Don't Play That Song! Classic Rock Edition

We went to a local “bistro” (you know the kind, interesting sounding food, small portions, no tablecloth, too expensive).  In such a straight neighborhood, it was a relief to find something even slightly funky, though.

The service was friendly, and the atmosphere laid back. We were having a good time until we noticed how disappointing the music was. It wasn’t the awful Easy Listening a la Air Supply, etc., but it was a litany of the most overplayed hits of the seventies. Why, after all this time, are we still hearing this shit?

So I say that it’s time we made a list – the Don’t Play That Song list - and send it to every radio station on earth. Let’s start with Classic Rock, because it's been around so long now that the overplayed songs are especially grievous offenders. (Plus, I don’t know the names of the ones that aren’t Classic Rock.)

And lest you feel I’m picking on some otherwise worthy artists, allow me to explain that overplaying their hits is actually unfair to them. Every time you hear one of these songs you’re missing an equally good other song by that very same artist. Let’s not even get into other artists who deserved some of the limelight but never got it because the radio station was too busy playing... well, any of these songs for the 10,000th time.

Of course, there are some artists who sucked from the get-go and they're overplayed songs are the best they can manage.  They’re like your talkative aunt or strange uncle. We’re stuck with them, but we don’t go out of our way to see them.

The songs below are so well known I won’t even name the bands. And I offer some alternatives by those same artists. I’m NOT saying the alternatives are better (although in some cases they are), nor am I saying that the songs are bad (although some are).

C'mon, if you give this even two minute's thought, you could come up with your own list. Here’s mine:


The Obvious:

“Stairway to Heaven”:
No surprise here, really.  I’ve done such a good job of ignoring this song over the years, that it almost sounds okay again now.  But not quite.
Instead, try this one: “That’s the Way”

“Margaritaville”
I like Jimmy Buffett almost as much as the next drunk, but this well-written song is every sixty-something's excuse to not seek out a thousand other equally good songs.
Almost anything else by Jimmy deserves your attention.

“Free Bird”
This one is just too freaking long, especially the live version, the ending of which is ridiculous. If you’ve just got to request a song at a concert, show some imagination. Make it “Whippin’ Post”.
But if it’s got to be Skynyrd, make it “Whiskey Rock n Roller” or “Tuesday’s Gone”.


Less Obvious, Just as Annoying:

“Listen to the Music”
Please don’t.  It was 1972 and already a long way from the sixties. Ushering in an age of lowered expectations four years before Jimmy Carter. Not bad. Just a grim reminder of how uninteresting things can get.
“Without You” rocks a lot more, even if they were still waiting for a good singer to show up.

“Summer Breeze”
This one is so overplayed it literally hurts when it comes on. I still like the bridge, but the verse, chorus and guitar-riff take up too much collective space in our brains. Anyone who voluntarily plays it should be flogged.
“Ridin Thumb” is a weird little alternative.

By the way, these last two songs were played back to back at an otherwise wonderful seafood place in the Village recently.  (Yes, all my traumatic musical episodes occur while eating out.) Yet more crap followed so I came to suspect they were being ironic. We visited their sister restaurant a few years ago, where they had a knockout playlist of 60s music. What the hell happened?!

“Heart of Gold”
Et tu, Neil? How about “New Mama” from Harvest’s polar opposite Tonight’s the Night.

“I Wanna Be Sedated”
Yeah, it’s great, but as their commercial break through it allowed normal people to feel cool by liking them. There are dozens of other equally brilliant Ramones songs, and I can guarantee you won’t hear them at a wedding, like “Cretin Hop”. But just about anything from the first four albums would do.
But this relatively anti-social "Beat on the Brat" will do. (Don't worry, I played it around the kids and they turned out fine. Sort of.)

“Sultans of Swing”
Really? Again?
“Water of Love”

“You Better You Bet”
Come on.  This song kind of sucks. You know it. I know it.  The only reason we even know this song exists is because the Who did it.  It would never pass the If Someone Unknown Did It test.
Try just about anything before Tommy, Like “Relax”, from The Who Sell Out, which is, by the way, the greatest album of all time.  (Yeah, I said it.)

