Aretha Franklin: You Keep Me Hangin On

[jobeterob]

[jobeterob]

From the Diva Classics

[jobeterob]

[jobeterob]

A superb performance; as the new book says, she sings or plays the piano and the introvert is gone.

[marybrewster]

Ree is PAINTED in that photo. And shopped, LOL.

I've always wondered, when an artist covers a Supremes song, why does it tend to be a handful of the same title? I mean, how many times has "You Keep Me Hangin' On" been done? Same with "You Can't Hurry Love"?

I wish she would have taken on something meatier, like "Love Child".

[captainjames]

The Queen sounds good at whatever she sings !!! She did "Reach Out And Touch
" once as well.

[jobeterob]

Ree is PAINTED in that photo. And shopped, LOL.

I've always wondered, when an artist covers a Supremes song, why does it tend to be a handful of the same title? I mean, how many times has "You Keep Me Hangin' On" been done? Same with "You Can't Hurry Love"?

I wish she would have taken on something meatier, like "Love Child".

Generally, even the strongest singers have not come off well doing Diana Ross, on her own or with the Supremes.

[Methuselah2]

I think Aretha should have tried LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE.

[marybrewster]

I just think there is nothing "special" about this cover; not even Aretha's hootin' and hollerin' can make this anything more than a throwaway track. Maybe it's because it's been done to death that this doesn't stand out.

I'd much rather hear her gospel throwdown on something like "Thank Him For Today".

I find all of this a bit ironic; Aretha doing an album of "diva" covers. Wasn't it The Queen herself that always took issue when another artist "did" one of her songs? How come she gets a free pass?

[Lulu]

I just think there is nothing "special" about this cover; not even Aretha's hootin' and hollerin' can make this anything more than a throwaway track. Maybe it's because it's been done to death that this doesn't stand out.

I'd much rather hear her gospel throwdown on something like "Thank Him For Today".

I find all of this a bit ironic; Aretha doing an album of "diva" covers. Wasn't it The Queen herself that always took issue when another artist "did" one of her songs? How come she gets a free pass?

Marybrewster, you have me laughing this afternoon. I was thinking hootin' and hollerin' as well. I thought Aretha's original cover of this track from the vaults posted at the top of the thread was really stellar. This one pales in comparison and she ain't doing it any favors whipping out her bag of tricks!!!

[bradsupremes]

I find all of this a bit ironic; Aretha doing an album of "diva" covers. Wasn't it The Queen herself that always took issue when another artist "did" one of her songs? How come she gets a free pass?

The funny thing is...a lot of Aretha's hits are covers! "Respect," "I Say A Little Prayer," "Until You Come Back To Me," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "You're All I Need To Get By," "Spanish Harlem," etc.

[Lulu]

The funny thing is...a lot of Aretha's hits are covers! "Respect," "I Say A Little Prayer," "Until You Come Back To Me," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "You're All I Need To Get By," "Spanish Harlem," etc.

Not to mention the non-hits! There is at least one cover on nearly every album!

[jobeterob]

I bet this is another one of those stories that fans that really aren't fans pass around - Aretha probably said next to nothing like the often passed around story that NO ONE was to cover her songs!

[LuvHangOva]

A superb performance; as the new book says, she sings or plays the piano and the introvert is gone.

Of all the things she is [[and there is a looooooooong list thereof ..not all posiitive) Ree is one hell of a piano player. Nobody can play "gospel piano" like she can...self taught at that ..check out the intro to Don't Play That Song for an example. .Her version of Reach Out And Touch on her on her album "Live At The Fillmore West" is phenomenal... She does a nice version of Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears" on ''Soul '69' too . "You Keep Me Hangin On"? Ill advised to be sure but I give her credit for being musically fearless. You just expect Ree to bust out and sing anything .

[LuvHangOva]

A superb performance; as the new book says, she sings or plays the piano and the introvert is gone.

Of all the things she is [[and there is a looooooooong list thereof ..not all posiitive) Ree is one hell of a piano player. Nobody can play "gospel piano" like she can...self taught at that ..check out the intro to Don't Play That Song for an example. .Her version of Reach Out And Touch on her on her album "Live At The Fillmore West" is phenomenal... she does a nice version of Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears" on ''Soul '69' too . "You Keep Me Hangin On"? Ill advised to be sure but I give her credit for being musically fearless.

We can just expect Ree to bust out and sing anything at anytime .

