Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics

[jobeterob]

After a big media splash, this album only last 6 weeks on the Billboard Top 200.

Does anyone know why?

Is it she is just regarded as too old and can't get any radio play? Or was the album not that good? Or is she regarded as having lost her voice? Or all of these?

[dickiemint]

In the UK it is already in the discount rack, I picked it up for £2.99 [[ about four dollars) I played it a couple of times but it is very disappointing, true her voice is nowhere near as good as it was in her Arista / who's zooming who days her version of Rolling in the Deep was the highpoint on the CD for me

[RobertZ]

Stating the unfortunate obvious, lack of interest on the part of the public. I'm an Aretha-holic and I'm sorry to say the concept of the album just did not interest me, nor did the final results. Several of the songs were quite good, but on the whole it's a Clive Davis karoke job. For me Aretha sounds just fine. I'd prefer to hear a more jazz-oriented album with Ms. Franklin featured on the piano. Or perhaps [[in another direction) a BB King covers disc; the "Sweet Sixteen" cover on "A Woman .." is awesome. Generally that disc far surpassed "Diva" to my ears.

[reese]

I liked quite a few songs on the cd and play it quite often. I think it might have done a bit better if the promotional campaign had been moved down a month. She appeared on the Today Show, David Letterman, and Kelly and Mike a full month before the cd was even available. When the cd was actually released, I don't recall any appearances.

And also, Aretha is 73 years old. While a few of her peers like say Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett are still making successful albums, most of them like Gladys and Dionne are not. Aretha had a longer chart history than most, making hits right up through 1998 with A ROSE IS STILL A ROSE.

[luke]

Her voice sounds ok to you? I think she needs to avoid her higher register.

[jobeterob]

Almost all those old gals need to avoid the higher register.

I know LA Reid recently said that Mariah Carey will never have another #1 hit ~ that radio has long ago abandoned her too. I think that's probably the key.

They can rest on their laurels but to have hits is toast.

[supremester]

I bow to The Queen always, but this CD was not to my liking. I hate it. I can't even play it and I agree with most of the reviews: she sounds half dead on it. I'm seeing her this summer again, as she is interesting live if not compelling. She's also doing a meet n greet in Atlantic City in June....... omg.......can you imagine what that will be like?? $400 for a room, ticket and pic with The Queen - I'm doing it, but I predict it will be cancelled. Anyway, I digress, I'm truly happy for those who enjoy this CD, I almost found it depressing that she sounds so ............................lifeless.

[jobeterob]

I liked Rolling in the Deep, especially to see Cissy behind her on Letterman. But I agree, the voice is pretty weak these days.

A lot of your Aretha plans will likely be cancelled, I agree.

Diana has said she'll quite if her voices fails ~ I hope she sticks to her word.

Hanging on forever when it's over is so painful to watch. Her voice was so weak on Letterman.

[reese]

A few months ago, I saw Aretha in concert and her voice was in great form. Last month, she was part of a gospel celebration at the White House and again, she sounded really good. I don't know if she has been doing less shows or what, but to my ears, it was some of the best singing she's done in a while.

[supremester]

I saw her at Radio City last June and she was just fine, but this CD made me zone out. I will always try to see Ree Ree once a year regardless of how she sounds, behaves or whatever. I'll Dionne once a year just to be admonished for being a bad, unappreciative audience. I'll see Martha & Gladys in my area. No one can sing like Martha Reeves!

[copley]

No one can sing like Martha Reeves!

I sure won't argue with that :)

[copley]

What I wrote last year.

Well I have just played all of Aretha's new album and was far from impressed. Now I love Aretha and have all of her Columbia & Atlantic recordings. The only Arista one I have is `Who's Zoomin' Who'. She's now 72 so no one can expect her to sound like she did in her heyday. However there comes a time when every good singer should call it a day and Aretha's time has come. Oh she's not unlistenable like some I could mention but her higher register has gone and she will insist in reaching for those high notes and sounds like a seagull in pain! As you know the album is all cover versions of well known songs, well all bar one at least. I'd never heard of `No One' by Alicia Keys before!

So let's go back to the `60's. Many of Aretha's greatest hits were cover versions :- Respect/Natural Woman/I Say A Little Prayer/Bridge Over Troubled Water/Spanish Harlem/Don't Play That Song/Eleanor Rigby/Satisfaction and many others. She made these songs her own although I can't stand her version of `Prayer'! Sadly on her new album Aretha has not been able to work the same magic with perhaps the exception of the aforementioned Alicia Keys song which I didn't know anyway. `I'm Every Woman' still belongs to Chaka Khan even with it turning into `Respect'! `I Will Survive' should be left only to Gloria and that includes Diana Ross's dismal version. `People', Teach Me Tonight' & `At Last' have all been done to death and Aretha adds nothing to them. The final nail in the coffin for me is her totally murderous version of the Prince penned Sinead O'Conner classic weepy `Nothing Compares 2 U'. Where Sinead under sings it with great depth of feeling that reduces me to tears Aretha has turned it into an up tempo big band swing version with scatterings of scat! I was reduced to tears of a different sort.

