Yesterday, the world lost a musical icon. Aretha
Franklin, known by many as the “Queen of Soul,” passed away at the age of
76. Reports over the last week claimed that the singer was gravely ill and in
hospice care. The ultimate cause of death was deemed to be from pancreatic
cancer, which Franklin had been battling for years.
Aretha Franklin has been releasing music for six decades,
releasing more than 40 studio albums and continuing to work until the end. Her
final album, 2017’s ‘A Brand New Me,’ found her singing with the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra as they played orchestral versions of her biggest hits.
Her sound ranged from soulful ballads to empowered R&B jams to praiseful
gospel hymns, all with flawless vocals that made her one of the hardest artists
to emulate.
In honor of Aretha Franklin’s memory, Vinyl Bay 777, Long
Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of the Queen of Soul’s
most iconic songs. Here are five that made her a household name.
1.
“Think”: An upbeat, funky, defiant song, “Think”
delves into Franklin’s political side. The singer had been part of the civil
rights movement throughout the 1960s, and her passion for the cause shows up in
the song. Her repetition of the word “Freedom,” ascending the scale as she adds
more and more bravado, is like a rallying call for more thoughtfulness and
equality. (video)
2.
“Respect”: Franklin’s most iconic recording by
far, her version of “Respect” injects a lot of attitude and power into the Otis
Redding-penned song. Especially with her addition of spelling out the
titular word, the song demands that she be heard and that she be respected as
an equal to her partner. Because of this, her version is often used as an
anthem for the feminist movement. (video)
3.
“Chain of Fools”: “Chain of Fools” shows off
what Aretha Franklin could do with her voice. The vocals find her dipping into
her gospel roots, bringing soul to this tune about loving someone who has been
unfaithful. You can hear the anger bubbling up underneath in her performance
with a delivery that is almost like a preacher giving a sermon to their
congregation. (video)
4.
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”: Written
by Carole
King and Gerry Goffin, Franklin’s versatile vocals made this love song
shine. Its lyrical brightness and pomp are very Broadway-esque and Franklin
meets that with exploding passion and a sense of vulnerability. You can feel
the happiness and joy in her voice, which is enough to make you smile just
listening to it. The song has gone on to become one of the most covered songs
ever, though no one can match up with Franklin’s original. (video)
5.
“Rock Steady”: “Rock Steady” once again took
Franklin to new realms of music. Released at the beginning of the 1970s, the
song is a straight-up funk jam with a fast cadence and delivery unlike anything
she had released before. The song helped Franklin find a new audience in more
dance-oriented music, a precursor to her upcoming time on the dance music
chart. (video)
With more than 40 albums and almost as many top 10 hits,
Aretha Franklin led a very prolific career in soul music. Her inimitable voice and
words have captivated and inspired multiple generations of music fans. Even
though the Queen of Soul has now passed on, her musical legacy will keep her
around for generations to come.
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Find music from Aretha Franklin and more iconic artists at
Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop, we have
thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide
selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and
memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com.
With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what
you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.
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