| Author | Message | ||
     Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3946 Registered: 03-2005 |
Being a suburban white guy I didn't get to the appeal of Aretha Franklin until I was relatively old, about 17 years old as I recall. A friend of mine played her version of "Spanish Harlem" and I was hooked. Prior to that I'd just heard things like "Respect" which--at the time--just sounded like standard issue R&B. Aretha Franklin was a great interpreter. For me personally I usually preferred her more balladic and melodic work over the salty soul stuff. (I look to the likes of Ann Peebles for the salty stuff.) Being a big British dolly bird fan from a young age I loved Lulu's "Oh Me Oh My." "Oh Me Oh My" is something Lulu came by honestly. It is written by a Scottish writer, Jim Doris. But then I heard Aretha's version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0_F9D7R lgE | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3947 Registered: 03-2005 |
One shibboleth about Aretha Franklin that has long annoyed me is that her earlier recordings with Columbia Records were inferior. No they did not have the Atlantic stable of musicians and producers. But these earlier recordings were suffused with the New York jazz feel that informed her phrasing--at least as much as the gospel--and which she would return to later in her career. There are plenty of classics among these earlier recordings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkwuqUyy YRE Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZdLI9bL aZA And it's not like she wasn't already doing uptempo soul on Columbia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAS0ZEKz POA | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 1220 Registered: 04-2005 |
You are quite right Randy. "Won't be Long" from 1964 is superb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1p92gQT QCg Her live-in-church album "Amazing Grace" (almost) converted me to Christianity. If you have never seen the Amsterdam concert from '68 it is essential viewing. This clip of "Doctor Feelgood" is astonishing, not only for her vocal and piano playing but for the fact that the audience is so close to her ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5WF0896 rxg | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3948 Registered: 03-2005 |
Wow, Andrew, thanks for that Amsterdam video. I wonder where she played? She's basically in the audience! |