These songs belong to Aretha Franklin for a reason. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the most vocally challenging masterpieces by the undisputed Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
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00:00Welcome to MissMojo, and today we're looking at the most vocally challenging masterpieces
00:07by the undisputed queen of soul, Aretha Franklin.
00:1110.
00:13I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Now
00:20Aretha Franklin slowed Dionne Warwick's hopping love ballad, I Say a Little Prayer,
00:25into an even more sophisticated rhythm.
00:28Equal to that is her correspondence with the Sweet Inspirations, who also performed
00:33on alumni Warwick's version.
00:41The backup singers harmonize secondary lead vocals that seamlessly take over the song's
00:46refrains.
00:47Franklin hits her notes with audible precision, without any loss of serene emotion.
00:51Even her most thrilling belts during the chorus are smoothly pulled in time for the inspirations.
01:05This infectious mix of romance and exciting energy turned Franklin's cover into one of
01:10her signature songs.
01:11The true feat of this pop classic, however, is how beautifully the vocal gymnastics cooperate.
01:209.
01:25I Can't Turn You Loose – Aretha Franklin's second self-titled album saw her
01:30moving from disco to more traditional funk.
01:33She especially hit the sweet spot in her fast-paced rearrangement of Otis Redding's I Can't
01:38Turn You Loose.
01:48Franklin naturally focuses more on soulful flourishes, with a matured raspiness to her
01:52mid and high notes.
01:54Far more unique is how she phrases this energy with the percussive rhythm.
02:08The drum and bass lay down some heavy funk, and yet Franklin doesn't miss a beat behind
02:12them and between the horn hues.
02:15Such firm discipline to an otherwise boisterous soul anthem really shows her adaptiveness
02:19in jams.
02:21Not many can get I Can't Turn You Loose that tight.
02:278.
02:31Sweet Bitter Love – Soul Sister – Who's Zoomin' Who?
02:35Franklin recorded three versions of Sweet Bitter Love over 20 years.
02:39The two definitive arrangements are very different, but equally enchanting.
02:44The 1966 rendition is a jazzy soul ballad that emphasizes breathy longing.
02:49Even the high notes follow a controlled passage that flows back into the dreamier crooning.
03:04The 1985 version is even softer, despite the gospel elements.
03:08When Franklin belts out of the haunted lilts, she completely roars.
03:20Sweet Bitter Love is not just another hidden gem, it reflects the evolution of a singer
03:25from the dreamy spirit of her 20s to a more introspective passion in her 40s.
03:30It's a testament to how much the right feel plays into the already technically demanding
03:35ballads.
03:407.
03:47Only the Lonely – Soft and Beautiful – The opening track of Soft and Beautiful perfectly
03:52establishes Aretha Franklin's objective to bring her soaring soul back to its emotive
03:57jazz roots.
03:58That doesn't mean her interpretation of the Sami Khan-Jimmy Van Heusen standard, Only
04:03the Lonely, is any less marvelous.
04:13It's a swooning, bluesy ballad that displays Franklin's painstaking melodic control.
04:19She gradually departs from the smoky likes of Frank Sinatra by crescendoing into soulful
04:24high notes, thoughtfully expressing the bittersweet lyric to its fullest.
04:35Only the Lonely is the ideal hook to a showcase of Franklin's unique jazz sound.
04:40Appearing on the compilation album Aretha Sings the Blues, it's also one of her most
04:45underappreciated marriages of pure emotion and refined technique.
04:546.
04:59You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman – Lady Soul – Few songs written specifically for
05:04Aretha Franklin embody her vocal richness as purely as You Make Me Feel Like a Natural
05:10Woman.
05:11The few love songs in general sound as sincere as this heart-wrenching classic.
05:21Franklin is gentle yet assertive in how she swoons through the verses with dreamy phrasing.
05:26The captivating chorus then shows off her heartfelt chops, but more through seamlessly
05:31layered scales than belting.
05:40It's all about the perfect pitch, and how organically Franklin evolves it throughout
05:44the song.
05:45A Natural Woman is a natural pop hit, whose deeply romantic lyrics and groove have been
05:49interpreted by many great singers.
05:52Of course, none can be paired with Franklin's mastery of emotion.
05:595.
06:03Skylark – Laughing on the Outside – Hoagie Carmichael and Johnny Mercer's tribute to
06:14Judy Garland is a staple of whimsical jazz vocals.
06:18Aretha Franklin's interpretation is steeped in classic orchestral pop, tender yet crisp
06:23in its exploration of scales.