“Against the Wind”
Also, “Like a Rock”, or anything involving nature. Bob's a city boy, so let's go with his best song ever.
“Main Street”

“Refugee”
It sounded good the first time I heard it, okay the next second time. But that was it. The next 10,000 times occurred in the 80s, and it epitomizes all that’s wrong with Tom Petty.  He thinks he’s better than he is. He invests a lot of feeling in a pretty unoriginal song.
Go with most of “Full Moon Fever” or my favorite, “Shadow of a Doubt (Complex Kid)”

“Tempted”
Not anymore.
Try “Up the Junction”, which will rip your heart out.

“Tainted Love”
I'm breaking my rule here. This song sucked from the get-go, and the idea that anyone could extract any joy from it is beyond my comprehension. This is what they mean when they say that white guys have no rhythm. And I oughtta know.
The original - sung by a female - has more balls.


Repeat Offenders:

Billy Joel:
BJ manages a Trifecta here:
“Piano Man” - I can still get through it with the help of the words, but JESUS.
“It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me” - Pure BS (again, I ought to know) from someone who didn’t get punk/new wave.  He should stick to pop, which he’s actually good at.
“You May Be Right” – This one makes me sick.  I hate self-described “crazy” people. If you think you are, you’re not.  You're boring.
I could go on about “Just the Way You Are”, “Big Shot”, “Movin’ Out”. It just goes on and on.
Instead, try "Summer, Highland Falls", "And So It Goes", “James”, “I’ve Loved These Days” or this great one from Streetlife Serenade.

The Eagles:
Really, the entire Eagles oeuvre is pretty tired, except for some overlooked gems on the first three albums.  But the dead horses are:
“Take It Easy” - Good at the time, but I just can’t take it anymore.  I feel like I’m listening to the skeleton of a song.
“Lyin Eyes” - Basta!
“Life In the Fast Lane” - The only difference between Fast Laners and Low Lifes is money.
“Hotel California” I can admit now, after all these years, that this is not a bad song, but it isn’t nearly as good as it thinks it is.
I much prefer "Nightingale", "Tryin'" and "Bitter Creek".

Evil Jaybee says that any DJ who consciously puts on one of these songs really should be shot. The kinder, gentler Jaybee just wishes they’d find another line of work.

In looking at the above it’s amazing that there are no Beatles songs on it. I was about to say there are no Stones songs either, but I just thought of a few:
“Angie”
“Start Me Up”
“It’s Only Rock n Roll”
Which just goes to show it can happen to the almost best.

Instead, try anything before Beggar’s Banquet, like all of Aftermath. But there's also “Moonlight Mile”, “Lovin’ Cup”, “You’ve Got the Silver”, "Before They Make Me Run", and what may be the greatest rock and roll song ever “Soul Survivor”.

So my advice Mr. DJ - if you still exist (probably not, so okay Mr. Radio Programmer) is that every time you want to play one of the above songs, take the fucking hint, okay?

Fifth Annual Jaybee-bies, or, 2015, I Want My Money Back

Looking for My Receipt:

I’m finally getting around to my 2015 round up. Just before people forget there was a 2015, I hope.

It was a long, frustrating year, where I got about forty albums and very, very few of them managed to bowl me over. I was beginning to think I was losing my taste for music.

And other things. It took Mrs. Jaybee to remind me of that wonderful trip to Italy and Son Michael’s graduation (more on him later) that it wasn’t such a bad year after all.

But still, musically, I’m left a little less than ecstatic, and I’m looking for my receipt for 2015 so that I can return it.


My Ears Are Bigger Than My Head (Literally True!)

Dear 2015, it’s not you, it’s me.

You see, I’m in a cycle that goes like this:

I buy a lot of music.
I lean towards exploration instead of the familiar.
Then I complain that nothing hitd me right away.
So I go and get more music to make up for that.

