American soul singer Aretha Franklin, a star on the Atlantic record label. (Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images)
Everyone knows Aretha Franklin for her voice—powerful, gospel-drenched, iconic. But Mason reminds us that behind those vocals were real emotions. Real love. Real heartbreak. And in at least one case, a real man with a name: Dennis.
“They asked her if ‘Natural Woman’ was based on her relationship. She said no. But ‘Day Dreaming’? That was about Dennis.”
Dennis Edwards, lead singer of The Temptations, wasn’t just a peer in the Motown world—he was the one Aretha couldn’t shake. Their relationship wasn’t plastered across tabloids or talked about in interviews, but for those close to the Queen of Soul, it was no secret.
“Dennis would call her and say, ‘What are you doing?’ She’d say, ‘Nothing.’ And he’d say… ‘I’m ready.’”
Mason says those phone calls weren’t just flirtation—they were emotional triggers. Sparks. The kind that make artists pick up a pen.
“Day Dreaming,” with its dreamy flute, soft groove, and floating vocals, became one of Aretha’s most sensual and vulnerable tracks. It’s not just a love song—it’s a longing song. The lyrics are playful, but the undertone is aching. And if you listen closely, you can hear how personal it really was.
“She was daydreaming about Dennis, but she was also dreaming about what could’ve been,” Mason explains. “That’s why it hits different.”
Unlike “Respect” or “Chain of Fools,” which exude power and defiance, “Day Dreaming” pulls you into Aretha’s softer, more introspective side. It’s her letting her guard down—but only in song.
“She never put it out there in public. But music don’t lie. She told the truth in melodies.”
It’s a reminder that even legends have their private passions. And that some of the greatest songs we sing along to were written in the middle of real, complicated, beautiful love.
