In 2007, there was a program on BET by the name of 'An Evening of Stars: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin', and as it says i the title, it is offering a tribute to the great talent of Miss Aretha Franklin. During the show, they not only celebrated her 'Pop' hits and career, they also made note of her contributions to Gospel music. Here are several big names of Gaospel music paying tribute to the Queen of Soul. First up we have BeBe Winans singing "Mary Don't You Weep", an old spiritual from before the Civil War, and Karen Clark Sheard, Kiki Sheard, Micah Stampley and Twinkie Clark sing "Jesus Be A Fence", a song written by the great Sam Cooke, and, finally, Mary Mary singing "How I Got Over", a classic written in 1951 by Clara Ward. Enjoy this Sunday morning feature!
Hope everyone on the East coast is prepared for more snow!
Clockwise: Ella Fitzgerald; Billie Holiday; Aretha Franklin; and Linda Ronstadt.
Tonight I thought I would pick some amazing songs I first heard in films coming out of Hollywood. Much of my early music education came from the black and white movies I watched when I could, featuring the greats of the business like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller, and just so many other talented artists. I will begin with "Isn't It Romantic", a song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It was introduced in the 1932 film 'Love Me Tonight', sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier. For tonight, I offer a version by Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in 1957. This is Ella's "Isn't It Romantic".
The next song was written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931, but it wasn't really known until it appeared in a film in 1942. When pianist Sam played and sang "As Time Goes By" in the bar in 'Casablanca', the film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it became an instant classic. Sam, played by Paul Dooley, delivered the song perfectly, a perfect theme for the love heroically lost in the film. Tonight, I offer you a version of the song by the great Billie Holiday. She recorded it with Eddie Heywood & His Orchestra in 1944. I hope you enjoy Billie Holiday singing "As Time Goes By".
"When You Wish Upon A Star" was written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of 'Pinocchio'. The song became a theme for Disney Studios, and I remember hearing it every Sunday night when I watched 'Walt Disney's The Wonderful World of Color' television series in my youth. It is such a wonderful song filled with hope. I chose a version sung by one of my favorite singers, the amazing Linda Ronstadt. She was perfect for the song, having such clarity and crispness in her notes. I love this live performance from 1986, as she sings "When You Wish Upon A Star", off her 1986 album, 'For Sentimental Reasons'.
The final song of the evening was written by James V. Monaco, the lyrics by Joseph McCarthy in 1913. One of the earliest recordings of "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" was by Al Jolson, and it has been sung by so many, from Screaming Jay Hawkins to Cookie Monster to Rufus Wainwright. But one of the most memorable versions for me was sung by the young Judy Garland, with special lyrics written as a birthday tribute to Clark Gable. When I found a version by the great Aretha Franklin, I just knew it had include it in this post. I hope you love Areatha's "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)", featured on her 1962 album, 'The Electrifying Aretha Franklin'.
Clockwise: Betty Carter & Ray Stevens; John Stevens; Anita O'Day; and Aretha Franklin.
Well, it is Saturday night, and for many, at least at one pint in history, it meant finding a neighborhood girl to watch the kids, and going out to a local club, or maybe just going to a friends house and having some cocktails and conversation. And while that was going on, there would definitely be music playing, be it Pop or Jazz. In my heart, it will always be a combination of Jazz standards and Pop Torch songs, for I do love them so very much. With that in mind I planned an evening of music and drinks. Well, at least some music about drinking. To give you an idea, I will begin with the first song on the playlist, "Cocktails For Two" as sung by Ray Charles and Betty Carter. The song was written by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow for the 1934 film, 'Murder at the Vanities'.
And while I think of classic songs when I think of my Saturday night posts, I have a brand new one for you up next. I think John Stevens still has a certain real charm when he performs, and you can tell he just loves the music. In fact, it was this song and video that inspired this post to start with. Here is a music video of the John Stevens Band as it performs "Intoxicated", with words and music written by John Stevens himself. It seems the crooner has come so far since his time on season 3 of American Idol. Please Enjoy John as he sings "Intoxicated" with the John Stevens Band.
What happens when you combine Johnny Mercer with Aretha Franklin? Well, you get something explosive and impressive, and this song is a prime example. The Queen of Soul sings "Drinking Again", with music by Mercer and music by Doris Tauber. I first came to know this song in the 1970s when it was sung by the one and only Bette Midler, but it had been written a decade before, and sung by some of the great voices of music, including Aretha, Frank Sinatra, and Dinah Washington. Listen to Aretha Franklin sing the song as only she could.