[stephanie]

Aretha can do covers better than the original artists in most cases but this is just ok. Must admit when Ross puts her vocals on a hit it is hard to be as good. I DID like Phil Collins version of You Cant Hurry Love though but it didnt have the punch of Easy Lover.

[marybrewster]

I bet this is another one of those stories that fans that really aren't fans pass around - Aretha probably said next to nothing like the often passed around story that NO ONE was to cover her songs!

But isn't that like every other rumor; if you say it enough times it becomes truth? LOL.

[RossHolloway]

I bet this is another one of those stories that fans that really aren't fans pass around - Aretha probably said next to nothing like the often passed around story that NO ONE was to cover her songs!

In her autobiography Confessions of a Motown Diva didn't Martha Reeves say that after a performance Aretha Franklin confronted her backstage about singing her song in her act and told her to stop?

And sure enough if you look on Martha & The Vandellas Live album from 1967 the group performs a medley of Do Right Woman, Do Right Man and Respect. Interesting.. In 1967 wouldn't Martha & The Vandellas have been a bigger act than Aretha at that point in time?

[jobeterob]

Not sure; weren't I Never Loved A Man and Respect from '67. It might have been Aretha's first taste of a hit.

It is for sure that Aretha has an ego as big as the Grand Canyon as do most of the Diva's ~ but not sure she did in 1967. And the ego is just a front for a lot of insecurity from her childhood.

I'll post Adele's Rolling in the Deep. Her version totally washes Aretha's away. Still Aretha's is nice to have.

[jobeterob]

[supremester]

I bow to The Queen - she is forever in my Holy Trinity [[Gladys, Ree, Martha/Jhud) with Miss Ross - The Supreme Being rising far above. That being said, I cannot abide this album. I like At Last, Rolling in The Deep but the rest is like she's a zombie. YKMHO sounds like she recorded it after waking up to pee and wasn't alert yet. Wish I could like this set, I can't even listen to it.

[LuvHangOva]

It's too bad Ree's latest album is getting such an uneven response because the new book about her is hands down the best biography I have EVER read. David Ritz has done a superlative job and obviously knows his subject very well. I can say that loudly here in a Motown Forum because there are early appearances in the book from Berry Gordy's sister Anna and Smokey Robinson among others basically saying they could tell before Ree hit her teens that the girl was poised to kick A-S-S. Thankfully I've been exposed to some of her work outside of the "Respect", "Chain of Fools", "Natural Woman", "Freeway Of Love" mold ... Aside from those in her prime Ree was a HUGE musical force to be reckoned with. My music collection is filled things she has done that still amaze me with her artistry.

[jobeterob]

It's a good book, mostly built around interviews with Carolyn, Cecil, and Erma - her siblings; and with Earline, Cecil's wife, and Jerry Wexler.

But Aretha's view of this biography is that is is lies, lies, and more lies ~ a common refrain when you don't like something.

And this biography is definitely warts and all, with lots of warts.

[reese]

Aretha threatens to sue.

http://pagesix.com/2014/11/11/aretha...zed-biography/

[Roberta75]

Aretha threatens to sue.

http://pagesix.com/2014/11/11/aretha...zed-biography/

Arethas maybe trying to keep her name out there to keep getting publicity for her new album but i seriouslly doubt shell follow through on this lawsuit. i bet David Ritz and his publishers have crossed the i and dotted the t.

Roberta

[LuvHangOva]

Arethas maybe trying to keep her name out there to keep getting publicity for her new album but i seriouslly doubt shell follow through on this lawsuit. i bet David Ritz and his publishers have crossed the i and dotted the t.

Roberta

I think you're right Roberta. What's funny is she gave her approval [[read had total CONTROL over) everything David Ritz revealed about her in "From These Roots". If you think opinions of Ree's latest album are divided DO YOURSELF A FAVOR drop whatever you're doing right now to the floor and cruise on over to Amazon.com and.check out the reader reviews of THAT book and remember it's her story the way SHE wants it told. Hahahaha. One of my favorite reviews of that one is from a reader who said its extreme shallowness must be the result of>>>>>> a lifetime of overindulgence in "mac n cheese, menthol cigarettes and pickled meats"....... HaHaha .... I can't remember the last time I laughed soooo hard!!!!!! Most of the reviews are below negative. I remember being aghast when she shared with us that while appearing at the Apollo Theatre she discovered a nearby restaurant had "THE best French fries in the world!" .. Later she amazed us by revealing that she was able to stroll the sandy beachfront of the French Riviera while wearing high heels!!!!!!!!! Apparently those are the kind of "facts" Ree thinks are suitable for her biography. Don't take my word...read the reviews!!

