Birthdays counted - Aretha Franklyn

 Remembering the great Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018)

Gimme four fried chickens and a coke!

and I posted this song back in 2018 and it still stands as a favourite . . . it is quite the sexiest love song EVER!

previous post . . . .

Sound of the Day :: ARETHA FRANKLYN ‘ROCK STEADY’ (The Flip Wilson Show)

 thanks to the unerringly brilliant American Primitives blogster

Wow!

American TV at its best and I am afraid we didn’t get this 'over the pond' as they say but boy did we miss out!? I don’t know who Flip Wilson is either but the band here cooks like the Soul Train! Aretha is on FIRE and the girls are smokin’!

Put it on IT’S ROCK STEADY!

Enjoy your day!

BBC RADIO 2 'The Blues Show'

Rhiannon Giddens was the guest host on BBC Radio 2's 'The Blues Show.' She shared an hour of favorite blues songs by women artists like Geeshie Wiley, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nina Simone, Odetta, Aretha Franklin, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah, and others. Listen again at

BBC.CO.UK

BBC Radio 2 - The Blues Show with Cerys Matthews, Rhiannon Giddens sits in

The Grammy-winning musician shares an hour of her favourite blues.

Dedicated to my son . . . . . Matty!

and Aretha Franklin of course the Queen of Soul Music. . . 

Born on this day: March 25, 1942 - R&B vocal icon Aretha Franklin (born Aretha Louise Franklin in Memphis, TN). 

Happy Birthday to “The Queen Of Soul”, on what would have been her 77th Birthday. 

FOOLS!

A classic pop song of all time and lately a favourite of Aretha's of mine which I came to latterly somehow . . . . . I have a penchant for songs and indeed artwork (see below) that emphasis the human condition of pathos and foolishness is general, Ship of Fools (The Doors), Idiot Wind (Bob Dylan) etc etc My spirit creature would be by choice the Tarot card of The Fool and I was always a fan of the sixties designer Simon and Marijke 'The Fool'
I also got told off so frequently at school and elsewhere for 'playing the fool' so why not!

On this day in music history: January 20, 1968 - “Chain Of Fools” by Aretha Franklin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 4 weeks, also peaking at #2 for 2 weeks on the same date. Written by Don Covay, is the fourth R&B chart topper for the “Queen Of Soul”. “Chain Of Fools” is originally written for Otis Redding when producer Jerry Wexler asks Covay to write something for Redding. Upon hearing Covay’s demo, Wexler decided that it would be better suited for Aretha Franklin, rather than Otis. Franklin records her version on June 23, 1967 at Atlantic Studios in New York City with members of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, sax player King Curtis, and background vocals by Aretha’s sisters Erma and Carolyn Franklin, The Sweet Inspirations and songwriter Ellie Greenwich. The track also features guitarist Joe South who adds the songs’ memorable opening guitar riffs to the intro after the initial recording is completed. In its original form, “Chain Of Fools” runs nearly four and a half minutes, then considered far too long to be released as a single. Engineer Tom Dowd skillfully edits and remixes the song down to a more radio friendly length, even moving the verses and choruses around, to give them a tighter structure than the way they were originally recorded. Released in late November of 1967, the song is an instant smash. “Chain” is Franklin’s fourth single to top the R&B singles chart in just ten months. The full unedited version makes its album debut on the quadrophonic stereo release of “The Best Of Aretha Franklin” in 1973, and on the remastered CD of “Lady Soul” in 1995. Following Franklin’s hit version, “Chain Of Fools” is covered numerous times over the years. Versions of the song are recorded by Herbie Mann, Clint Black & The Pointer Sisters, Eva Cassidy, and Fantasia Barrio. The song is covered in the Alan Parker directed film “The Commitments”, and is sung by actress Maryam Hassan in “School Of Rock”. “Chain Of Fools” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Bosch - Ship Of Fools

Ship of Fools

I posted this the other day when Aretha passed away and it stands as my very favourite song by her. It is such a sexy song and I am always amazed it wasn't banned. Listen to the lyrics . . . . it is a love song I grant you but sheesh! I am glad it's anniversary came around now and I am happy to post it again. It would feature on any compilation of naughty songs about love and would be my number one. A troubled early life and never the most pretty of women, but as soul singers go, that VOICE! Peerless!