This is dumb. (And may be a poem, too.) I mean, what did I expect?

But then I think about an individual song or album I have that I feel very lucky to have. Then I think about how many records I have that fit that description. You’d think there would be enough of it by now. Apparently not.

And really, how much do I need? I still haven’t answered that question satisfactorily. And even if 2015 was disappointing, I can’t imagine not getting new music in 2016.


Lack of Resolution:

So How Did I Do with My 2015 Resolutions?  Great, because I didn’t make any, having so resoundly failed on my 2014 ones. I even repeated those failures in 2015:  More new music than ever, 75% of it CDs (thanks to my amazon.com boycott) which now having taken over the CD rack completely, are expanding blitzkrieg-like into the bookshelf,

I did manage four records from 2015, two of them thanks to son Michael. One he bought and one he made!

So, no resolutions. They - along with self improvement in general - are way overrated.


Second Thoughts, or Regrets? I’ve Had a Few:

I gave all my 2015 records another listen to see if I’ve changed my mind about anything. Especially the ones that disappointed me. Mostly no.

Ex Hex: Rips - Expertly played punk/hard rock I could swear I heard before and probably did so why bother?

The Smiths: The Queen is Dead - Thanks guys, but I had all the good songs already. link

The Clean: Anthology Almost ditto link.  Every (well, almost every) cut is unique and worthwhile, but by the middle of the second disk I feel as though I’ve been left to wander the wilds of New Zealand without a guide. It can be fun, but there may be better things to do. (Ocean of Sound is kind of like that too, but since the whole point of that record is to get lost, it wouldn’t be fair to criticize it for that).

Music from the HBO Film As You Like It - A lovely main theme sprinkled repetitively throughout “movie music”. I probably would have been fine with getting the individual track. (An idea whose time has come, by the way. Buy more individual songs, thus avoiding disappointing albums. Hey, I've got a resolution after all!)  Not bad, mind you. Just nothing I’d reach out to because I’m never in the mood for it.


Top Tens(e):

While patting myself on the back that I managed a handful of actual 2015 albums this year, it’s still pretty paltry compared to Nutboy’s list. He to 2015 and managed seven (7. Josh Ritter - Sermons on the Mount, 6. Blur - Magic Whip, 5. Craig Finn - Faith in the Future, 4. Wilco - Star Wars 3. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit, 2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell, 1. Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge . Vol.12)

He did the same with movies, too.  (10. Inside Out ..  9. Sicario  8. Love and Mercy  7. Steve Jobs  6. Creed  5. Spotlight   4. Amy   3. The Revenant  2. The Big Short  1. Mad Max - Fury Road)

I only managed to see two movies this year. (Another resolution. Get out more!)

I’d hit back with a top ten list of books (none from 2015 though) but I suspect he just didn’t bother to show off. The man really ought to have a blog, but he’s too busy with current year music and movies (ie, having a life, hmmm, another resolution here?)

Anyway, here are my albums of my 2015:

1. Sufjan Stevens: Carrie and Lowell  (2015)  
2. Various Artists: Ocean of Sound (1996) 
3. Howlin’ Wolf : Howlin’ Wolf  (1962)  
4. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) 
5. Courtney Barnett: Sometimes I Just Sit and Think…. (2015)  
6. Michael Burns: Mountain Mover EP  (2015)
7. Yo La Tengo: And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out (2000) 
8. Brian Eno & John Cale: Wrong Way Up (1990)  
9. Howlin’ Wolf: Moanin’ in the Moonlight (1962)  
10. and tied for tenth place Various Artists: Music from Shutter Island (2010), Yo La Tengo: Fakebook (1990), Withered Hand: New Gods (2014), Brian Eno/Harold Budd: The Pearl (1984), Wussy: Attica! (2014), Brian Eno/Daniel Lanois/Roger Eno: Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks (1983)