Sadly, I purchased that one too. It's so awful that it's unintentionally hysterical!!!

Ham hocks anyone???

[jobeterob]

I'm a third of the way through the book.

The negative about Aretha so far is she and Ted have a drinking problem; he says hers lasted from the late 60's to the early 70's and she has it under control.

He says she was known for "no shows". Everyone knew that already. It's a matter of fact.

He says Ted beat her up or slapped her around or words to that effect; well, he didn't say it, her relatives did.

And beyond that it says she was terribly shy and introverted and when she sang, sat at the piano or stepped out on stage, that went away.

I don't see what the big deal is.

There's a few lines about being miffed that Gladys Knight and the Pips did not thank her when she allowed them to fly with her to a Martin Luther King memorial; and I think her sister said that she typically focused on some silly little thing like that.

She's just a human being with a great voice.

[LuvHangOva]

I'm a third of the way through the book.

The negative about Aretha so far...

I don't see what the big deal is.

There's a few lines about being miffed that Gladys Knight and the Pips did not thank her when she allowed them to fly with her to a Martin Luther King memorial; and I think her sister said that she typically focused on some silly little thing like that.

She's just a human being with a great voice.

the big deal is not with us, the public... It's with Ree. There are things she's been refusing to discuss forever... The names of the fathers of her two first sons' for one. No one really gives a flyin fark of course but SHE does. There are tons of other inconsequential things she has refused to discuss for decades. I won't enumerate them here but there are many more guarded "secrets" she was keeping close to her [[ample) chest. Which has made some increasingly curious. You're right...she's human and sh*t happens. None of this would be a big deal if she hadn't drawn our attention to it. Ree is an amazing artist which she will be remembered for in the long run.

She should sing and play the piano and stop being concerned with what "we" would think "if"

[jobeterob]

I totally agree.

Well, it's all out there now, names and all, relatives and all.

I wouldn't care for some of it to be written about me either.............but I didn't sell 75 million records, have a couple of kids at 12 and 14 and get quite so prissy in front of the camera quite so often!

It's a little late to sue; whoever wants the book has it.

[marv2]

Say anthing you want.......means nothing. We are STILL in the 'Age of Aretha' our great queen! .

[honest man]

[QUOTE=LuvHangOva;258415]the big deal is not with us, the public... It with Ree. There are things she's been refusing to discuss forever... The names of the fathers of her two first sons' for one. No one really gives a flyin ]

Maybe she does not not know-remember who the father of her sons are,thats maybe the reason she won't recall.just sayin'

[jobeterob]

[QUOTE=honest man;258439]

the big deal is not with us, the public... It with Ree. There are things she's been refusing to discuss forever... The names of the fathers of her two first sons' for one. No one really gives a flyin ]

Maybe she does not not know-remember who the father of her sons are,thats maybe the reason she won't recall.just sayin'

LOL, well the book remembers [[I think).

The fathers are not Sam Cooke; they are not the same guy; I think they were someone from school or the church or something; but maybe the source wasn't correct, hard to tell these things for sure unless you only doing it with one guy.

[marv2]

[QUOTE=jobeterob;258467]

LOL, well the book remembers [[I think).

The fathers are not Sam Cooke; they are not the same guy; I think they were someone from school or the church or something; but maybe the source wasn't correct, hard to tell these things for sure unless you only doing it with one guy.

One thing we know. She was not the only one to have children out of wedlock.

[milven]

One thing we know. She was not the only one to have children out of wedlock.

You're right. Didn't the lead singer of a famous girl group also have a kid our of wedlock? Was it Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters? I can't remember. But I know it was some famous singer of a girl group. right?

And as you said, it is nothing new. Loretta Young had a love child with Clark Gable, sent the baby to an orphanage and then later adapted it with her husband.

It was one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets for decades until the truth came out after 60 years.


Judy Lewis - the secret love child of Clark Gable and Loretta Young, revealed in her memoir that she was conceived in 1935 when Loretta Young, , and the married Gable, were shooting a movie.

Loretta concealed her pregnancy and placed her daughter in an orphanage at eight months. She brought her into public view at 19 months, saying she was her adopted child.

So, nothing new. But if Aretha doesn't want to discuss it, why should she?