On this day in music history: August 26, 1967 - “Baby I Love You” by Aretha Franklin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 2 weeks, also peaking at #4 on the Hot 100 on September 9, 1967. Written by Ronnie Shannon , it is the third R&B chart topper for Memphis, TN born, Detroit, MI raised R&B icon. Penned by Ronnie Shannon, the writer behind Aretha Franklin’s breakthrough smash “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)”,  the song is recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City on June 23, 1967, and features musicians such as Jimmy Johnson and Joe South (guitars), Tommy Cogbill (bass), Roger Hawkins (drums), Spooner Oldham (electric piano), Truman Thomas (organ), as well as a horn section led by saxophonist King Curtis, and Aretha’s sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin on background vocals. Following up the hugely successful “Respect”, “Baby I Love You” is issued as first single from her second Atlantic album “Aretha Arrives” in July of 1967. It quickly becomes the third smash hit in a row from Aretha Franklin in just five months, becoming another million seller for the then newly dubbed “Queen Of Soul”. In 1990, director Martin Scorsese features Franklin’s recording in his film “Goodfellas”. “Baby I Love You” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Behind the Grooves - Jeff Harris' blog

I just came across this . . . . . . . Aretha singing one of my favourite songs of all time . . . The Dark End of The Street by Chips Moman / Dan Penn it is story telling blues at it's very best and from James Carr's original to Ry Cooder's instrumental (from whom I first heard it ) then sung with his band the Chicken Skin Band by Eldridge King, Terry Evans and Bobby King and  and I have started collecting them but found this today . . . . . . .





we will miss her . . . . .

and here's my favourite which I dedicate to her memory

the finest guitar break solo I have EVER heard!

Sisters . . . . . . . . 

ARETHA - March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018

my favourite Aretha song . . . . . . . .sexy and strong! Wow! We will miss you . . . . . . . .
Big O posts this from the New York Times with notes by me

+ + + + +

ARETHA FRANKLIN R.I.P. 1942 - 2018

Aretha Franklin, universally acclaimed as the “Queen of Soul” and one of America’s greatest singers in any style, died on August 16, 2018 (Thursday) at her home in Detroit. She was 76. The cause was advanced pancreatic cancer, her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, said.

In her indelible late-1960s hits, Ms. Franklin brought the righteous fervor of gospel music to secular songs that were about much more than romance. Hits like “Do Right Woman - Do Right Man,” “Think,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and “Chain of Fools” defined a modern female archetype: sensual and strong, long-suffering but ultimately indomitable, loving but not to be taken for granted. Her private life remained that and despite falling pregnant at 12 and having a second child at 14 and married to an abusive husband at 19 whom she divorced after accusations of domestic violence and no wonder she didn't like to talk about her private life  

When Ms. Franklin sang “Respect,” the Otis Redding song that became her signature, it was never just about how a woman wanted to be greeted by a spouse coming home from work. It was a demand for equality and freedom and a harbinger of feminism, carried by a voice that would accept nothing less. Otis was furious it is said and in public said "That little girl stole my song!"

Ms. Franklin had a grandly celebrated career. She placed more than 100 singles in the Billboard charts, including 17 Top 10 pop singles and 20 No. 1 R&B hits. She received 18 competitive Grammy Awards, along with a lifetime achievement award in 1994. She was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, in 1987, its second year. She sang at the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009, at pre-inauguration concerts for Jimmy Carter in 1977 and Bill Clinton in 1993, and at both the Democratic National Convention and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral in 1968 her father Pastor C.L. Franklin being an assocoaiute and advisor to the great man. - Jon Pareles, nytimes.com

+ + + + +

love the dancing in this and the extended version . . . . . 

just because  . . . . . . . . and no, I DIDN'T buy this when it came out and have to say largely soul didn't take on so fast here and there always seemed a time delay from hearing the truly great performances over here in the UK. That said who couldn't get shivers when hearing this voice and who couldn't help but respond when hearing their song performed like this by someone else

"that little girl done stole my song!" 

