Sadly, the reign of the Queen of Soul has ended. Aretha Franklin died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. This is the biggest loss for music since Prince died a couple of years ago. To me, her raw ability, operatic range and showmanship made her the best female vocalist of the pop era. Period, end of sentence. Need proof? She had 17 top-ten singles, and won 18 Grammys (Including eight wins in a row for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance). She was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was an inspiration for multiple generations of vocalists, including Chaka Khan, (who gave an incredible performance at Aretha's memorial service), Whitney Houston, Adele, and even Freddie Mercury. No one else even came close. She was a pop diva before people even knew what a pop diva was. She was not only the greatest vocalist of all time, she was also a beacon for women and minorities, She was active in the Civil Rights Movement, the Me Too Movement, and supported the rights of Native Americans. Also, she helped to raise money for the "Save the Music" campaign to keep music education in public schools.
Aretha wasn't classically trained. She learned the piano by ear, and the rest of her training was from the church. So many of her songs, as well as her voice, have a strong gospel influence, which allows for a lot of vocal improvisation, as well as some unforgettable high notes. What made her truly great is that she used no gimmicks. All of her vocal runs and high notes came from her natural ability. She wasn't trying to show off or hit high notes on purpose (like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Christina Aguliera, or nearly every performer on "American Idol" or "The Voice." Nor would she even think of using an Autotune.
According to accounts, she was generous and polite, but straightforward. For example, when she was asked about Taylor Swift, her response was "Nice gowns, nice gowns."
Here is what I think are her 10 best songs. Keep in mind, Aretha sang many covers, so some of the songs on this list are covers as well (even though some of the covers by Aretha were more successful than the originals.) Finally, As we all know, especially when it comes to music, opinions are like assholes... Everbody has one.
10. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), 1987, duet with George Michael. What do you get when you put two of the world's top vocalists together? A slick synth-heavy 1980s production, but still a damn good song that deservedly hit No. 1. As for me, there was no contest as to who outsang whom in this duet.
9. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, This song was written specifically for Aretha by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. This was one of her anthems for womanhood, complete with soaring vocals and a memorable hook. In this clip from the Kennedy Center Honors, she brings the house down at 73, has writer Carole King beside herself, and even brings President Obama to tears!
8. The Weight (1972): This song, originally recorded by The Band, was covered by 41 different musicians and groups (including Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem). Aretha's was one of the best, giving the song a bluesy, gospel take, with Duane Allman accompanying on slide guitar.
7. Spirit in the Dark (1970): This song, written by Aretha, is probably the best demonstration of her gospel roots through her popular music. At about the halfway point the song speeds up and goes into full revival mode. Some of the (best) versions feature some guy named Ray Charles on the organ.
6. Respect (1967): This was the song that made Aretha a superstar. even though it was a Top 40 hit by Otis Redding two years before. However, Redding's version was a desperate plea from a man who wants to keep his woman, while Aretha's version is a statement from a confident woman who knows she is respected. Aretha's version, which adds the "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" chorus and the backup singers repeating "sock it to me." I would rank it higher, but I attribute its popularity to its status as a feminist anthem, and the fact is that she has written and performed better songs.
5. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone (1968): Great tune, great vocals, great horn arrangement, and great backup singing (from Aretha's sisters, Carolyn and Emma).
4. Think (1968): Most people from my generation and younger know this from "The Blues Brothers." I think the original was better, mostly because Aretha was in her vocal prime, hitting all kinds of crazy notes. Fun fact: Take a look at how bad the lip-sync is in "The Blues Brothers." that's because she, for all intents and purposes, never sang the same song twice, using different notes and flourishes on each take, showing how much interpretation many of her songs (as well as songs by many soul singers) are open to. James Brown's performances for the same movie were all over the map, so his performance eventually had to be recorded live.
3. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) (1967): This was the first big hit of Aretha's career. This is a great blues ballad, with accompaniment from some Stax Records personnel along with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.
2. You're All I Need (To Get By) (1971): This was originally a duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and was written by another famous duet, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Even though Aretha tackles this song by herself, it is twice as good as Gaye and Terrell together. First of all, she uses a cool sixteenth note rhythm that drives the song (As long as I got you then baby you know you got me ohh!), as well as her unique vocal stylings, and a goose-bump-inducing note during at about the 2 1/2 minute mark. I can't get sick of listening to this song.
1. Don't Play That Song (You Lied) (1970): This Ben E. King cover isn't one of her best known songs, but it is my favorite. First of all, in addition to being the greatest vocalist of all time, she is also a damn good piano player. This is great for all the usual reasons: great horns, great backing vocals (Aretha allows her backup to pick up some of the melody), great skill on the piano, and incredible vocals that truly make this song her own. This was covered by several other artists, including first American Idol champion Kelly Clarkson, who is herself a very good vocalist. However, none came close to the Queen.
Other performances worth checking out are at the 1998 Grammy Awards, when she pinch-hit for Luciano Pavarotti who had a sore throat, and brought down the house with "Nessun Dorma." Finally, the 1991 film "The Commitments," about a soul band in Dublin, Ireland, has a few good covers of Aretha songs, particularly Maria Doyle's great rendition of "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"
On a personal note, this has been a tough month for celebrity deaths. Two people who I greatly admire and respect (no pun intended), Aretha Franklin and Sen. John McCain, have died within days of each other. McCain died from a glioblastoma, the same type of cancer I am currently fighting.
One more matter to address. Some people may think this is crass, but I published my fantasy rock band made up of the best musicians alive today and the best of all time, alive or dead. Aretha was my lead female vocalist in both bands. Obviously, she is still the vocalist in my greatest band of all time, but I have to make a change in my band made up of people currently alive. This wasn't easy, because no one is even close to Aretha as a vocalist. I am choosing another living legend, Tina Turner, to take her spot. Tina has an interesting life story, and a strong voice with a distinctive raspy quality to it. Sing on, Tina!
