"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" is a 1967 soul single released by American recording artist Aretha Franklin. It became a defining song for Franklin in that it became the first big hit of her career. The song peaked at number one on the Rhythm and Blues charts and number nine on the pop charts. The B-side was "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man". Up until then, Franklin placed two Top 40 singles on the pop chart during her modest tenure on Columbia Records.

Aretha Franklin had made nine albums while under contract to Columbia Records but had remained commercially unsuccessful. When Columbia Records let Franklin's contract lapse in 1966, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler quickly signed her, taking her in January 1967 to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, along with recording engineer Tom Dowd and Franklin's then-husband Ted White. Wexler had arranged for Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill from Stax to join the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section at Rick Hall's FAME Studios. Musicians on the record included Melvin Lastie on trumpet, King Curtis and Charlie Chalmers on tenor sax, Willie Bridges on baritone sax, Spooner Oldham on electric piano, Chips Moman and Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Tommy Cogbill on bass, and Roger Hawkins on drums.

The first song they worked on was one that Franklin had brought with her, written by Ronnie Shannon.

After signing Franklin, Wexler requested her to record a blues song. Franklin later says of her Atlantic tenure that "they just told me to sit on the piano and sing". From the very first chord that Aretha played on the piano, it was clear to everyone that it was a magic moment. It was at that point that Spooner Oldham, who had been hired to play piano, stepped aside to play the electric piano. Within minutes of Franklin's recording, Wexler knew he had a hit.

...
Wikipedia