And, finally, I return to another of the great voices I love so very much. Anita O'Day was the favorite of many other singers. She had a style all her own, using her voice as much like another instrument in the band as well as a means of communication. Her vocals often eschewed the melody line, taking on the beat, driving the song much like the percussion section. I just love listening to her. This is her recording of "Blue Champagne", an effervescent delight, you can be sure.
Clockwise: Helen O'Connell; Eva Cassidy; Aretha Franklin; and Dinah Washington.
Tonight I am inspired by the music of the great Harold Arlen. Truthfully, it started this morning when a song come to mind, and I just kept humming it. But first, more about the man. In 1905, Arlen was born Hyman Arluck, in Buffalo, New York, United States, the child of a Jewish cantor. He took piano lessons as a child, became a popular act in the Buffalo area. In his twenties, he made his way to New York City, and soon changed his name to Harold Arlen. In the 1930s, he and lyricist Ted Koehler worked together often, and had a regular gig writing songs to be performed at the popular Harlem nightclub, The Cotton Club. Arlen also began writing music for both Broadway and Hollywood musicals, as well as for popular singers of the day. This brings me back to my inspiration for this post, that song that kept playing in my head. While I will admit it was the Barbra Streisand version, it was "When The Sun Comes Out" that was playing loud and clear. The song was written by Arlen in 1941 with Ted Koehler, and originally sung by Helen O'Connell with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. And so I picked that version to play here, for it is really wonderful.
Arlen also worked with other lyricists, some of the best around. In 1941, he was writing with Johnny Mercer on a film with the working title 'Hot Nocturne'. They wrote a great song, introduced in the movie by William Gillespie. That song was "Blues In The Night", and soon the movie title was changed to match the song. And the song quickly became a standard, a part of the Great American Songbook, and recorded by some of the biggest names in the music business. I picked a version that was recorded in 1997, by the late Eva Cassidy. Cassidy, who passed away the year before, was working on the album at the time of her death. Eva had a magical way to blend her acoustic Pop and Blues roots to make amazing music, and loved taking on some of the iconic music. Here is her recording of "Blues In The Night".
In 1954, Arlen released another project written for the great Judy Garland. He had, of course, worked with her earlier, when he worked on a little film named 'The Wizard of Oz'. So when he began working on the film 'A Star Is Born' with lyricist Ira Gershwin, everyone had to know magic was bound to happen. And it most certainly did. I still remember quite vividly the scene in 'A Star Is Born' when Esther Blodgett, played by Judy, is jamming with some studio musicians and she sings "The Man That Got Away". It was magnificent. But I've had Judy singing the song on the blog before, and decided to try something a little different, so here is a lovely version by Dinah Washington, recorded for her 1962 album 'Drinking Again'.
And, if I was covering the music of Harold Arlen, I couldn't ignore the great song written, according to lore, in front of a drug store in Hollywood in 1938, could I? Legend has it while driving up Sunset Boulevard after a rain, Arlen noticed a rainbow over the iconic Schwab's Drug Store, and it inspired a song for the project he was working on. He was writing the music for the musical 'The Wizard of Oz' with E. Y. Harburg, which became a huge hit in 1939. That would include the song sung by Judy Garland, "Over The Rainbow". And once again, I have posted Judy singing it before, so I tried to find something new, and was thrilled when I found this version by Aretha Franklin, which is truly wonderful. Enjoy.
After an evening of mixed results last week with the music of the Beatles, this week the Top 8 of American Idol Season 12 take on the Music of Motor City, an oddly vague title one would assume describes the Motown sound, the music coming out of Detroit, Michigan. While I am thinking Motown, the vagueness could mean any music coming out of the Detroit area, like Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Iggy Pop, Madonna or even Ted Nugent. This might be a welcome relief from hearing the same songs from Motown we've heard year after year. On the other hand, maybe not. Guess we will have to wait and see what the American Idol Top 8 have in store for us.
Top row: Angie Miller; Lazaro Arbos; Burnell Taylor; Devin Velez and Candice Glover.. Bottom row: Kree Harrison; Amber Holcomb and Janelle Arthur.