Top Songs:
Mike Burns: “Mountain Mover”
Sufjan Stevens: “The Only Thing”
Sufjan Stevens: “Fourth of July”
Coutney Barnett: “Debbie Downer”
Courtney Barnett: "Nobody Really Cares If you Don’t Go to the Party”
Brian Eno/John Cale: “Lay My Love”
Brian Eno/John Cale: “Been There, Done That”
Dinah Washington/Max Richter: “This Bitter Earth/On the Nature of Daylight” 
Yo La Tengo: "The Summer"
Yo La Tengo: "You Tore Me Down"
Yo La Tengo: "Deeper Into Movies"
Massive Attack: "Hymn of the Big Wheel"
The War on Drugs: "In Reverse"
Patrick Doyle: "Violin Romance"


Some Observations:

Familiar music suffers in comparison to new music simply because it can’t have the same impact on me any more. Otherwise Aretha and Howlin Wolf might be all over the top of the list.

Very good music in my favorite genres (pop, rock n’ roll) outdoes obviously great music in other genres (R&B), again impacting Franklin and Wolf.

I’m getting more and more music for less and less money, but have a sneaking suspicion that the musicians themselves are getting less and less a share of it..

I’ve prided myself on opting for the new - getting an album by a new artist rather than one by one I’m already familiar with. This is educational, and leads me to new discoveries. But dang it, it’s not always as much fun.


The Year of What?

So what was 2015 the “year of” for me?

In a way, it was the Year of Music to Go to Bed To. Not Music to Have Sex By mind you. Music to listen to while reading in bed and about to go to sleep. There was a ton of stuff that fit this category : Ocean of Sound, The Pearl, And Then Nothing…, Stuff Like That There, Neu!, As You Like It, Shutter Island The list goes on.

The Year of Aretha? You’d think so.  I got five Aretha Franklin albums in a single shot. (For $10 no less) They range from classic to very good.  That’s pretty good, right?  But those first two observations above knock her down a bit.

The Year of Yo La Tengo? Three albums ranging from nearly great to very good. And an almost transcendent show.  Christ, I even met them. But not quite.


The Year of the Tribute Band? 

Here’s my original take on why I find tribute bands - in principal - appalling.

The bottom line is, why would I want to pay to hear something like the music I like when I could listen to exactly the music I liked for free? If you want to hear a band, go put the record on. (Oh, come on, I know you have them!)

But I was underestimating the communal aspect of things. How better to enjoy music than with other like-minded people?

And besides, in two instances it inspired me to get more music by the artist. Once with a happy ending and once not so much. But the good more than made up for it.

• The Smiths - A cover band that inspired me to get The Queen is Dead. Good show. Disappointing record.
• PJ Harvey - Various artists did a tribute to Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea - A great album to hear played live, but since Mrs. Jaybee can’t stand Harvey I had to see this one alone. 
• The Beatles - The Fab Faux at the City Winery on New Years Eve. It could have been a big let down and even boring, but it was neither. A very emotional musical highlight of the year. And let’s face it. Every year since 1963 has been the Year of the Beatles, as far as I’m concerned. So that wouldn’t make 2015 unique, would it?
• Brian Eno - Music for Enophiles, covering Eno’s semi-poppish 1974-79 period.  Me and Mrs. Jaybee had a great time at this show. We were hearing songs live that we hadn’t heard even on record for years. And it inspired me to go even deeper into Eno’s catalogue.

Which made 2015 the Year of Brian Eno, of course.

We'll talk.

They Were Better When They Weren’t So Good

I held off a long time in getting this, afraid that at the end of the day, I’d consider it overrated.  But then

I’d keep hearing how Radiohead’s first great album was not their third OK Computer, but rather their

second.  And I’ve always been a sucker for the old they were better before they got real famous line.

Radiohead: The Bends

Alas, I was listening to it around the same time I was playing a lot of Aretha Franklin, and well, it’s a matter of (Radio’s) head vs (Aretha’s) heart.  The Brits didn’t fare well in the comparison.  Plus, I'm not convinced they outdo Aretha in the head department, either.

