Aretha Franklin Sings "My Guy"!

**marv2** · 10-11-2014, 11:45 PM

Aretha sings her buddy Smokey Robinson's "My Guy" originally recorded by Mary Wells

**milven** · 10-12-2014, 12:50 AM

I never heard this or knew that it existed. It was jolting to hear her voice after the intro. She can do a remake of a song like no other and make it a hit all over again. But she does it with new arrangements and puts her own stamp on the song. [[Bridge Over Troubled Waters and I Say A Little Prayer)

Her voice and interpretation doesn't work here with this arrangement which is best left to Mary Wells.

supremester · 10-12-2014, 05:57 AM

OMG - I've never heard this before. I'm ROTF - I take my hat off to Queen Ree - she was trying everything and now she rules her realm. Bless you for sharing this! LOLOL Quick - inject me with Chain Of Fools!!

**johnbell** · 10-12-2014, 09:16 AM

Hate it, don't even recognize Aretha's Voice...if really from 1966, Aretha has definetly a more distinctive voice at that time?

supremester · 10-12-2014, 09:34 AM

I think that Queen Ree, searching for a hit sound, is trying [[in vain) to sound like the reigning queen of the airwaves in 1966. She's a great vocalist, and as such, able to sing in different styles hoping one would hit. Why not try to sound like the voice the world loves? Miss Ross did the same thing until she hit. It's what great vocalists do. This blows me away.

**reese** · 10-12-2014, 10:21 AM

This is from her 1964 album RUNNIN' OUT OF FOOLS, produced by Clyde Otis. It was one of her only albums on the Columbia label to go after the younger record-buying audience. As a result, it was full of remakes of hit songs from the period like MY GUY, WALK ON BY, and EVERY LITTLE BIT HURTS as well as a few originals.

**Mark Desjardines** · 10-12-2014, 10:55 AM

Just before Aretha left the Columbia label Name: R-3195690-1322571977.jpg
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producer Clyde Otis had some solid R&B chart success with her recording "Take A Look." Once Aretha caught fire at Atlantic, Columbia dusted off some of their some soulful sessions with Aretha and recorded funkier arrangements and added hip backing vocals by Valerie Simpson among others. Aretha sued and successfully halted further sales of this recording, "Today I Sing The Blues," which copies come up for sale from time to time.

**Roberta75** · 10-12-2014, 11:24 AM

Sorry but this isnt good. Aretha should have left this alone. Thats a Mary wells classic.

robera

**LuvHangOva** · 10-12-2014, 11:52 AM

I think it's fine. It's typical of what Ree did at Columbia Records before moving to Atlantic. I'm sure she wasn't trying to compete with the Mary Wells hit. She's just doing it with her own spin which she has always done. She did the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" , Glen Campbell' s "Gentle On My Mind", Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears" and countless others with varying degrees of success. My hat's off to Ree for not allowing herself to be locked into the persona of the brash, finger pointin', in your face "sista" we all love from "Respect". Apparently she appreciates music of many different types. Her voice is her "instrument" and like any great artist, she must enjoy flexing her creative muscle. I've always given her my attention, whatever she does. The attempts don't always work but I appreciate Ree. the artist who is not afraid to sing "outside the box"

**marv2** · 10-12-2014, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by LuvHangOva

I think it's fine. It's typical of what Ree did at Columbia Records before moving to Atlantic. I'm sure she wasn't trying to compete with the Mary Wells hit. She's just doing it with her own spin which she has always done. She did the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" , Glen Campbell' s "Gentle On My Mind", Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears" and countless others with varying degrees of success. My hat's off to Ree for not allowing herself to be locked into the persona of the brash, finger pointin', in your face "sista" we all love from "Respect". Apparently she appreciates music of many different types. Her voice is her "instrument" and like any great artist, she must enjoy flexing her creative muscle. I've always given her my attention, whatever she does. The attempts don't always work but I appreciate Ree. the artist who is not afraid to sing "outside the box"

I said the same thing the first time I saw and heard her sing "Nessun Dorma" amazing!

**milven** · 10-12-2014, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

I said the same thing the first time I saw and heard her sing "Nessun Dorma" amazing!

I was just about to point out the same example. I have tremendous respect [[pun intended) for Aretha's talent and love most of the covers of songs that she records - but not this one.

**antceleb12** · 10-12-2014, 01:08 PM

I love this. I think she sounds great here.

**LuvHangOva** · 10-12-2014, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by milven

I was just about to point out the same example. I have tremendous respect [[pun intended) for Aretha's talent and love most of the covers of songs that she records - but not this one.

It's important to realize that when Ree did some of the other remakes: Don't Play That Song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Respect et al S-H-E was involved with the arrangements and the "vibe" of those at Atlantic Records..even playing keyboards on most. Earlier at Coluimbia she was preseented with sterile, insipid arrangements developed by someone else. Knowing those details my thought that this recording of My Guy sounds "fine" is because I kept those unfortunate circumstances in mind. Much unlike Motown, Columbia didn't bother to pair Ree with the "right" producers/arrangers.

**milven** · 10-12-2014, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by LuvHangOva

It's important to realize that when Ree did some of the other remakes: Don't Play That Song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Respect et al S-H-E was involved with the arrangements and the "vibe" of those at Atlantic Records..even playing keyboards on most. Earlier at Coluimbia she was preseented with sterile, insipid arrangements developed by someone else. Knowing those details my thought that this recording of My Guy sounds "fine" is because I kept those unfortunate circumstances in mind. Much unlike Motown, Columbia didn't bother to pair Ree with the "right" producers/arrangers.

Thanks for pointing this out. It makes sense. What is missing on this is Aretha's involvement and her signature. Just about every remake of a song that she does, is better than the original. In fact, sometimes her remakes are so different and unique that they become separate songs. I'll always like S&G's Bridge, but the one that I constantly play is by Aretha.

I now understand your point when you say that Aretha's version of MY GUY is "fine"