The Aretha Franklin Thread

[Khan]

Well, I'd have to agree with her.  Autotune IS ridiculous.  And it will never cover up the fact that yo' ass Can't. Sang.

[dragonflies]

Yep to me it shows you don't have as much talent as you claim too. No one needs auto tune if they have true talent

[Faulkner]

On Taylor Swift: “Great gowns, beautiful gowns.” 😂

 

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[Faulkner]

 

 

[Faulkner]

 

An hour-long episode devoted to Aretha’s entire career...link here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/popcast/id120315823?mt=2&i=1000418027383

 

Edited August 18, 2018 by Faulkner

[DramatistDreamer]

An appreciation of Aretha Franklin from Blues Brothers' director John Landis.

 

'Blues Brothers' Director John Landis Remembers Aretha Franklin: "She Was a Real Soldier"

[Faulkner]

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Gladys and Smokey on Don Lemon’s show remembering Aretha.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Faulkner

[BetterForgotten]

Gladys was one of many black women Aretha has unnecessarily shaded in the past, so glad to see her being classy and remembering good times. 

 

This article recounts Aretha's issues with other female artists:

 

http://gawker.com/aretha-franklin-is-the-queen-of-soul-and-shade-1658013219 

Edited August 19, 2018 by BetterForgotten

[Faulkner]

This is a very cool interview with Aretha’s producer in the ‘80s, the famous Narada Michael Walden. The story of Aretha staring him down “like Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier” is a hoot.

 

 

 

Plus a status update on the biopic with JHud:

 

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

[Vee]

It's mentioned in the Variety article above (and it was Aretha holding it up, possibly just for more money) but I pray that this concert documentary can finally be released:

 

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[DRW50]

I saw a bit of Ariana Grande's much-hyped tribute on the Tonight Show and it sounded like more of the overwrought, empty oversinging she always does. No soul.

 

I have HEARD how terrible Madonna's tribute was, but I won't be watching it.

[BetterForgotten]

Madonna wasn't even there to give a tribute, she was there to present Video of the Year, she and MTV just tacked on a long ass speech that referenced Aretha and an in memoriam graphic/tag. It was oddly produced and slapped together and I wonder why they even tried - they shouldn't have bothered.

 

MTV is also not the proper venue to pay tribute to Aretha, not like she was ever much of a video artist nor does MTV even care about music to begin with. 

Edited August 21, 2018 by BetterForgotten

[Vee]

Madonna just gets worse since Y2K.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

MTV does this by design.  Madonna did the exact same thing with her "tribute" to Prince.  This was no accident.

 

There is a generation of Black people who grew up in the 1980s who remember seeing Aretha singing in music videos.  

Songs like

"Freeway of Love" (which got a LOT of play on BET, Video Music Box, Friday Night Videos)

"Who's Zooming Who?"

"Jump To It" (which, I admit was far more popular on the radio than video)

"Jumping Jack Flash" where Whoopi Goldberg made a very memorable cameo 

"The Sisters Are Doing It (For Themselves)" with Annie Lennox

"(I) Knew You Were Waiting For Me" with George Michael.

 

Just because MTV didn't acknowledge or play most of these videos doesn't mean they didn't exist. Nor does it diminish their importance.

MTV was the same network that tried to keep Michael Jackson's videos and only started playing his videos under duress.  Soon after they practically tied their network to Jackson once they saw how many were flocking his music.

 

I do agree that MTV is not the proper venue to pay tribute to Aretha.  Madonna is not the right artist to do so either.