It may have been my mid-year anti-music funk, but even though the three(!) guitars sounded good - clear, chiming, echoey and very sharp when necessary - and Thom Yorke's voice is pretty - I find it to be that kind of near-great album that I'd normally rush to put on, but that is actually kind of boring.

Being the pre-Ok Computer - and slightly less pretentious - Radiohead, the tunes keep coming and it’s certainly less cluttered, But I’ve concluded I like them better pretentious and cluttered.

So why am I not loving it? Why am I not rushing to put it on? And when I put it on, why does my mind wander so easily?  

Well, the two pretty songs are good but utterly predictable. And the loud ones are kind of there. I can’t make out any of the words and haven’t had the slightest interest in looking them up.

In other words I have no good explanation why an album loved by many is doing (next to) nothing for me.

But finally, after about six months there are a couple of songs that are getting stuck in my head. It turns out to be pretty good painting the house music. Not enough to make me want to paint more, though.

So, it’s the end of the day, while I’m not in love with it, I still hold out hope, and can understand why some people are.

B+

“Sulk”

Aretha Five: The Thrill is Back

In the early seventies everyone got to make a live album, so why not Aretha?  

Live at the Fillmore West

Luckily for us, it’s not your usual run through of inferior versions of hits.

If I’m hearing it right, she seems to be playing for a largely white crowd and is not sure they’re going to like what they hear. So she hedges her bets by using most of “side one” (you know what a “side one” is, don’t you?) for covers of popular songs of the day before getting to her own songs.

And, for me now, it works. It might not have then, though. I was a stickler for faithful versions of cover songs. Especially the melodies. And that’s not how Aretha rolls. For her, feelings come first.

And now after hearing “Love the One You’re With”, “Make it With You”, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and “Eleanor Rigby” thousands of times, I can stand a change. And change them, she does, in the best possible way. I wanted to hate these versions, but now after her “Bridge” I’ll live if I never hear Art Garfunkel’s voice again.

Having a great band - courtesy of King Curtis - helps.

The vocals on this record are amazing. Duh. But coming from a rock and roll fan all too often  disappointed by live performances, I can say that she sounds even better here.

And while I typically discount the crowd noises on a live album, here they’re so into it, it adds to the fun.

“Respect” is speeded up just to get the show off on the right foot, “Dr Feelgood” is slowed down to, um, get everyone in the mood, and “Spirit in the Dark” has Ray Charles.

She and Ray spend too much time on “Spirit”. It’s a single record and space is precious. Another couple of songs could have fit. Ah, but what’s a live album without one song dragged out?  

And in this way, all live albums suffer from the “you’re not really there” syndrome and one tends to enjoy them slightly less because of it. And since they almost always have songs you already know, you’re less likely to go back to them.

So, as entertaining as this record is, it's not quite essential. 

But it's very entertaining, and by the end Aretha herself seems surprised at the reception she gets.

B+

"Bridge Over Troubled Waters"

Aretha Four: After the Thrill is Gone

It’s the turn of the decade (1970) and Aretha, while doing fine on the soul charts, has her string of of pop smashes are a year or two behind her.

So what does a singing phenomenon (an overused word, but no more apt than here) do next? Get down to work on some new music. Pure and simple.

Spirit in the Dark

Instead of the bright colors of prior album covers, this one’s grainy black and white. And instead of Aretha all done up or dressed to the nines, here I can’t even see any makeup.

As for the music, the first thing I notice is the sorrow of the opening track - “Don’t Play That Song”, which I’m ashamed to say I was unfamiliar with. (Not Mrs. Jaybee, though. She seems to know everything. She just doesn’t blog about it. Don’t tell her I said that.)

It isn’t overwhelming, like “Respect” or “Natural Woman”, Just emotional in the best sense. That wonderful  gospel piano (which Aretha plays herself) is the key to it all. As sad as this tale of heartbreak is, you’re uplifted and singing along by the end.