[LuvHangOva]

You're right. Didn't the lead singer of a famous girl group also have a kid our of wedlock? Was it Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters? I can't remember. But I know it was some famous singer of a girl group. right?

And as you said, it is nothing new. Loretta Young had a love child with Clark Gable, sent the baby to an orphanage and then later adapted it with her husband.

It was one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets for decades until the truth came out after 60 years.


Judy Lewis - the secret love child of Clark Gable and Loretta Young, revealed in her memoir that she was conceived in 1935 when Loretta Young, , and the married Gable, were shooting a movie.

Loretta concealed her pregnancy and placed her daughter in an orphanage at eight months. She brought her into public view at 19 months, saying she was her adopted child.

So, nothing new. But if Aretha doesn't want to discuss it, why should she?

All so very true BUT the main issue here [[I believe) is that Ree was TWELVE years old at the time AND her father was a very well known BAPTIST minister in a major city AND she had another one at 14. Not my business and I don't care but I can certainly understand the gossip and melodrama surrounding it.

[jobeterob]

The real damage that is done is done to the child that has a child at 12 and 14. No wonder Aretha gets a little cranky at times. No wonder she doesn't want to talk about it. It's called child abuse.

[LuvHangOva]

The real damage that is done is done to the child that has a child at 12 and 14. No wonder Aretha gets a little cranky at times. No wonder she doesn't want to talk about it. It's called child abuse.

It's probably a good thing Berry Gordy was not successful in signing Ree to Motown. Her father said something like "ummm ....I think NOT" lol.. Trying to manage her
A-N-D Miss Ross at the same time would surely have been an
IMPOSSIBLE MISSION!!! instead we got em both!! Both iconic and my favorite two entertainers... For vastly different reasons WHEW!! That was a close one!!!

[jobeterob]

Very true; good post; in their own ways, the Gordys and the Franklins were iconic Detroit families and Rev. Franklin and Berry would not have got on other than on each others nerves.

[Roberta75]

Aretha throws some major shade at her fellow divas.

http://gawker.com/aretha-franklin-is...ade-1658013219

Roberta

[marv2]

Aretha throws some major shade at her fellow divas.

http://gawker.com/aretha-franklin-is...ade-1658013219

Roberta

I enjoyed this interview/article. Thanks Roberta. I especially enjoyed this part:

Diana Ross

In addition to the impersonation above, Franklin attempted to claim "It's My Turn" as her own, about a year after Ross had a hit with it. This proved effective in the late '60s when Franklin covered "I Say a Little Prayer" just months after Dionne Warwick made it a hit. Franklin's drop-dead brilliant version of that song was called the definitive version by its writer, Burt Bacharach.

Producer Arif Mardin recounted Franklin's "Turn" to Ritz:


But "It's My Turn" was only a year old, and it was far too early to forge a cover version. Aretha disagreed. She felt strongly that the song was more suited to her style than Diana's. Yes, but Diana already at the hit. "I don't care," Aretha said, "it's my turn."


The author was able to share this without being jumped on or called names....... great!

[milven]

..... The author was able to share this without being jumped on or called names....... great!

Maybe there is a lesson to be learned here. The author made no attempt to knock Diana in the article as he stated that Aretha had a good track record with remakes. I agree with him. She has remarkable versions of BRIDGE, PRAYER, RESPECT and more. And she makes them her own. As for the statement of releasing so soon after Diana's version, didn't Marvin successfully do the same when he released GRAPEVINE one year after Gladys' version? And it became the biggest selling record of Motown up til that time.

As for Aretha' version of It's My Turn, I like it.

[sansradio]

Aretha throws some major shade at her fellow divas.

http://gawker.com/aretha-franklin-is...ade-1658013219

Roberta

My, oh, my. Thanks, Roberta! I'm salivating to grab a copy of this. No wonder she wants to sue Ritz!

[jobeterob]

Aretha has massive insecurity, financial, personal problems ~ but she always does what she wants or walk out. She shall wear her Crown til death; as she said, Queen Elizabeth will and so will she!

She says Smokey and Diana and her and Marvin are [[were in Marvin's case) not about their last hit ~ they were much more than that.

The Eurythmics wanted Tina Turner for Sisters, but they never told Aretha. Big ego clashes with Luther.

The portion about It's My Turn concludes with Aretha did the song because she wanted to but it wasn't a hit.

[jobeterob]

Aretha Franklin demands 'Respect': Legendary diva dismisses explosive new biography as ‘Lies and more lies!’

