 1977 was the ROUGHEST year Chaka ever been through in the 1970's and the painful vibe is truely showing through-out the album.

BTW is it me or is "Egyptian Song" a hinted tribute to the influence Joni Mitchell had on her? She said many times over the years that Joni & Lady Day are her fave artists.

My favorite of hers as well Also my favorite female singer of all time.













Sun...
How can i thank you
You've warmed my heart and soul
You've made my body brown and smooth
Washed away the cold
Moon...
You've made a dreamer out of me
I can see, and i think i can feel it when you
Change your face
Please forgive me if i turn away
I'm just a sleeper
I know that you watch my dreams
You're my heavenly keeper

The 1979 Album "CHAKA"
Sleep on it
Life Is A Dance
Some Love
The Message In The Middle Of The Bottom
...Produced by Arif Mardin...
.....with A.W.B.'s....
Hamish Stuart
Onnie McIntyre
Alan Gorrie
Steve Ferrone

vainandy said:

The only 2 cuts I listen from that album is "Caught In The Act" & "Stronger Than Before" thats it.

I think this & "Disteny" were her WEAKEST efforts ever(and mind you, most dated). She was compromising her art for the sake of pleasing WB.

"CK" was much betta IMHO, she truely won me over with her rendition of Billie Holiday's "The End Of A Love Affair" with George Benson playing and scatting not to mention Miles Davis's presence.

Y'all have already said everything I would have said My personal fave Chaka song is Love Has Fallen on Me. I just cannot get enough of that song - the vocals, instrumentation, production and background vocals are all superb! Some don't like the I Feel for You album, but I still dig it. Whenever I feel like hearing a crazy, dated, break dance album, that's the one I put on. lol Yeah, it ain't great, but it's got Through the Fire and Stronger Than Before, both excellent numbers!

Dancelot said:

Momma always crys whenever she hears "In Love We Grow"

2day is her 52nd B-Day ya'll

Be blessed, lovething



Show some FUNKIN' love everybody,,,

Playing "Love Me Still" in honor for you, chile!

I love me some that ol' hag whether she knows it or not

Happy Birthday, Chaka/Yvette Marie!!


My Favorite Tunes:

Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)
Pack'd My Bags
Everlasting Love
Sweet Thing
Destiny
Your Smile
Egyptian Song
Stranger To Love
Any Old Sunday
Papillon (Hot Butterfly)
Stay
Twisted
Love Me Still (w/ Bruce Hornsby)
Move Me No Mountain
Night Moods
Earth Song
Little Boy Blue
Hollywood
Blue Love
The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)
I Know You, I Line You
Woman In a Man's World
Sleep On It
We Got Each Other
Father He Said
Heaven Bound
Tell Me Something Good
You Got The Love
I'm A Woman (I'm A Backbone)
Keep Givin Me Lovin'
Roll Me Through The Rushes
I Remember
Ain't Nobody
Slow Dancin'(w/ Rick James)
Dancin' For Your Love
Stop On By (Your Welcome)
Quandry
Pain (w/ Meshell Ndegeocello, Prince)
Love Has Fallen On Me
I'll Be Around


...
[Edited 3/23/05 10:12am]

I laugh because I didn't discover her music until I was 24. I had always loved her as a kid but I was never exposed to her albums, just songs I heard on the radio. As I got older I would always look for Chaka Khan albums but never found them.....until one day I was browsing through the store and saw that she performed with "Rufus"! I had been looking in the wrong place the whole time. Who would have thought you'd need to look under "R" for Chaka Khan

This was just such an amazing experience for me. I was coming out of an abusive relationship and in the midst of feeling so desperately lost, I was consoled through her music. Music at that point in my life is what saved me and she was such a major part of that. I discovered all the Rufus albums and I literally would sit there and just cry that I had something that meant so much. She is my favorite female singer of all time and I'm glad God graced us with her talent. Happy birthday girl

Harlepolis said:

Should have known she was an Aries, like me!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Me and you are on the same page, daddy-o

Chaka's records were my SWEETEST and most uplifting distraction from the ugly rough madness outside our projects home in Harlem.

And when I met her personaly thats when I became a real fuckin' chakaholic stan

Another thing, Chaka was the ONE who introduced me to Lady Day's world & the whole jazz thing,,,I've always been surrounded by jazz music but I didn't really listen to it untill my momma bought the "Echos Of An Era" album for me as a B-Day present(long b4 it got remastered).

blackguitaristz said:

And a fiery one at that

"I Feel For You" is my favorite album for her remake of "My Love Is Alive" alone. The 12 Inch of the title cut is much better than the album version. This album seems to have more fast cuts and kind of has a "breakdance" feel to it. That's why it's my favorite.

vainandy said:

It better be, because the album version is A double S!

Harlepolis said:

Harle,I totally agree.These days,I rarely listen to the 'I Feel For You' album.It sounds horribly dated and too "youth-oriented",as if they were trying too hard to make her appeal to young people.But I do love the song "Through The Fire",even if it is a little too "poppy" for a strong soul vocalist like Chaka.

The 1986 follow-up 'Destiny' suffers from the same problem.The producers piled on too many synths,making the music sound cold and artificial.Chaka works best when she is in a funkier,more soulful setting.Prince understands this.On 'Come 2 My House',he helped her get back to basics,and it was long overdue.
[Edited 3/24/05 3:48am]