“The Thrill is Gone” is even bluesier than B.B. King’s version.  Aretha’s batting average on covers remains high! (Ah, but is it a cover? She actually recorded it around the same time as BB.) All she’s missing is his guitar.

“Pullin’” is mid-tempo, piano-based gospel-soul, with great backup vocals. It’s very representative of the album overall.

And it’s here that the strategy of this album becomes clear. Aretha’s no longer interested in blowing the roof off your house, She prefers to just fill it with joy. Which means she’s dropped the volume a bit, leaning more on gospel than soul this time. 

Aretha is now "making an album" as opposed to recording a bunch of songs that may or may not end up together on the same record. She’s aiming to making every cut count and almost succeeds.

“You and Me” is slow, lovely pop-soul (no, she’s not done with soul). “Honestly I Do” is slow and bluesy but a bit forgettable.

The title song is anything but. But again, the goal isn’t to overpower you, but to sweep you along. And it works brilliantly.

“When the Battle is Over” is rock and roll, pure and simple.

The remainder of the record gets back to mid-tempo piano-driven gospel-ish soul. These cuts are not quite on the level of the first half of the record, but I feel like I’m just getting to know them.

She finishes up with her cover of “Why I Sing the Blues” and again she rivals the original.

So how does this record stand up against the classics?

Not knowing any of the songs on a record ahead of time can actually be an advantage for me, because I’m hearing the whole thing fresh, from start to finish. In that respect this is my favorite Aretha album because all the pleasures are brand new.

And Aretha proves (not that she needed to) that she’s in it for the long haul.

A-

“Spirit in the Dark”

Aretha Three: Then

I’m still going through this $10 embarrassment of riches and get to...

Aretha Now

There are no masterpieces here like “Respect”, from I Never Loved a Man… or “Natural Woman” from Lady Soul, but while the peaks aren’t as high the valleys aren’t as low, either.

It kicks off smartly with “Think”, which should probably end in an exclamation point. Her version of “Say a Little Prayer” beats Dionne Warwick’s. And “The Night Time Is the Right Time” is just about as good as Ray Charles’.  (But do hunt down the Creedence version with that bitchin’ electric guitar.) And maybe I’m just not keeping up with the (past) times, but I like her “You Send Me” more than Sam Cooke’s!

Things keep moving briskly almost to the end when the material dries up. Although she sings so well you might not notice.

This is her third record, squeezed out in the space of a year and barely a half hour long. I can’t really blame Atlantic for cashing in on her sudden fame.  Aretha’s Gold takes the cream of this and the other two records and thus ends up as one of the great Greatest Hits records ever. Not that I’m sorry I drilled down here...

And the fact that it’s the most unfamiliar one to me (so far) I'm liking it more than I probably should. So it's really only the third best of the three. To which I say, So Freakin' What?

B+

"I'll Say a Little Prayer"

Aretha Two: And the Title Goes To...

Lady Soul

Such was the impact of I Never Loved a Man… that no one batted an eye at the title of this follow up album.

After the white hot vocals of I Never Loved a Man… she dials it back ever so slightly here. The rhythms are dialed back a bit, too. Not a problem. If anything she might be even more focused, and the band really cooks.

The material, though, is slightly weaker. (The best songs lead off and end each side (if you remember what a “side” is, that is) I think she senses this. Yet she doesn’t overplay her hand by oversinging. Pretty smart, if you ask me.

Her covers compete with the originals: I think I prefer her version of “Money Won’t Change You” to James Brown (but I’ve still got that mountain to climb). “People Get Ready” is fine but not quite on the level of the Impressions.  “Come Back Baby” is up there with Ray Charles’ (and let’s not forget Hot Tuna’s!). “Groovin” is okay but I’m not sure it gives her room to add much to it.

