The thing with Aretha is during a song, she knew when to shout, but most importantly she knew when to whisper. That's something a lot of the "diva" style female singers in her wake haven't seemed to figure out. It isn't about over vocalizing and showing off range in histrionics, it's about making a song connect with the listener.
She was absolutely one of a kind. A few years back Rolling Stone named her the greatest singer of all time. We all knew that anyway.
The thing with Aretha is during a song, she knew when to shout, but most importantly she knew when to whisper. That's something a lot of the "diva" style female singers in her wake haven't seemed to figure out. It isn't about over vocalizing and showing off range in histrionics, it's about making a song connect with the listener.
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You are a most perceptive individual! That is why I can't stand Whitney. She is a coloratura, a woman who shows off her technique i.e. "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII will never love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu". Awful!
There was this issue of EW many years ago. They talked to John Barry about the various Bond scores. He mentioned this Black girl he really wanted for You Only Live Twice, but Nancy Sinatra was pretty big at the time because of "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'", so that was that.
Franklin was that girl. Always thought that was interesting.
That is why I can't stand Whitney. She is a coloratura, a woman who shows off her technique i.e. "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII will never love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu". Awful!
How can you turn this sad occasion into a rant? About coloratura?!
I think I'll remember most from her role in "The Blues Brothers" movie.
With the exception of the late John Belushi, it seems like all of the principals in that scene from THE BLUES BROTHERS returned 18 years later for this scene in BLUES BROTHERS 2000, where Aretha sang another of her iconic hits.
Oh my, I used to have a fairly young work colleague down here who'd let out a What you want?! when one of her kids would call. I finally let her have it one day ("Who are you, Aretha?!") and from then on it was my cue to go all Aretha on her. LOL! She didn't like me much after that until one day she overheard me singing, "Honey you, are my shinin' star..." Turns out it was the first dance song at their wedding reception. She gave me RESPECT after that.
The thing with Aretha is during a song, she knew when to shout, but most importantly she knew when to whisper. That's something a lot of the "diva" style female singers in her wake haven't seemed to figure out. It isn't about over vocalizing and showing off range in histrionics, it's about making a song connect with the listener.
Can it be a coincidence that Aretha died on the 16th August, the same date as Elvis? The king and queen together.
Good God, I hope she doesn't have to sing duets with him now, especially if Sam Cooke or Jackie Wilson is available.
If Heaven, as Christopher Hitchens said, is a "Celestial North Korea", then you can bet your bippy that such a duet has been mandated.
Aretha did a version of "Son of a Preacher Man", and while I still prefer Dusty Springfield's legendary take on the song, Aretha's rendition is thisclose to matching the Dusty version's perfection.
What a sad, sad thing for the entire music world. But, by God, what a body of work to leave behind! All the modern vocal histrionics we currently have to withstand comes nowhere near what she could do with just a word. Just exquisite in every sense.