Author David Ritz's tome claims Franklin was jealous of other singers, alleges she battled alcoholism during the height of her fame and addresses her supposed promiscuity from age 13.

BY Jim Farber /

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS /

Monday, November 24, 2014, 4:45 PM

Aretha Franklin slammed ‘Respect,’ a new unauthorized biography about her life and career.


Do not cross the Queen!

Aretha Franklin has issued a blistering statement, condemning the author of an explosive new book about the Queen of Soul titled “Respect.”

The most sensational parts of David Ritz’s 520-page tome portray the legend as delusional about her love life, jealous of other successful female singers, manipulative of her sisters, highly demanding of those around her and consistently irresponsible about money.

It also details her alleged alcoholism during the height of her fame in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, and her supposed promiscuity starting from age 13.

Franklin’s statement begins, “As many of you are aware, there is a very trashy book out there full of lies and more lies about me. Clearly the writer has no class, no conscience or standards!”

According to the statement, Franklin takes particular offense to the fact that she had hired Ritz to write her official biography, “Aretha: From These Roots,” in 1999. “His actions are obviously vindictive because I edited out some crazy statements he had the gall to try and put in my book written 15 years ago,” the star writes. “Evidently, he has been carrying this hatred ever since.”

In the new book, Ritz says one prime motivation for taking a second crack at her life was to provide a fairer, and truer, context for Franklin’s background and talent. In his intro, he says he felt forced to completely sanitize her life in the first, star-approved biography.

In her statement, Franklin expresses outrage over the jealousy charges.

“To say I was jealous of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston is just plain crazy!!!,” she writes. “After 50 years of great family, friends, fans, music and concerts; 18 Grammy Awards — a record number, the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian award in the country, and too many other awards for which I'm thankful. Please give me one reason why I would be jealous? I appreciate and enjoy them all!”

Ritz’s book also asserts that Franklin sought to quash the careers of her talented sisters, Carolyn and Erma.


‘Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin,’ was written by her former official biographer, David Ritz.

‘Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin,’ was written by her former official biographer, David Ritz.


Many of the most damning quotes in the book come from the sisters, as well as from her longtime booking agent Ruth Bowen.

All three are deceased.

In the latter part of the book, Ritz claims Franklin regularly invented phantom lovers. He asserts that she hinted to the press that she had romantic relationships with famous men, like Tavis Smiley, which were in fact platonic.

The more personal aspects of the book would strike even arch fans as fresh considering Franklin has always been tight-lipped or evasive with the press.

Ritz, one of the most prolific and respected music biographers of the modern era, also devotes huge portions of his book to appreciating Franklin’s enormous talent and seminal recordings.

Reached by the News, the author said, “I look at the book as an homage to Aretha’s artistic genius. I think it is a careful and empathic delineation of a life in which a great star survived, and even thrived, in the complex culture of show business.”

Rumors had it that Franklin was going to sue over the book, but Ritz said he, his agent, and publisher Little, Brown and Co. haven't received any legal notice. Franklin’s publicist said “there is no word on that just yet.”

For now, the star seems content with the statement, which ends with an assessment of Ritz, followed by a plea: “He's desperate to get over on sensationalism. People, it's my greatest hope that no one will waste their money on that trashy book of sick lies. After duping you, he'll go to the bank with your money!!!”

jfarber@nydailynews.com

[RobertZ]

I'm a third of the way through the book.

The negative about Aretha so far is she and Ted have a drinking problem; he says hers lasted from the late 60's to the early 70's and she has it under control.

He says she was known for "no shows". Everyone knew that already. It's a matter of fact.

He says Ted beat her up or slapped her around or words to that effect; well, he didn't say it, her relatives did.

And beyond that it says she was terribly shy and introverted and when she sang, sat at the piano or stepped out on stage, that went away.

I don't see what the big deal is.

There's a few lines about being miffed that Gladys Knight and the Pips did not thank her when she allowed them to fly with her to a Martin Luther King memorial; and I think her sister said that she typically focused on some silly little thing like that.

She's just a human being with a great voice.

Best quote about this book so far: "She's just a human being with a great voice"! I liked the book for its professional insight, and I kept thinking, as the personal issues arose, about the fact that everyone I've ever known has had some of the personal problems [[family, phobias, substance problems, etc) that Ms. Franklin has faced. I thought the most disingenuous statement was Erma's statement that Aretha does not see in the mirror the person everyone else does. Neither does anyone else on the face of the earth!