Of course “Natural Woman” is one of the greatest pop songs ever recorded (Thank you again Carole King!) with a an utterly transcendent bridge (starting at 1:45) and perhaps the greatest use of strings on a pop record ever.  A great to be alive record.

“Since You’ve Been Gone” is just So. Damned. Insistent. Whew, I need to sit down.

And there's little old Eric Clapton showing up as a guest on “Good As I Am To You”, but you could easily miss it because of how Aretha wails. Who’s the idiot who said she was dialing it back?

The closer, “Ain’t No Way” tries to match this intensity of “Natural Woman”, and actually has a better vocal, but the song itself comes up short, but that just means instead of it being great it’s merely damned good.

As is the album overall. So I give the edge to I Never Loved a Man…, which is a little more consistent and has more songs. But if you want to be entertained, and amazed by that voice, and you can’t find your copy of that record, this one will do just fine.

B+

“Natural Woman”

Record Store Day, Part Two: Respect

So I left Other Music with every intention of meeting up with Mrs. Jaybee - who was waiting for me a few blocks down at Barnes and Noble - but walked right in the middle of a street fair, where the record racks exert a gravitational pull on you, by which I mean me.

I managed to escape but not before wasting about at least fifteen minutes. (I thought it was five, but have since learned that 5 minutes of record store time is 15 in real time. I know, it wasn’t technically a record store, but somehow the same time/space rules applied.)

So then off to Barnes and Noble where - after a dozen visits without buying a single book (library lurker and cheapskate that I am) - I realized that they have a record section! And I had gift cards!

Which is where I got five Aretha Franklin albums. I know, it sounds like a real gluttony thing to do, but in this case I think it was the right way to go.

It was a five pack that somehow got marked down from $30 to $10(!). And while Aretha’s Gold covers a lot of this territory, it’s on vinyl way down in the basement. Here was a chance to give my knees a rest, and to give this major artist her due.

I’ve always been very intimidated by soul music. When I was a kid I saw a documentary about Aretha Franklin, and was taken aback by how all of these African Americans loved this woman who (I thought) only had that one hit, and who didn’t seem to need the Beatles at all.

And there was such pride and gusto in the music.  Back then, I was uncomfortable with African Americans being anything but meek and quiet. But there Aretha was, commanding the stage.

I’d eventually learn more about Aretha and other soul artists, but usually by reading interviews with Eric Clapton and Duane Allman, whose Anthology opened my eyes to all of these music makers I was not hearing, but who my heroes nevertheless played with and worshiped.

The best I would be able to manage over the years was to sample around the edges by getting Best-ofs and such by Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and, of course, James Brown..

Now I had a chance to dig a little deeper.

So let’s start with her Atlantic debut.



I’ve Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You

Sometimes you hear something you’ve heard a million times before, but get to hear it  like it’s for the first time again. Imagine walking around telling people what a great movie The Godfather is. The response is, “Well, yeah.”  You end up belaboring the obvious. So forgive me for telly you how great a record -  “Respect” is. An impossible record, really. Especially if you’ve heard the Otis Redding original. With this one song, Aretha announces herself as the greatest popular singer of the era.

Of course, Aretha had been making records for years before this, but they were mainly blues and gospel. Now, she was leaping into the mainstream. Or was she dragging it back over to her?

“Respect” is followed by an excellent version of “Drown in My Own Tears”. Then the title song - which is one of the most potent soul songs ever.

“Dr. Feelgood” is about her primary care provider. And how.

I’m learning to hear that the B in R&B really is for Blues, which you can hear loud and clear in these songs. It just gets called Soul.

Except for “Save Me”, which is flat out rock and roll.

And her version of “A Change is Gonna Come” is almost as good as Otis Redding's. (I don’t know if he would have been able to deal with her topping him twice on the same album.)

Like a lot of albums from the era, not every track is a classic, but that’s also part of its appeal, hearing it so many years later. You get some classics surrounded by songs you never heard before but that are nonetheless delightful thanks to that great voice.

A-

“Dr. Feelgood”


More Aretha Later