Aretha Franklin during the inauguration. Ouch!

[rocking_chair]

@Happy_Lendervedder

The hat was interesting, but four minutes into it I had to be reminded what song it was she was singing again. It became completely unrecognizable.

do you think her majesty the queen could recognize it?

[OneCentStamp]

@lieu

Subtlety in Excess: Aretha Franklin's Inauguration Hat

Looks like a freeway interchange.

Yes, actual size.

d&r

[Mariemarie]

Not ouch. I thought it was beautiful, and I bet she was getting emotional, which make sit hard to sing. The hat? Hardly even noticed it. The song? It was chosen for a damn good reason.

Like JRDelirious said,

I suppose that the choice of “America (My Country ‘Tis o’ Thee)” as opposed to “AtB” or “GBA” may have been an allusion to Dr. King’s speech (“from ev’ry mountaintop, let Freedom ring”).

From MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

'…I have a dream that one day on the **red hills of Georgia **the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
…

'This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

‘And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So **let freedom ring **from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening **Alleghenies **of Pennsylvania!..’

Aretha Franklin adlibbed the parts about Georgia and the Alleghenies into the end of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XX9s_w1leo

[gaffa]

@MizTina

I loved the hat! There was also a bright red fedora someone in the handshake line was wearing that was hot, hot, hot.

Who was that guy? He had the best location on the whole dais. And that red hat meant that all of his friend definitely could locate him “I’m the one in the red hat!”

[Wile_E]

@Jenaroph

When she took a breath between “coun” and “try” right off the bat, I cringed. And her background singers were over the top I thought. Ah well.

Yeah, once she sang “My cunt…” it was all pretty downhill from there.

[mobo85]

@Wile_E

Yeah, once she sang “My cunt…” it was all pretty downhill from there.

Sounds like someone else was watching Jon Stewart, too.

[minlokwat]

@rocking_chair

i liked the hat. that is a hat with presence. that is a church hat. it would easily fit into the book called “crowns”.

Off by one letter.

[WordMan]

@JRDelirious

Oh, on most other people the hat would have been appalling, but on Aretha? It goes with her. And yes, the singing was below usual Aretha standard, but heck, time does not pass in vain, and freezing air isn’t exactly helpful.

Basically how I feel about it. And for some folks who are commenting on her *melisma *- I would point out that she didn’t use much of it at all. She did NOT stretch words out forever, putting vowels through extended runs up or down scales. She did, however, modify the *phrasing *of the song. Similar to when Ray Charles lays off a lyric until the last. possible. moment. and yet somehow slips it in easy as you please (I am referring to his singing, although his bio pic suggests both *entendres *apply). Aretha worked with the phrasing of the song, backing off or using a different cadence as a means of emphasis. Classic Gospel tradition and entirely to be expected given the singer, the song, the history and the moment - she laid the phrasing on pretty thick, but I thought it went well with the hat ;). YMMV.

[Rigamarole]

Melisma is one of those things that can be rather pretty if used sparingly. This performance would not be such an example.

[WotNot]

@Vox_Imperatoris

I don’t care who sang it; that was a godawful rendition of that song. Plus it’s kind of weird to be singing a song to the same tune as “God Save the Queen” at the inauguration, anyway.

Amusingly, the commentator on BBC TV said “…and now Aretha Franklin will sing the Nation Anthem.”

I’m not sure which National Anthem he was thinking of, but he was wrong either way.

[Bridget_Burke]

@Mariemarie

Not ouch. I thought it was beautiful, and I bet she was getting emotional, which make sit hard to sing. The hat? Hardly even noticed it. The song? It was chosen for a damn good reason.

Like JRDelirious said,
From MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech.
Aretha Franklin adlibbed the parts about Georgia and the Alleghenies into the end of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XX9s_w1leo

No ouch from me, either. I had to catch Ms Franklin’s song on re-run this evening–but I was at home on Monday. So I saw MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech, once again. Yes, there’s a reason Ms Franklin picked that song.

If her singing style & amazing hat offended a few tighty whities, too bad. It was not about them. (I’m definitely Melanin Deficient–but my eyes & ears have been opened during my years on the planet.)

[Kalhoun]

The hat was hideous, but would have been worse on a smaller woman. I thought she started out pretty bad (couldn’t find her voice), but found it early enough that it wasn’t a total disaster. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give her an 8. And she’s usually an 11 for me.

[Kalhoun]

@Jenaroph

When she took a breath between “coun” and “try” right off the bat, I cringed. And her background singers were over the top I thought. Ah well.

That moment had us laughing so hard that I missed the next 15 seconds of the song!

[Neidhart]

Why does everybody nowadays feel they have to make those scalded-cat noises instead of actually singing?

Bring back Kate Smith!

[Kalhoun]

@WordMan

Basically how I feel about it. And for some folks who are commenting on her *melisma *- **I would point out that she didn’t use much of it at all. She did NOT stretch words out forever, putting vowels through extended runs up or down scales. She did, however, modify the *phrasing *of the song. ** Similar to when Ray Charles lays off a lyric until the last. possible. moment. and yet somehow slips it in easy as you please (I am referring to his singing, although his bio pic suggests both *entendres *apply). Aretha worked with the phrasing of the song, backing off or using a different cadence as a means of emphasis. Classic Gospel tradition and entirely to be expected given the singer, the song, the history and the moment - she laid the phrasing on pretty thick, but I thought it went well with the hat ;). YMMV.

Word…man. She did what she does to every song she sings. She puts Aretha all over it. All great singers put their own phrasing to a song to make it their own. Even the white guys. I dont’ know why this bothers people more with patriotic songs than it does with pop music, but I never heard anyone diss Frank Sinatra for Sinatra-ing the hell out of his songs. Vocal gymnastics is a whole 'nuther animal that was invented by singers who aren’t as good as the Arethas and Franks of the world…but wish they were.

[Caricci]

Yes, the hat was pretty wild (but not on her IMO) and she did almost sing about her cunt, but my main thing is: why oh why must it always be Aretha? I feel like, anytime there’s a big event, there she is. Aretha, Aretha, Aretha. She’s a big old cliche at this point.

[WordMan]

@Bridget_Burke

No ouch from me, either. I had to catch Ms Franklin’s song on re-run this evening–but I was at home on Monday. So I saw MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech, once again. Yes, there’s a reason Ms Franklin picked that song.

If her singing style & amazing hat offended a few tighty whities, too bad. It was not about them. (I’m definitely Melanin Deficient–but my eyes & ears have been opened during my years on the planet.)

You go girl.

[total hijack]
Bridget Burke- I tried using the email you have in your User CP a week or so ago - related to a completely different music thread. Not sure if that address is up to date, so thought I would make a brief mention here…
[/total hijack]

[Yorikke]

I wasn’t watching, just listening, but I thought it was awful. My wife thought it was great. I believe her quote was that “Aretha tore it up!” Crazy…

Joe

[Antinor01]

I relistened to the song last night to reassess my first opinion. Sadly I feel I was right the first time. Aretha’s voice is not as good as it used to be and the performance was poorly done. (for someone of her ability). As I noted in the pit thread, ms. Franklin has many well earned laurels and it might be time to rest on them.

[Wile_E]

@mobo85

Sounds like someone else was watching Jon Stewart, too.

Nope. I actually formed my own opinion all by myself!