In her career, which was more than five decades, Aretha Franklin demonstrated her incomparable singing talent in a wide variety of contexts. Whether you are the audience in the studio of Soul train Enthusiastic. Sang for President. Or worked with the many stars that had influenced them. Her legendary vocal cord width, strength and emotional expressiveness always came into its own. Here are 10 examples of your brilliance.
“Runnin ‘Out of Fools” (1964)
Aretha Franklin Was 22 years old and already a proven hit maker in 1964. But it should take a few more years for “Respect” and “Think” to make them the Queen of Soul. And she was not afraid to explore more jazzy and blueser realms. At this time, the oldest known live video from Franklin, which is currently available online, was also created. She sang the jazzy song “Runnin ‘Out of Fools” in a television program. It is not clear which program it was. She delivered a breathtaking performance, while looking directly into the camera and with the serenity that was supposed to shape her later career, the dramatic heights and depths of the song mastered. The song, the only single release from the album of the same name, was a moderate hit at the time and reached 57th place on the pop charts and 30th place on the R&B charts.
“Do Right Woman, do Right Man” (“The Merv Griffin Show”, 1967)
In November 1967, talk show presenter Merv Griffin presented his audience an “unusual young singer” named Aretha Franklin. That appeared on the show to promote her career-coordinating Atlantic debut album “I never loved a man the way i loved you”. “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” was written by the legendary country-soul songwriters Chips Moman and Dan Penn. And was an economical, elegiac piano ballad that Franklin converted into a masterpiece in a masterpiece in terms of vocal reluctance, subtlety and dynamic control in her performance in the ‘Merv Griffin Show’. The song never became as well known as the much more famous A side. But Aretha converted ‘Do Right Woman, do right man’ into a Southern-Soul standard. In the following years everyone, from Etta James to William Bell to the Flying Burrito Brothers and Brenda Lee, recorded their own versions of the song.
“I say a little prayer” (“The Cliff Richard Show”, 1970)
Franklin’s version of the “I say a little prayer” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David stormed the Hot 100 in 1968 and was one of six top 20 hits that landed this year alone. Two years later, she brought the single into the “Cliff Richard Show” and bobbed in time while she rocked through the ecstatic declarations of love of the song. During this time, the interaction between Franklin and her background singers was an important part of their appearances. And the trio of additional singers ensures frequent energy skills by imitating Franklin or getting into chirping call-and-response rounds. When the blowing horn section “I Say a Little Prayer” brings to an awesome end, Franklin incorporates a little shimmy into her shoulders.
“Rock Steady” (“Soul Train”, in the early 1970s)
“Rock Steady” is one of the most driving singles in Franklin’s repertoire. And therefore fit perfectly to ‘Soul Train’, where the singer acted primarily as a catalyst for the impressive dance movements of the audience. “Simply move your hips with a feeling from one side to the other,” Franklin demands, and everyone in the hall. But if you watch the dancers near the stage, you can see that the hips are just the beginning. Ellbogen and knees jump, snip fingers, and an fearless dancer, probably inspired by the wild beat of the drummer Bernard Purdie, stretches and jumps into the air.
“Jimmy Lee” (Detroit, 1987)
Aretha Franklin performed in her hometown Detroit in 1987 when her hit single “Jimmy Lee” stormed the charts. She was accompanied by none other than James Brown on the stage, and the two sang alternately one thrilling, powerful version of “Please, Please, Please”. Brown was also on stage when Franklin sang “Jimmy Lee”, who finally developed into a powerful Neo-Motown swing. But before the beat starts, Franklin attacks the stirring intro with a wild growl. The crowd cheers and Brown smiles admiring.
“I Dreamed a Dream” (celebration before Bill Clinton’s inauguration, 1993)
Before Bill Clinton took office, Franklin was one of many artists at the celebration before the inauguration. For this occasion she chose a particularly soulful interpretation of the show stopper “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical “Les Miserables”, which she had released a few years earlier on her album “What You See is what you sweat”. It was a moving, unforgettable appearance. Who was accompanied by a children’s choir and an orchestra. When she was finished, the Clintons got up and Bill threw Aretha a kiss.
“Nessun Dorma” (Grammy Awards, 1998)
Franklin’s legendary career included R&B, rock, funk, new wave, neo-soul and house music. And on one evening in 1998 she showed the world that there were only a few heights that could not reach her explosive voice. Luciano Pavarotti, ambassador of the high art of pop music and probably the most popular opera singer of the late 20th century, had a sore throat. And had to cancel his appearance with “Nessun Dorma” at the 40th Grammy Awards.
He had made the aria from Puccini’s “Turandot” – then over 70 years old – his trademark. After Great Britain had made a pavarotti recording of the play a football anthem (which was second on the charts), he sang it with the Three tenors on all of their successful live albums and on a television program that was seen worldwide by more than 1.4 billion people. Aretha jumped with only 20 minutes of warning after sung the song at the beginning of the week at a Musicares beefiz event in honor of the tenor. The Italian aria fulfilled its performance with decades of American soul and gospel music.
“(You Make Me Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (VH1 “Divas”, 1998)
In the first edition of the annual VH1 special program “Divas“In addition to an impressive line-up with Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Carole King.
All women mentioned above stood side by side and sang one of Franklin’s most unforgettable hits, “(You Make Me Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”. Franklin started the appearance while a smiling king, the The song together with Gerry Goffin had written next to her. Each of the other divas alternately sang a few lines of the song. Dion, Twain, Estefan, Carey and then improvised and hovered alongside a singer who had inspired each of them directly. Even better than the vocal competition in the last minute of the song is Franklin’s continuous presence, even during the moments of the individual divas. It throws a strong shadow. And complements every line that the other women sing with vocal runs.
“Touch My Body” (Washington, DC, 2008)
Aretha Franklin will be one of the greatest singers of all time. But that doesn’t mean that she was afraid of having a bit of cheeky fun while showing her skills. In 2008 she surprised the audience in Washington, DC, with a cover version of Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body”, a huge success from the same year. This live cover version has many great aspects. On the one hand, the fact that it took place at all. On the other hand, how much fun Franklin and her audience had. When pop hit recognition started, the jubilation calls and the loving laugh about the sheer boldness of the moment Franklin used to go even more on the sexy side. “What happens on stage stays on stage too,” she jokingly said to her fans.
“(You Make Me Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (Kennedy Center Honors, 2015)
Current interpretations of vintage-soul classics do not often become viral, but Franklin is not a typical performer, and “(you make me feel like) A Natural Woman” is not a typical hit. In 2015, Franklin delivered a rousing, gospel -like version of the classic to celebrate Carole King, who originally wrote the song. Her voice is as explosive as ever, a bit rougher than before, but that doesn’t detract from her. After three minutes of vowel fireworks, Franklin throws off her magnificent fur coat and plunges into another breathtaking chorus. At the end of the song, President Obama shed a tear, and King is so overwhelmed by joy that they box in the air with joy.