I started out an Aretha fan by listening to almost her entire catalog of Atlantic recordings. Yet since discovering her pre-Atlantic output on Columbia (1960-66), I've grown increasingly fond of these spectacularly recorded and performed songs, and I do NOT exaggerate when I say the word "SPECTACULAR".

A different Aretha emerges in this recording and many others made on Columbia. She is more jazzy and in a "torch chanteuse" mode. Her singing is restrained compared to her Atlantic stuff, but that soul and passion comes thru in all the right places here. I feel her body of work on the Columbia label deserves more attention and recognition, and it's good to see her fans (old and new) taking notice of hidden gems such as this recording.

Standouts and MUST HEAR's on this CD include "If Ever I Would Leave You" and the classic "Try A Little Tenderness" leave you breathless, especially the latter song which has been covered by just about every R&B recording artist, but I guarantee you Aretha's cover here will leave the rest in the dust. Other gems are the title song "Sweet Bitter Love", which captures that R&B "soul sound" of Atlantic, and her incredible cover of Lady Day's (Billie Holiday) immortal tune "God Bless the Child". This is the one CD of Aretha's I go back to time and again. It is magnificent piece of work that stands the test of time.

This is a nice throw back cd of yesterday. It's Aretha at her earliest. It has five great songs, that are tailored to the supper crowd, which was the thing to do back then when this record was recorded.

It was trying to reach an adult audience and is loaded with standards to boot.

This is Aretha in her between stage, where she was holding back the hot buttered soul. Yet, her passion does break out on this album, IF EVER I SHOULD LOSE YOU, is one track that you will notice her signature.

Overall, this recording is a great departure from what we now know of as Aretha Franklin. It is good on its own merits for showing the versatility of an artist. If you are a big fan of Franklin's you would want this cd. If you are a romantic, you would want this cd. Simply put, it is just another style that Aretha's covering, and she does it quite well.

I bought the recording and I love it. It just simply gives me another reason to dig Aretha Franklin.

I first heard the Sweet Bitter Love by Aretha Franklin CD in Berlin, Germany and was captivated by it. I had not heard it in the U.S., read the case cover information and learned that Aretha was 18 years old when she cut the original album. It is a MUST buy CD for anyone who loves Aretha or "just great singing" by one of the greatest American artists of the past 50 years. It stands on its own as an excellent voice rendition. Sweet Bitter Love is Aretha Franklin singing an excellent selection of classic songs with beauty, wonder and just FULL OF LIFE.

I am 89 years old and in the early days I always connected her with gospel music and didn't really listen to her. Now I realize how good she really is. I have enjoyed sweet bitter love very much and heartily recommend it