The theme was introduced by Smokey Robinson, who gave us a run down that it was any artist from the Detroit area, which included the rich catalog of the Motown stars, including Smokey. And, of couple of moments later, Crusty is introducing the judges and the Top 8. Crusty let's us know that not only will we be having the Top 8 on solos, but we will also have some group numbers on the schedule.
From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.
After the break, Crusty told us the great Smokey Robinson will be meeting with the Top 8, trying to give inspiration and guidance for the group. Candice is the first contestant to meet with Smokey, who admits he just loved her, and admitted her "I (Who Have Nothing)" brought him to tears. She will be singing "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", a great song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. It first came to the charts when sung by the great Marin Gaye. She puts a bluesy edge to it, and a bit of Aretha as well. There was great grit and depth to her performance, and she brought the audience to their feet just as the first performer should. I fear she worked it a bit too hard, and I wish she just pulled back a bit. The judges just gobbled her up, although Mariah mentions once again she wants to hear her bring us to church with her vocals, since it worked so well for Curtis Finch, Jr. After the break, Crusty announced that Kree & Janelle will team up to take on Madonna. Both girls are excited, and sing "Like A Prayer", having been inspired by a Jennifer Nettles cover of the song. They start out in tune, and the song sounds good, but feels a bit slow, a bit pokey. It just lacked a bit of go-forward. And Kree's voice showed the weakness in Jannelle's, a lack of depth. The judges loved them, although Nicki, Randy, and Mariah thought Kree outshined Janelle, and Keith thought they both sounded great.
Mariah did take a shot at the Producers, remarking the Powers-That-Be like cutting her off. I thought it was because she rarely has anything of use to say. Crusty spoiled the news that Lazaro Arbos will be up next, singing a Stevie Wonder classic. After the break, Crusty gives Smokey a big hug in the audience, giving him time to plug upcoming duets album, and the Motown show on Broadway. Back in the studio, we hear he is singing "For Once In My Life", and both Smokey and Jimmy I tell him he does a great job. Lazaro takes to the stage, opening the song with a simple arrangement, sounding like he picked the right key this week. This is his best performance I have seen by him, as I didn't watch the auditions. It picked up the tempo, bringing it to the more accepted arrangement, and enjoying his time singing. He moved on the stage with confidence. The judges all loved him, and announced he was back. Both Randy and Mariah thought there were a few pitch problems, but I have to admit I didn't hear them myself. Keith just thought Smokey gave him great advice, and Nicki wanted Smokey to be her Sugar Daddy, and that he looked better than men half his age, so sexy with perfect skin. However, I don't think his wife was impressed. Nicki also took credit for his performance, reminding all she told him to ignore Jimmy and just believe in himself. Apparently, Mariah felt the need to step up and tell everyone that Smokey was a legend, responsible for so many hits as a writer and a performer. After the break, Janelle is coming out to sing a great hit by the Supremes. Janelle is excited to be playing her guitar in her own arrangement of "You Keep Me Hanging On", written by the legendary Motown team of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Eddie Holland.
Smokey loved her in the studio, offering a few suggestions to enhance her performance. She slows it up, and added a little calypso touch to it. Her voice sounded fuller and deeper than I have heard her to date. I am shocked at how good she is. Mariah greeted her with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of it. Keith loved it, and thought it brought out emotions no one had mined before. Nicki loved her, but thought she was not as pitch perfect as usual. Randy discounted her, saying it was amazing and her best to date. Following a commercial break, it is Devin's turn to meet with Robinson. We found out he is singing "The Tracks of my Tears", written by Smokey, along with Warren Moore and Marvin Tarplin. Smokey had a big hit with the song. Smokey loves what he does with the song, although Jimmy I isn't as sold. As Smokey told Devin about writing the song, I was reminded of Smokey telling the same story to Adam Lambert. Once again the boy delivers a pitch-perfect performance. He not only pays homage to the original, he also updates the sound with a very current vocal style. I enjoyed it, but am looking to hear what the judges say. Keith is up first, and he thinks it was good, but wasn't sure he felt the entire song. Nicki loved it, and thought he looked and sounded great. Randy loved him, and Mariah thought he was flawless, but might have wished he sung her favorite, "Ooh, Baby Baby". And she wished he might have cut loose a bit, but knows Jimmy likes control better - another shot at Mr. Iovine, who has kept a low profile this episode. Candice, Amber and Angie sing "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", the great song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Jerry Ross, and made famous by the Supremes and the Miracles. They do well, although once again I thought Candice let her light shine brighter than the other two. The judges greet them with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of the song, and each performance. After the commercial, we learn that Burnell will be singing Stevie Wonder's "Ma Cheri Amour", written by Wonder, Henry Cosby, and Sylvia Moy. Smokey offered a few notes, but loved it. His arrangement is very true to the original by Stevie, but adding some very modern choices in the vocals, saving it from being too boring. He can sing, and made a few sweet choices, but I really wanted more from him, and I think he is capable of it. Keith gives a standing ovation for Burnell's performance, telling us he just loves his voice. Nicki thought he looked fantastic in the white suit, and sounded even better. Randy also loved it, and Mariah thought it was just perfection. After the next break, it was time for Angie Miller to take on "Shop Around", written by Smokey and Berry Gordy. It was the first million seller for Motown. In the studio, there is a rock edge to her version of the song. Smokey encourages her to mix it up a bit, and move more toward the blues.
In the performance, part of the song is lost in the arrangement, as her voice fought with the band, instead of being accentuated by it. She sounded off for much of the song. It didn't really come to life until the final 30 seconds or so, and that had moments of uncomfortable stretch. Randy stepped in to say it was an odd one, having never heard her so pitchy. Mariah loves her, but thought this was not her best performance. She would have liked her to have been at the piano singing "I'll Be There". Keith thought the melody dragged her down, and pulled her off the song. Nicki thought it wasn't the song, it was her performance, her choice to bring it someplace that wasn't organic, wasn't real. She is not a rocker, not a blues singer, she is a singer/songwriter. She needs to own it, for that is where she shines. And Angie just wanted to have some fun with it. That'll teach her, won't it? The next up is Amber, who will be singing Stevie Wonder's beautiful ballad, "Lately". Jimmy mentions she was in the bottom three last week, and both he and Smokey thought she didn't deserve it. I will say I called it, though... As she begins to perform, I feel a bit of nerves as she tends to go sharp in the first few bars. But as she gets into the song, she straightens out the pitch issues, and and builds to a big finish. Mariah comes out with a bad British accent calling it a "tour de force", and then insults the audience thinking we have no idea what that means. Keith loved it, and thought it was beautiful. Nicki loved her, and thought she was amazing. She wants her to get a twinkle back, and forget she was in the bottom last week. Randy called it the best of the night, although I am not sure I'd agree there. Before going to commercial, Crusty tells up that next up we will have the boys, Burnell, Devin and Lazaro, taking on the Four Tops. I have to admit, I am not sure how this trio will gel together. They will sing "Can't Help Myself", written by the brilliant Holland–Dozier–Holland. As they are singing, I thought Devin was the standout, although it wasn't a great performance. Nicki is the only judge allowed to speak, and she hated it, and felt it was like Hollywood week, with the bad group numbers. She was not impressed. Burnell responded that he knew his part, kinda tossing Lazaro under the bus. Devin tried to stay out of the mess, and Lazaro admitted he had trouble learning the lyrics. By the way, Nicki was right. Next up is Kree, who is taking on a song by Smokey's best friend, Aretha Franklin. She will be singing "Don't Play That Song", written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson. Smokey loved it, and can't wait to call Aretha and tell her to listen.
Kree went live with it, and took the song from the beginning and made it build just right. She soared on it, her voice sounded amazing on it. Randy thought it might not be the most perfect of the night, but she will be around for some time to come. Mariah thinks she is one of the strongest in the competition, and loved it. Keith loved that she shows how much Soul and the Blues influence Country, and thought she was amazing. Nicki loved her, and the fact she took on two queens tonight, Madonna and Aretha, and lived to tell the tale. She loves her confidence, and her talent. Crusty tosses to the recap, and I am left to think about the performances of the night. My personal picks for the bottom three tonight might anger the judges, but not sure I care. Obviously to me, Angie was the weakest of the night, although I doubt she will be going home. I think Lazaro would be in my bottom three, as well as Amber. That said, I am betting we won't see two girls in there, as they have worked so hard to praise the ladies. So perhaps Burnell and/or Devin should be concerned. And that might lead to a surprise elimination, like perhaps Amber or Devin singing their song of survival. Perhaps one of them should have tackled Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", or Iggy's "Lust For Life"...
In keeping with my chilly winter theme this first weekend of December, I am pleased to visit once again with the magnificent "Queen of Soul", Miss Aretha Franklin. I found two songs, both of which can be found on her 1956 release, 'Songs of Faith'. Interestingly enough, it was her first recording, all taped when she was singing in the church at just 14 years of age. The first of those songs I am featuring is "He Will Wash You Whiter Than The Snow".
The other in another traditional spiritual performed to perfection by the young girl who would go on to be a great superstar. Listen as she sings "While The Blood Is Running Warm".
The album has been re-released under several names, as 'The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin', 'Aretha's Gospel', 'Precious Lord', 'You Grow Closer', 'Never Grow Old', and 'The First Album'. You can purchase it on iTunes and Amazon.
Clockwise: Anita O'Day; Sarah Vaughan; Betty Hutton; (left to right) Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Roberta Flack, and Aretha Franklin; and Ella Fitzgerald.
I was just in no mood to come up with a theme, so the best I could do is to pull a couple of names of singers who were my favorites, and then figure out what song I want them to sing. So let me start with one of my favorites, Anita O'Day. I first discovered her on the soundtrack to Torch Song Trilogy, where Harvey Feirstein used her recording of "Can't We Be Friends". For this post, I thought Anita's version of "Honeysuckle Rose" was just what the doctor ordered.
I just think there is no way possible to go wrong when you decide to listen to Ella Fitzgerald. No matter what she sings, it will be worth listening to. I thought about a classic like "A-Tisket A-Tasket" or some other great. But I decided I wanted to hear the beauty in Ella's voice, and so this is the lush "These Foolish Things".
I first heard the next song performed by Bjork, and thought it was just a delightful song she wrote. I was wrong, for it was a wonderful song first made popular by Betty Hutton, who first drew attention as a big band singer, before she became a huge star in Hollywood. Check out the comedic performance by Betty Hutton on "It's Oh So Quiet".
I really love what Sarah Vaughan brings to every song she sings. There is just an unquantifiable magic in her interpretation that truly sets her apart. When I found this clip of "Fly Me To The Moon," I couldn't wait to post it.
While trying to find the clip of Vaughan, I ran across this next one, and knew it had to be included tonight. On this medley of Duke Ellington songs, you hear the incredible line up of Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Sarah Vaughan, and Peggy Lee. What a joy this is to hear - even if the video is not great quality.
You know, there are times one should just shut up and listen. When Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles get together to sing Gospel music, the time is now. Here is Ain't But The One.
Here they sing Spirit In The Dark, written by the Queen of Soul herself.
You can purchase Aretha's Spirit In The Dark album on iTunes and Amazon.
Back in 1987, Aretha Franklin released an incredible live gospel album, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. How did I know it was amazing? Well, I rushed out to buy it, and for years have listened to it. So I thought for this Sunday morning, I would have Miss Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, to ring in the day for a second time. I will start out with a song written by Gospel legend Clara Ward, Surely, God Is Able. This version was recorded when Miss Franklin performed the song in 1990 when Mr. Nelson Mandela visited Detroit.
The first time I posted Miss Franklin, it was a duet she did with the brilliant Mavis Staples. I could not resist a repeat performance, so here is the their uplifting version of Oh Happy Day.
And, finally, here is a version of the song written by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey and Frank Frazier, Take My Hand, Precious Lord. It appeared on her 1972 Gospel album, Amazing Grace. This, however, is a performance from 1984.
If you were planning to go out dancing on a Friday night in 1985, these are some of the songs you would be guaranteed to be shaking you groove thang to. I would know, for while living in New York City, I might have been known to go out on the occasional weekend. I might slip out to dance a little at The Monster in the West Village, or maybe a few other clubs. Sure, I was more likely to be found at the Marie's Crisis or the Duplex, standing around sipping a drink when the piano bar was at full throttle, but there were a few times. Don't trust me? So, I consulted the Billboard Dance chart for 1985, and discovered these were the top songs of the year. I'll start with the #5 song of the dance year, sung by the Queen of Soul, Miss Aretha Franklin. Her Freeway Of Love is just a fun delight, and one song I definitely remember having fun to on the dance floor with some friends.
The #4 song for the year was by an English musician and composer best known for his sizzling synthesizer tracks. Paul Hardcastle also could combine politics with his art, as he did with Nineteen. The song, a statement on America's involvement in the war in Vietnam and the soldiers who returned from it, became an international dance hit. Hardcastle had other dance hits, as well as success in the smooth jazz genre.
If you wanted a smooth R&B sound, you didn't have to look further than the great sounds of Kool & the Gang. The group first formed in the Jazziacs in the early 60s, devoting their talents to making jazz. By 1969, they became Kool & the Gang, and began moving in the direction of R&B. Fifteen years later, they were still making great music, and had the #3 dance song for 1985, Fresh.
From the start of her career, it was impossible to put Patti LaBelle's talent into one category or another. The Philadelphia native first came into the public eye as part of the supergroup LaBelle with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash. Their performance of Lady Marmalade remains unequaled. In the late 70s, the group disbanded and Patti started making a solo career. And in 1985, she had the top dance song of the year with New Attitude, her first hit since LaBelle. It also went into the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Go Patti!
There is only one Aretha, a gifted talent, indeed.She is definitely the Queen Of Soul, but there are few that could sing Gospel music like her, as you can tell from this performance of I Was Born To Sing The Gospel. She is joined in the number with music legend Lou Rawls.
Clockwise: Lena Horne; Barbra Streisand; Aretha Franklin; and Dame Shirley Bassey.
I wasn't quite sure what I was going to post tonight, so I cruised through YouTube, hoping to find a spark. I came across one video, then another. Both from 1967. The light went off, and here you have it. Four performances from 1967, by some of the strongest singers of the time. So break out the tissues, and pour your drink. I will start with the amazing and glorious Miss Lena Horne. With her beautiful voice and elegant style, she could sing anything. So here she sings Someday My Prince Will Come, from Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarves, the 1937 animated feature. It was written by Larry Morey and Frank Churchill, and given new spark by Miss Horne.
Aretha Franklin was tearing up the charts in the 1960s, and this year was no exception. She went to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and two weeks at #1 on the Hot Rhythm N' Blues Singles chart with her stunning Baby I Love You.
In 1967, Barbra Streisand was on her way to becoming the superstar we now know her to be. The following year, her first film, Funny Girl, will be released. She had some success on Broadway, and with records, but was still staking her claim on fame. So when she planned a live concert to be recorded in Central Park, some might have scoffed. Well, they shouldn't have. It was a big success, both live and when televised. Here she puts her own delectable spin on the classic, Cry Me A River.
Sad news hit Twitter last night, and was confirmed this morning. Clarence Clemons, musician and actor, was hit by a stroke, and has been hospitalized. While I haven't heard the extent of the issue, I am sure I join with many out there who wish him well and hope The Big Man is back on stage soon.
Clarence Clemons might be most-well-known for his celebrated work with Bruce Springsteen, but he certainly did far more than be a support player for one man. In 1985 he had a solo album that included A Friend Of Mine, which was a duet with Jackson Browne. It made it into the Top 20 in both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mainstream Rock charts, some might say qualifying him to be a One-Hit Wonder.
But with Clarence's history of appearing on some of the great music of the last 40 years. Clemons was famous for his saxophone playing, which became known as a part of the E-Street Band. But he also did other work, including the stellar work in Aretha Franklin's iconic Freeway of Love song and video in 1985.
In the song Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out from 1975's Born To Run album, the lyrics actually speak about Clarence joining the E-Street Band. He is 'The Big Man' referred to, and it went on to be the affectionate nickname Clemons was known as throughout his career.
Perhaps nowhere is his image more implanted in my consciousness than from the son and live performance shots of Springsteen's Born To Run. It was first released in 1975, which makes it 36 years old. This song, this album, and Bruce Springsteen were such a big part of my growing up, and during my college years I had a roommate, Stever McMahon, a boy from Vineland, New Jersey, who was a Bruce fanatic. But it does feel like Bruce, Clarence, Nils Lofgren, Steven Van Zandt and Max Weinberg, and all the others, have been friends forever. Catch them all playing in Born To Run.
You can find out more about The Big Man on his official website here. Get well, Clarence!
Clockwise from top: Adele, Eric Carmen, Jack Johnson, Aretha Franklin and Lykke Li.
The episode starts with a classic scene in the Glee-room, talking about the need for money to make it to Nationals. Mr. Shu came up with his own brilliant idea - the sale of salt water taffy. There was a collective eyeroll. We cut to Sue in her office, talking to a group that includes Sandy Ryerson, Dustin Goolsby and Terri Schuester. Sue is trying to focus their attention on the hate for Will Shuester or the Glee club. Ryerson was the former coach, and is still bitter. Terri hates the club and the kids, and Dustin, the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, just wants to screw with Shue's mind. The Legion of Doom is born. Back in the chorus room, the need for money expands, as Arty, Brittany, Tina and Mike are part of the Brainiacs, the academic team for McKinley.
Will is on a date with Holly Holiday, the endlessly hip chick who convinces him to dump the taffy and do a benefit at the school, to raise money for both the New Directions and for the Brainiacs. They have qualified for the scholastic competition Nationals. They made it with the astute knowledge of Brittany of a special category, Feline Diseases. The evening has a theme, A Night of Neglect, focusing on neglected artists. They won with the final question, Artie's category, White Rappers.
Vocal Adrenaline star Sunshine offer's her services to the kids, as well as her over 600 Twitter followers, and Rachel and Mercedes are battling for the final slot. Sunshine auditions with the song she feels is appropriate, Eric Carmen's 1975 hit, All by Myself. OK, she thinks she is singing Celine Dion, but I like Eric's better. It was written by Carmen but the verse borrows heavily from the second movement (Adagio Sostenuto) of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor.
Sunshine wins. Mr. Shue walks in on Ms. Pillsbury being incredibly driven by her OCD, and she admits Carl is gone, and is asking for an annulment. After all, they never did "it." They have a lovely moment, and he promises to be there for her. Sue is meeting with the Legion of Doom, and tells Dustin Goolsby to go after Holly, to break up she and Mr. Shue. He goes to work, and insults Shue's hand size. Cause, size matters. Lauren sees Mercedes stepping into the background, and offers to be her manager, and to enact some diva demands. She thinks it will gain her the respect she deserves. The demands include a puppy to dry her hands on, a new one each time...
At the school the night of the event, they discover Sunshine and her 600 followers will not be showing up, they only have about 6 people in the audience. While they toy with the idea of not performing, Finn decides they must give those six people their best. Tina is up first, and is inundated with heckling from the crowd, headed up by Sue's peeps. She sings I Follow Rivers, the latest single from Sweden's Lykke Li.
Although panic hits the kids, Mr. Shue steps up, and tells them they must go on. Mike is going next, and he is going to dance to Jack Johnson singing Bubble Toes.
It is a fantastic number, and I'd love to see more from him. Holly pulls aside three of the hecklers, and tells them there is ramifications to being mean, and they decide to go home. Next on the program is Holly, singing Turning Tables is a song by Adele, the brilliant British singer/songwriter and co-written by Ryan Tedder.
Thus she proves she is not a third the singer of Adele. This leaves Ryerson to heckle alone, which makes Sue pull him aside. when he comes back, Mercedes, who talked to Rachel about respect, and decides to join the kids. She makes one last demand, that they kids all go out to watch her. She sings Ain't No Way is a song written by singer-songwriter Carolyn Franklin and sung by her sister Aretha.
After the song, Mercedes and Rachel have a touching moment. Mr. Shue and Holly, on the other hand, do not. They, in fact, break up, as she is taking a teaching job in Cleveland. But she tells him that he loves another, and with her assistance, she is now available. She knows about Ms. Pillsbury... The Legion of Doom are meeting, as Ryerson and Goolsby have disappointed Sue, so she is sending in Terri next to ruin Mr. Sue's day....
The Queen of Soul. Sure, through the years, the hairstyle might have changed, but one thing that didn't was the unmistakable voice that rose from those lungs. Ms. Franklin was a minister's daughter who was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but moved around a bit in her childhood before the family settled in Detroit, Michigan. She sang in the church choir from a young age, and by her teens, was regularly given solos. Next month marks the 50th anniversary of the release of her first album on Columbia Records, Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo). It was a jazz-inspired pop album.
In March of 1967, she released her 9th studio album, and her first with Atlantic Records. The album took it's name from the first single, Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), which went to #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album was certified platinum in sales. It seethed and sizzled with trademark Aretha vocals, exploring her range and emotions every step of the way. I feel so lame speaking about the gift that is Aretha Franklin, so excuse me if there is more music than typing here. She just leaves me speechless.
The third single off the album not only made the Top 10, it went all the way to #1. It also became a trademark song for the singer, who had a career filled with vocal performances that were without equal. But with the first bar of Respect, everyone knew it was Aretha's song being sung. It earned Franklin the first of 18 Grammy Awards (20 if you include Special Grammies she has received) in 1968.
Late in 1967, Atlantic released a single prior to the album Lady Soul. The song was written by Carole King, Gerry Goffin and Jerry Wexler, written for the Queen of Soul to sing. That song was the amazing (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, which reached #8 on the Hot 100, and kicked off the album quite well.
Another single off the Lady Soul album, Chain of Fools, was an obvious hit from the start, and had classic written all over it. Franklin won her third Grammy in 1969 for this performance.
Written by Franklin and co-writer Teddy White, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone marks another performance that is impossible to top. It is yet another song off Lady Soul. It made it to #5 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues chart, and helped the album go #2 on the Billboard Pop Album chart.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the Queen of Soul is battling pancreatic cancer, and if there is anyone out there that could win, it must be Aretha Franklin. She has the soul, heart and bravado to take it an and keep on singing, entertaining us all. In the meantime, she will remain in my thoughts and in my heart.
Wow, this was an interesting year for me - the first time I hadn't worked in the theater for several years. I was working for a multimedia firm, mainly doing slide shows for real estate ventures. Yes, you read that right, slide shows. They were multi-projector shows particular to corporate real estate, and every bit as boring and awful as it sounds. But it paid well. Very quickly I worked my way up to the job of line producer, and was traveling with photographers, overseeing photoshoots of various real estate around the country. While driving around in rental cars, I would listen to the radio, hearing all the songs listed below. And what a great list it is, starting with former lead singer of The GoGos, Belinda Carlisle singing Heaven Is A Place On Earth. I was, and still am a fan of Belinda. When the solo album was released, I ran out to buy it and loved it.And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Belinda's strong support of LGBT rights, having embraced following her own son's coming out. Only made me love her more.
Anyone who watched Family Ties is familiar with Billy Vera & The Beaters romantic song At This Moment. The song was the score to the love scenes between Alex P. Keaton and Ellen, played by Micheal J. Fox and the woman who became his real life wife, Tracy Pollan. Lore has it that Billy Vera had already given up on his musical career, playing occasional dates for the bucks, when a Family Ties producer caught his show, and decided the song would be perfect for the show. The song was originally released in 1981, with minimal success. But when fans of the show started wanting a copy, the album was not available - the record company had gone under. So Rhino Records put out an album, and the song hit #1 on the chart, and remained on the Pop chart for 15 weeks.
George Michael had recently left Wham!, and was wanting to work with one of his all-time favorite singers, Aretha Franklin. So he worked on I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) to get that done, and it was actually an amazing performance. And while it would be tough to think of many bad efforts by Aretha, I really loved this, and was surprised to see George hold his own [insert giggling here]. The song hit #1 in the US and in the UK. While it was not George's first, it shockingly was Franklin's one and only UK #1. Who'd a thunk it?
Written by Albert Hammond and Diane 'Queen of the Power Ballad' Warren, Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now managed to get Starship back on top of the charts in April of 1987. This enabled the amazing Grace Slick to be pegged with the dubious honor of being the oldest woman to have a number one song. She was later displaced by Cher, who had the 1999 hit Believe, which I blame for the popularity of autotune, which still is killing much pop music to this day. Anyway, the Starship song also appeared on the soundtrack to the wacky comedy Mannequin, and it was nominated for an Academy Award. It lost the award to (I've Had) The Time Of My Life, performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.
This is the year U2 released their monster album, Joshua Tree. The band was already crowned the Band of the 80s by many because of their popularity, both on records and in concert. But the new album took it to a new level, as did the ballad off the album, With Or Without You. I was already crazy for the band, having gotten on the bandwagon when my sister Kim, still in college, gave me the War album in 1983. I instantly loved the Irish boys, and went and bought their earlier music. In fact, Kim and I, along with another friend, went to see them on this tour, during the stop at Giants Stadium. This is a great song, and deserves to be the #! song of the year.
In 1987, Aretha Franklin released a collection of gospel songs called One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. There were many amazing songs on it, including this duet with Mavis Staples, singing Oh Happy Day.
