I found this video on the ol’ You Tube and was transported back to 1965, when Aretha Franklin was fresh and new. She had a pixie-like hairdo, and rocked an A-line dress like none other. I miss the days when dreamy harmonies stood in place of histrionic over singing. That’s right, I said it. I miss the days when ballads didn’t get overwrought with melisma and a duet didn’t devolve into almost-yelling.
I love the simple beauty of many of Aretha’s songs from this period.
This is One Step Ahead. Many of you will remember it as the sample used in Mos Def’s Ms. Fat Booty. That song was my JAM! This is my old school throwback jam of the day. Drink it in, bellas!
I feel ya bella:) what happened to days when singers knew what they were doing, and they knew when enough was enough. That’s us though. Too many times these days even the backround singer think they are soloist.
Wonderful indeed!
Go on now Gurl….that is a golden oldie…so lovely, I had to play it twice…over my lil puter’ speakers…’retha worked it. I remember my mom being so excited to see her in concert. I remember all the times *Ain’t no way..* played in the background of family dinners. In fact, re-re and Al Green were the only ones who could play on the box during dinner…
🙂
she was so beautiful.
Nice song, 1st time hearing it.
She looked absolutely gorgeous! So fresh and sweet looking!
what a great clip. the ONLY thing i don’t like about that wonderful song is how short it is!
seeing as you’re always sharing great music with us, wanted to know if you’d ever come across nneka, whose album ‘victim of truth’ is fantastic. i play it on the regular.
there’s also a great artist named ayo who you can check out on you tube ‘down on my knees.’
they both rock a natural style (and both seem to be half nigerian, half european). anyway, see what you think… they might be future afrobellas of the week – they inspire me!
Boy do i agree with you about the music! I would love a return to the days of straightforward melodic singing. I don’t know if that will ever happen.
And Aretha was beautiful. 🙂
This was a very good song.
Thank you sooooooooooooo much. My alter ego over at C+D is KC says ooooooh yeah….also know as Aretha’s #1 Stan….
i had never seen this one. THANKS A MILLION!
Melisma…is what killed good singing for me. I would love to get a T-shirt with the word covered by a NO sign (circle with a slash).
Thanks for the Aretha clip! Awesome.