What makes a Queen? Do you behave like royalty because you actually are? Or is it because we said you were? If we call you a name for so long, wouldn't it be the most human of reactions for you to start behaving accordingly?
Aretha and Jerry Wexler wanted her 3 nights in March of 1971 at San Fran's Filmore West to help her reach out to the large expected hippie audience of the area. She sang her versions of popular folk songs of the time. You have to check out her version of....
Bridge Over Troubled Water
In more recent years, people have talked about your hat. Or your purse. Placing atop the piano before you sing. It's not unlike an animal marking her territory. Saying "I'm going use this later. Y'all watch out." Or maybe it's your inability to let, for example, Patti Labelle enjoy her moment of diabetic generosity, while you allow the rumors of your own line of Aretha Franklin Gumbo to come to fruition. Will you use Walmart too?
In the 1960s and 70s they talked about your men. Was he at home running through your money? How does she feel having to tell her man to "Do right", and demanding "Respect" night after night because we asked for it?
You sat at that piano and sang what you wanted to sing. And how you wanted to sing it. And with every fiber of what you were feeling. That was rare. It still is. And has never been a gimmick.
Most people talk about this album and remember things like Ray Charles showing up one night. If you ever have the chance, take 15 minutes and watch what they did to
Spirit In The Dark
For me, it's always been the songs for which she sat down at the Fender and played herself. That's where she's always been the Queen. All 9 minutes of "Dr. Feelgood" is great. She told childhood me (around the 7:45 mark) something that has always stayed with me. "Don't put worry on you before worry gets to you." That always stuck with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment