Friday the 13th obviously got to me … I’m surprised I lasted as long as I did on an album a day, but there was a wee blip in services. Let’s hope I continue on for another straight fortnight…
Today, rather mournfully, is the final of the brilliant BBC version of Sherlock Holmes. Woe. They do rather toy with our affections by only having three episodes per series; but the idea is to make each episode so exceptional and so filmicly amazing in its 3 x 90 minutes of lengthy brevity that you’re left wanting more.
Anyway, to celebrate, commemorate or mark this, I thought I’d review Aretha Franklin’s “Aretha Arrives”. I came to this album via the judiciously circulatory route due to Martin Freeman, who plays Dr John Watson, being a massive fan of American soul music. More specifically he was part of a rather special Culture Show, er, special on Motown music. And here is a nice link about his love of soul music.
When I first dipped into this album, I found it strange to approach Aretha Franklin’s music in a way that she herself had put together; I know her music very well, but I’m afraid it’s the compilation & Greatest Hits way of knowing her music.
The album certainly doesn’t diminish because it’s not jammed pack with hit after hit after hit; absolutely not. But it somehow strikes me as an unusual approach to such a well-known artist from forty years ago.
The title seems to suggest that this might be her first album, but a quick scan of Wikipedia tells me not. (In fact, it was her second album of the year!) The theme of the album seems to be about hanging on to a man; on “Never Let Me Go”, “Prove It” and “That’s Life” the man certainly seems to be on the side of grey when it comes to between good and bad, but there’s also the unstinting love that Franklin shows. “I Wonder” is the most evocative with Franklin imaging her man with another. Even a brief awareness of her biography hints at this being about a no-good husband, who she’s prepared to stand beside in spite of this. The song, “Night Life”, examines the consequences of misplaced love, but all the while Franklin asserts it’s better to have loved and lost, than not at all. “Listen to the blues and what they’re saying … but it’s my life, yes it is.”
The album opens with a cover of the Rolling Stones “Satisfaction”; commonplace amongst 60s artists to cover tracks by other artists (weirdly, I know this song better by Otis Redding’s version than that of the Stones). It always makes me shake my head to think of the cycle of this song; the Rolling Stones who were inspired by Muddy Waters giving back to soul singers like Franklin and Redding. Despite the fact that this song is about girls not giving out, Aretha makes it seem almost her own.
“You Are My Sunshine” is a slow burner: it starts off like a gospel, showing off Franklin’s tone, voice and range to great effect, and when it gets going just before the 2 minute mark, I can imagine it being a hit on the Northern Soul scene and rows of people kicking their feet and twisting their bodies in time to the beat.
The other cover is “96 Tears”, originally recorded by Question Mark and the Mysterians, only a year before Franklin’s album was released. It’s quirky and cool and I love the call and response between Aretha Franklin and her backing singers.
The album ends with the only single from it, “Baby I Love You”. It’s an unusual way to end – not just for leaving the (supposed) best to last, but also the song has a slightly different feel to the other songs. It starts like a country and western song (well, almost) and it's the most upbeat (though “Ain’t Nobody”’s jazzy feel comes a close second) and less lovelorn and mournful. It doesn't seem quite as indulgent as the previous songs; but gets to the point in less than three short, sharp minutes. It’s almost as if it’s signposting things to come – lifting us up for what is coming next and leaving us wanting more.
Certainly what the producer of Sherlock Holmes have in mind too!Aretha Arrives @ Wikipedia
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