Members DRW50 Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 There's such an edge yet can also soar. It's such a great mix. Or was at her peak. It's hard to find anything like it, especially today when it's all about mediocre melisma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 If I remember correctly, Gladys said that when they were both teenagers and Aretha came down to Atlanta, she went over to Aretha and put her hand out to shake Aretha's, but Aretha just sort of rolled her eyes and walked away. And again, years later, when they were both famous, Gladys said she and Bubba both went up to Aretha again, and were once again ignored. This, plus a lot of what I've seen and heard about Aretha have really given me a negative impression of her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 (Until You Come Back to Me that is.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 The third of my favorite Aretha songs: I should try to find that Amazing Grace album again. It's odd I haven't listened to it in years yet I always have that one part in my head, "We're on our way...we <clap clap> are <clap clap> on <clap clap> our <clap clap> way..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I'm sorry, but I don't think Aretha can sing Bacharach/David. I know a lot of her fans go on about how versatile her voice is, but I've never really thought so. She really doesn't have that dignified and polished voice that made Dionne such a hit with those Bacharach/David songs. Aretha's delivery doesn't really suit that kind of music IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I don't think her voice is that versatile, but I do think it suits Say a Little Prayer. She sings very differently from Dionne, much more demanding, while Dionne is more plaintive. It works well both times. I tend to like Aretha's covers of that era because she doesn't sing them anything like the original. I can't stand the lazy covers you often have today. I can't really imagine her belting out Do You Know the Way to San Jose? though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Ugh, I need to start editing posts instead of hoping I'll type fast enough that they'll be absorbed into my last post. You guys are smart, but sorry if my postings are confusing. Y&RWorldTurner, yup, that's the story, Gladys told it in her book. Even in the comments section of this video, people say Aretha's being shady and the hug at the end is forced: I remember on Pop Up video them pointing out that she stole Carole King's solo from her on Divas Live. Carole was supposed to start off Natural Woman (her song!) and Aretha took the first line instead, and turned to Carole and "apologized". Poor Carole tried her best at the chorus but was drowned out (or was her mic cut out?) by the others trying to out-squall one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 The Amazing Grace album is, well, Amazing. Aretha's mentor and producer of that album, the late Rev. James Cleveland said in a PBS program about her that Amazing Grace did so well because the gospel music listening community was so hungry to hear from such a popular secular artist. I don't know if this dvd is b.s. but it's been on YouTube for a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6N7EYgfvo8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MontyB Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 It has to be taste because Aretha is the Queen. I love Dionne, but Aretha leaves Dionne in the dust. Aretha can easily cover a Bacherach/David. Dionne's songs were tailor made for white audiences. Aretha sings country fried soul. How do you compare??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 It's funny that this song is mentioned in here, while Gladys was also brought up. A few years ago when Stevie Wonder was presenting an award to Gladys, he said he wrote this song with Gladys in mind and she never got to record it because of scheduling conflicts. She's never sang it either, but I could totally see her singing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Yes taste, because I'd take someone like Mahalia Jackson (who was Aretha's idol I believe) over her any day. In vocal ability, I would agree. But I also think Aretha has a tendency to over-sing, and while Dionne isn't as powerful a vocalist, she's never tried to overcompensate for it by over-singing. I disagree, I think her raspy delivery is too out of touch with that kind of sleek production. Dionne's voice on the other hand was tailor-made for those kinds of songs. I don't think they're comparable in the general sense, but I will always associate Dionne with Bacharach/David. She was their protege, and this most of their songs were written with her in mind. I don't think Aretha does pop songs very well. For example, I think she's totally miscast singing The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/f5d0u_ye8Uk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MontyB Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 .......because she's the QUEEN OF SOUL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 That's interesting, I didn't know that a. Stevie "I done sung at errybody's funeral" Wonder wrote that, and b. Gladys was his first choice to record it. Kind of like Whitney Houston's mother Cissy recording this a year before Gladys: Can't you hear where Whitney got it from? Cissy's also the one hitting those soaring operatic notes in Aretha's "Ain't No Way". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Aretha's catalog is quite expansive though, she's more than just a soul artist. She sings pop, gospel, contemporary R&B, jazz, etc. Singers who stretch themselves out like that are bound to be more successful at certain types of songs, and not as good at others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MontyB Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I know she's much more than a soul artist, but what do I say to someone who says that Aretha tends over sing(I'm still reeling from that one. Patti Labelle oversings). Aretha has cover a many song and have made them better than the original. Say what you will about Aretha, but no one has come close to taking her title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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