I would have loved to have loved this album but I just don't. Aretha over sings, the backing of many tracks is just too loud, the whole album is over produced. Sorry Aretha, time to retire gracefully

[jobeterob]

A Seagull in Pain!

Aretha's Say A Little Prayer, the live version, was magic.

[supremester]

I think it's the only thing I've ever said on this forum that nobody disagreed with.


I sure won't argue with that :)

[Roberta75]

I saw her at Radio City last June and she was just fine, but this CD made me zone out. I will always try to see Ree Ree once a year regardless of how she sounds, behaves or whatever. I'll Dionne once a year just to be admonished for being a bad, unappreciative audience. I'll see Martha & Gladys in my area. No one can sing like Martha Reeves!

You got that right supremester. Thats why the First Lady of Motwon Records Dr martha Reeves is in demand all over the world and shes the best singer ever to come out of Motown Records imo.

Fondly,

Roberta

[marv2]

Almost all those old gals need to avoid the higher register.

I know LA Reid recently said that Mariah Carey will never have another #1 hit ~ that radio has long ago abandoned her too. I think that's probably the key.

They can rest on their laurels but to have hits is toast.

Will Diana Ross get the chance to ever put out another record? I mean she is close to Aretha's age and has a had a pretty poor track record over the last three and a half decades. Would anyone bother trying to record her now and release material?

[RossHolloway]

Has Aretha ever gone back to Muscles Shoals to record?

[RossHolloway]

Please, I hope nobody takes the bait this time. Ignore them and they will go away.

[jobeterob]

I sure won't argue with that :)

I sure won't argue with it either.

And Martha also has the best fans!

[supremester]

She has the chance whenever she wants to. Her last album was #1 highest debut of the week, netted a 2 million dollar profit for her plus lots of producers have offered publicly to work with her whenever she wants. She might be over recording. She could have taken the deal with Clive but doesn't want a multi disc deal obligation. Miss Ross works when/where/how/if the mood strikes - not because of an obligation anymore.

Plus, with Mary's CD release imminent, she's probably avoiding the competition.


Will Diana Ross get the chance to ever put out another record? I mean she is close to Aretha's age and has a had a pretty poor track record over the last three and a half decades. Would anyone bother trying to record her now and release material?

[marv2]

She has the chance whenever she wants to. Her last album was #1 highest debut of the week, netted a 2 million dollar profit for her plus lots of producers have offered publicly to work with her whenever she wants. She might be over recording. She could have taken the deal with Clive but doesn't want a multi disc deal obligation. Miss Ross works when/where/how/if the mood strikes - not because of an obligation anymore.

Plus, with Mary's CD release imminent, she's probably avoiding the competition.


That is a nice fantasy thought, "She has the chance whenever she wants to"..... But the truth is that there is no one on this planet looking to record Diana Ross.

[Roberta75]

Oh please please please lets not turn this into another Diane versus Mary thread.

[supremester]

Maybe Nile Rogers was lying. Randy Jackson too. They would tell you the truth like Mary does. You get all the inside info like when you had "proof positive" and said Ross was bankrupt due to greedy investing with Bernie Madoff, remember? Those liberal bankruptcy courts let her keep enough for a few lavish weddings! LOL

You are priceless

[reese]

Has Aretha ever gone back to Muscles Shoals to record?

No. I NEVER LOVED A MAN was her first and last recording session there.

[supremester]

That is a nice fantasy thought, "She has the chance whenever she wants to"..... But the truth is that there is no one on this planet looking to record Diana Ross.
http://www.digitalspy.com/music/interviews/a596917/nile-rodgers-interview-i-want-diana-ross-on-new-chic-album.html#~pe2I0m8uzO0qKb

Maybe Nile Rogers was lying. Randy Jackson, HDH & David Foster too. They would tell you the truth [[like Mary does.) You get all the inside info like when you had "proof positive" and said Ross was bankrupt due to greedy investing with Bernie Madoff, remember? Luckily, those liberal bankruptcy courts let her keep enough for a few lavish weddings!

You are priceless

[detmotownguy]

I sure won't argue with it either.

And Martha also has the best fans!

Interesting, how does one measure the dependent variable of "best fans" to make that assertion? Thanks.

[jobeterob]

If Roberta is in your group, you have the best fans. She's kind and positive all the time.

[Bluebrock]

jobeterob - I couldn't have put it better myself. Roberta is an inspiration to us all. God bless her.

[RossHolloway]

No. I NEVER LOVED A MAN was her first and last recording session there.
That's too bad, it was one of her best albums.

[RobertZ]

If Roberta is in your group, you have the best fans. She's kind and positive all the time.
I agree to that!

[jobeterob]

I don't know Roberta other than I've seen her on Facebook ~ so she is a real person using her real first name on here.

I don't always agree with her - for example, I think Martha's voice is pretty much shot, maybe even worse than Aretha Franklins. And I'm not a committed Christian in the sense of a connection to a "church".

But Roberta stays true to her strong Christian beliefs and her loyalty to someone she admires [[Martha Reeves) is admirable. And Roberta is always kind ~ she ACTS like a Christian.

All of which is AWESOME!

[reese]

That's too bad, it was one of her best albums.

Actually, it was only the I NEVER LOVED A MAN single that was recorded in Muscle Shoals. They did some preliminary work on DO RIGHT WOMAN there as well. But after Ted White's fights with another musician and later, Rick Hall, the recording sessions were moved to NYC.

[Roberta75]

Thank you kindly Jibeterob and BlueBrock and dear RobertZ your kindness means a lot to me and it's real appreciated. IM very humbled and touched.

May God bless each and ever one you.

My kindest regards.

Roberta

[midnightman]

Aretha has been giving bad advice over the years. I think it's still in her to do a progressive jazz album. Clearly after years of experimenting, she can finally do something that would at least give her critical reviews as well as several Grammy nominations. That commercial pop field that she's seemingly still chasing with this album [[via Clive Davis/RCA's promotion of it) is not working. I won't compare her to Barbra or Tony or whoever because their successes on the charts are for very different reasons.

It didn't work because the project wasn't well produced. I know Ree had done great covers over the years but there comes a time when you interpret them to the way where it won't take away from the song [[which has always been the case for Patti LaBelle for instance) and it actually fits the song. Like I love what she and Quincy did with "Somewhere" from "Hey Now Hey", Aretha should do something like that again. Be experimental. It's been ages since she's been that.

[midnightman]

A few months ago, I saw Aretha in concert and her voice was in great form. Last month, she was part of a gospel celebration at the White House and again, she sounded really good. I don't know if she has been doing less shows or what, but to my ears, it was some of the best singing she's done in a while.

I saw a snippet of her performing a gospel song from that performance and I agree, she sounded great from the tidbit I heard. She also seemed to has kept the weight off [[and maybe lost a few more pounds :o ). I hope it's for the best. Aretha should try to protect not only herself [[she's over 70 now) and her voice.

[jobeterob]

What do you think are the reasons for the chart success of Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett.

I have no interest in Barbra Streisand but her success with that last album was huge. So huge, it almost pissed me off!

[midnightman]

^ Barbra being in Columbia since eons ago, I think, helped her out. Also whoever manages her managed to make a big PR move. Plus Barbra has never had an album that failed to go gold.

Tony had Lady Gaga.

[RobertZ]

What do you think are the reasons for the chart success of Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett.

I have no interest in Barbra Streisand but her success with that last album was huge. So huge, it almost pissed me off!

Easy. They both make top-notch, musically appropriate albums that their core + audiences want to hear. I love my Ms. Franklin and I think "Rollin'" rocks like a mofo [[especially the remixes that still get airplay on Sirius XM's EDM stations) but basically this is/was a Clive Davis Barry Manilow album. And the Starbucks-and-Shirazz crowd didn't buy it.

[RobertZ]

PS: Plus, the cover was Sears Portrait Studio fug.

[midnightman]

RobertZ brought in some good points. Definitely true about the cover. X_X

[captainjames]

Well, once again I am the odd man out,,,,,, I love the CD by Aretha.

[luke]

You gotta love her. She doesn't give a _____ what anyone else thinks but it was huge error on Clive Davis' part and his usual musical astuteness...

[marv2]

You gotta love her. She doesn't give a _____ what anyone else thinks but it was huge error on Clive Davis' part and his usual musical astuteness...

Which is a huge part of why she is the Queen [[including over here in the "Motown Forum") and why millions around the World love her!

[detmotownguy]

Which is a huge part of why she is the Queen [[including over here in the "Motown Forum") and why millions around the World love her!

I liked her latest cd but wasn't her best work. However Rolling was real good. The Queen has inspired and respected by many singers. There will never be another soulful voice like the Queen's. I was able meet her in Detroit a few years ago and was surprised how fan friendly she was to our group.

[marv2]

I liked her latest cd but wasn't her best work. However Rolling was real good. The Queen has inspired and respected by many singers. There will never be another soulful voice like the Queen's. I was able meet her in Detroit a few years ago and was surprised how fan friendly she was to our group.

Aretha's live version of Rolling In The Deep from Late Night with David Letterman should have been released commercially. I loved how they all sounded and the musicians were on point.

[midnightman]

You gotta love her. She doesn't give a _____ what anyone else thinks but it was huge error on Clive Davis' part and his usual musical astuteness...

Clive Davis hasn't made hits in a while since Whitney though.

[luke]

Kelly Clarkson, Jordan Sparks, Jennifer Hudson have done pretty well.

[midnightman]

Well not really BIG hits, I don't know about Jordin and Jennifer but I guess Kelly is still making hits?

[marv2]

Her voice sounds ok to you? I think she needs to avoid her higher register.

I think she needs to avoid a microphone.....yuk LOL