Otis Redding

On this day in music history: May 20, 1967 - “Respect” by Aretha Franklin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 8 weeks, also topping the Hot 100 for 2 weeks on June 3, 1967. Written by Otis Redding, it is the second consecutive R&B chart topper for “The Queen Of Soul”. Written and originally recorded by R&B legend Otis Redding in 1965, Aretha Franklin’s version of “Respect” features members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. It is one of the tracks cut during the week long sessions that produce Franklin’s debut album for Atlantic. Aretha’s version receives a dramatic rearrangement when it is recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City on February 14, 1967. One of the significant changes made on Franklin’s version is in the songs instrumental break. Saxophonist King Curtis plays the solo using the chord changes from Sam & Dave’s hit “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby”. Aretha, along with her sisters Erma and Carolyn (also singing background vocals) come up with the signature “sock it to me” line as well as the refrain of “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” and the lines that follow including “take care, T-C-B” (street slang for “taking care of business”). Upon hearing Aretha’s version, Otis Redding is quoted as jokingly saying “That little girl done stole my song!”, recognizing that she had just recorded the definitive version of his song. The response to “Respect” is immediate when it begins receiving radio play as soon as the album “I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You” is released on March 10, 1967. With the title track holding down the top spot on the R&B singles chart for eight weeks and reaching the top 10 on the pop chart, Atlantic holds off just long enough for the other single to have its moment to unleash the follow up. Entering the Billboard R&B singles chart at #19 on May 6, 1967, it pole vaults up the chart to #5 then #1, just narrowly succeeding herself in the top spot by one week. “Respect” takes a similar ascent up the Hot 100, entering the chart at #50 on April 29, 1967, it rockets to the top five weeks later. Its upward chart movement is so strong, that it temporarily bumps The Young Rascals’ “Groovin’” from the number one spot for two weeks. “Respect” earns Aretha Franklin the first Grammy Award given for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1968. It is the first of eleven times Franklin wins the award over the years, receiving it eight years in a row consecutively, making her the undisputed champ in that category. In the wake of the records huge success, it not only is adapted as a feminist anthem, but also as a rallying cry for the Civil Rights Movement. Regarded as Franklin’s signature song, it is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1998. “Respect” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Couple of soul classics for a Sunday . . . . 
this because I just love this Don Covay song

On this day in music history: January 20, 1968 - “Chain Of Fools” by Aretha Franklin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 4 weeks, also peaking at #2 for 2 weeks on the same date. Written by Don Covay, is the fourth R&B chart topper for the “Queen Of Soul”. “Chain Of Fools” is originally written for Otis Redding when producer Jerry Wexler asks Covay to write something for Redding. Upon hearing Covay’s demo, Wexler decided that it would be better suited for Aretha Franklin, rather than Otis. Franklin records her version on June 23, 1967 at Atlantic Studios in New York City with members of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, sax player King Curtis, and background vocals by Aretha’s sisters Erma and Carolyn Franklin, The Sweet Inspirations and songwriter Ellie Greenwich. The track also features guitarist Joe South who adds the songs’ memorable opening guitar riffs to the intro after the initial recording is completed. In its original form, “Chain Of Fools” runs nearly four and a half minutes, then considered far too long to be released as a single. Engineer Tom Dowd skillfully edits and remixes the song down to a more radio friendly length, even moving the verses and choruses around to give them a tighter structure than the way they were originally recorded. Released in late November of 1967, the song is an instant smash. “Chain” is Franklin’s fourth single to top the R&B singles chart in just ten months. “Chain Of Fools” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Didn't buy either of these when they came out but . . . . . BUT I did discover my penchant for soul classics when I bought 'This Is Soul!'  in 1968 a master compilation which is still, available now in a CD added tracks format I think* . . . . . it is a sheer joy!

*N.B. seems to be out of print in the latter format although still listed at over £35! It is available on vinyl on ebay and someone has it listed in the original format for £2.99!!
Bargain!

For no other reason that this is my favourite Aretha song of all time and it is was near perfect a love song as it is possible to get IMHO . . . . . the innuendo is perfect and it is so RUUUUDE! 

On this day in music history: August 26, 1967 - “Baby I Love You” by Aretha Franklin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 2 weeks, also peaking at #4 on the Hot 100 on September 9, 1967. Written by Ronnie Shannon , it is the third R&B chart topper for Memphis, TN born, Detroit, MI raised R&B icon. Penned by Ronnie Shannon, the writer behind Aretha Franklin’s breakthrough smash “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)”,  the song is recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City on June 23, 1967, and features musicians such as Jimmy Johnson and Joe South (guitars), Tommy Cogbill (bass), Roger Hawkins (drums), Spooner Oldham (electric piano), Truman Thomas (organ), as well as a horn section led by saxophonist King Curtis, and Aretha’s sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin on background vocals.  Following up the hugely successful “Respect”, “Baby I Love You” is issued as first single from her second Atlantic album “Aretha Arrives” in July of 1967. It quickly becomes the third smash hit in a row from Aretha Franklin in just five months, becoming another million seller for the then newly dubbed “Queen Of Soul”. In 1990, director Martin Scorsese features Franklin’s recording in his film “Goodfellas”. “Baby I Love You” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.