06:25Still, no amount of vocal warm-up can prepare just anyone for the soaring heights in the
06:29crescendo.
06:36The highest note in the song may be one of the most striking notes Franklin ever delivered
06:41in the studio.
06:42This performance is a favorite among fans, including Franklin's biographer, David Ritz.
06:47He alleged that not even Etta James wanted to touch Skylark afterwards.
06:51From the longing lows to the soaring highs, the song is its own statement about Franklin's
06:56unrivaled melodic skill.
07:024.
07:09Respect – I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
07:15Although Otis Redding deserves respect for originating this touchstone of soul, Aretha
07:20Franklin owns it.
07:21Her Grammy-winning R&B arrangement of Respect sounds like a wild expression, when it's actually
07:27precisely phrased.
07:28The verse alternates between extended belts to command attention and melodic resolutions
07:33to convey attitude.
07:34The chorus's up-tempo rhythm with the backup vocals is infectious enough, but the explosive
07:39refrain is one of the greatest in the history of popular music.
07:51This demand for dignity, noticeably more impassioned than Redding's, is an altogether iconic anthem
07:57for both the singer and female empowerment.
08:00It's admittedly hard to sing alone.
08:02It's far harder to sing it like Franklin does.
08:083.
08:12Amazing Grace – Amazing Grace The live album Amazing Grace is hailed as
08:16one of the greatest recordings in all of gospel.
08:18The title track alone is the perfect expression of Franklin's faith and how it extended
08:23her talent.
08:39She draws John Newton's seminal hymn to 16 minutes, edited down to 10 for the album's
08:44original release.
08:45She ruminates on each note, scaling from chilling lows to uplifting highs against a rich backup
08:52choir.
08:53It's gospel vocalization at its most spectacular.
09:06Still it hardly feels overindulgent in how it resonates Franklin's piety to the wailing
09:11audience at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church.
09:15You just can't teach soul this genuine, if you can even handle the scope of the vocals.
09:342.
09:35Think – Aretha Now Franklin's definitive foray into funk
09:39really just concentrates the full measure of her soul.
09:42Co-written by Franklin herself, Think is a fiery love anthem that seems to allude to
09:47feminism and civil rights.
09:49For over two minutes straight, she bursts with passion that sails into some ridiculously
10:01high notes.
10:02The epic belts and piercing falsetto practically whip out of nowhere.
10:13Through it all, she keeps a brisk rhythm that disciplines this commanding energy.
10:18There really is a lot of thought put into all that feeling.
10:21Think's relentless hooks easily makes it one of Franklin's biggest and most distinct hits.
10:27You can't help moving to it, but you better think before trying to sing along.
10:38Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
10:41Angel, Hey Now Hey, The Other Side of the Sky – Enchanting flow and hypnotic harmonies
10:47live up to the song's title.
10:59Chain of Fools – Lady Soul The signature hit confronts a cheater with
11:03the perfect link between soulful sorrow and sassy rock and roll.
11:15Laughing on the Outside – Laughing on the Outside A jazzy ballad is adapted with devastating
11:20crying through a bright croon.
11:30Sisters are doing it for themselves – who's zooming who?
11:34Franklin and Eurythmics' Annie Lennox harmonise on a funky, fiery, feminist anthem.
11:46Today I Sing the Blues – Aretha with the Ray Bryant Trio
11:50Subtle emotional form and melodic perfection deliver one of Franklin's definitive blues
11:55ballads.
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12:22Ain't No Way – Lady Soul The masterpiece Lady Soul ends very much
12:37on a high note with Ain't No Way, written by Carolyn Franklin.
12:41The heartbreak ballad brings an intense desperation to her sister's poetic phrasing at its most
12:46progressive.
12:54It's a concentrated build from melancholy nostalgia to a sweeping final run.
12:58Meanwhile, Sissy Houston leads the sweet inspirations, and Carolyn's back up with a ghostly, operatic
13:05howl.
13:14Ain't No Way is a true singer's song, favoured and effectively covered by only the most elite
13:19vocalists.
13:21A performance on The Merv Griffin Show notably marked the perfect TV debut for Sissy's daughter,
13:27Whitney Houston.
13:28Still, there's no way to fully capture the technical and emotional magic in this confirmation
13:34of the Queen of Soul.
13:43What are your favorite Aretha Franklin songs to at least try to sing?
13:47Show your respect in the comments.
13:56Do you agree with our picks?
13:57Check out this other recent clip from MsMojo.
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