February 21, 2007

I tried hard to find supporting links . . . but they were all awful. So I'm posting a single youtube link of a very young Aretha Franklin singing the hell out of "Natural woman."

Sorry. But this is so good.

posted by goofyfoot 17 years ago
  • No yootoob down my salt mine I'm afraid. I prefer Marge Simpsons version anyway.
  • I prefer Marge Simpsons version anyway. (Comic Store Guy Voice) Excuse me, but I believe you mean Selma Bouvier's version of the song. Worst Tangential Pop Culture Reference EVER!
  • And how about Otis Redding on Ready Steady Go ... brilliant
  • I see your Otis, and raise you a nina.
  • That was really enjoyable. Don't think for a moment that you need to have "supporting links." They are typically also known as "filler." The idea here is to post the best links on the web. It is not to come up with a mini-research project. Some subject matters benefit from supporting links (a post about a new breakthrough drug might well also include links to articles questioning the test results, comparable drugs, etc), but posts that contain entertainment-based links -- like this one -- need no further support. I don't need a wikipedia entry, arethafranklin.com, and some cover of one of her albums. Also, am I the only one who finds it odd that our pop culture society thinks it is fine to have black female singers be heavy, but is not at all interested in having white female singers who are heavy. The white women who can really belt it out seem to always be skinny and hot. Does our society have lower expectations when it comes to a black woman's appearance? Does society truly judge white women based on their looks first, and then other attributes? First rant directed at metafilter, not here. Second rant just me bitching about things, as usual.
  • Oh my!
  • Two words bernockle: Big Mamma!
  • And here's some Betty Carter.
  • Godammit, quit posting stuff I can't look at while at work! How's a guy supposed to procrastinate?
  • bernockle, I do think Aretha's song could do with a few supporting links - that the song was written by Goffin and King, for instance, and that King's album Tapestry was such a phenomenon in the early '70s - but these here internets are awful, and awfully redundant, when it comes to pop music. And it's fun to do a mini research project. But this link sorta defied it.
  • Bernockle: I give you Cass Elliott.
  • Damnit, I give you Everyone!
  • Hmph. It's not everyone if it doesn't have Cassandra Wilson.
  • Let it be proclaimed from the mountaintops: Aretha Franklin = force of nature. Love the Nina Simone clip, too.
  • There's NO BODY like Aretha!
  • Also, am I the only one who finds it odd that our pop culture society thinks it is fine to have black female singers be heavy, but is not at all interested in having white female singers who are heavy. The white women who can really belt it out seem to always be skinny and hot. Does our society have lower expectations when it comes to a black woman's appearance? Does society truly judge white women based on their looks first, and then other attributes? I think you got it wrong here. How many black female singers in the last 10 years were heavyset? Its the same number of white female heavyset singers. In the past, when Aretha became famous, we used to judge singers on the quality of their singing. Most of the stars from the past look human, not like barbie dolls. It's not just the black female stars.
  • And is not Aretha Franklin astoundingly sexy?
  • I looooove her dress - is that fur on the sleeves and bodice?
  • This really is tasty stuff, I've watched it several times and finally just had to speak up--Aretha is IT, no question. I agree with TUM, the dress is great and takes a WOMAN to fill it out--and I also think Mr. Knickerbocker has made a good point. If celebrities/models/singers get any thinner, they might just disappear... and that might make room for some bigger, healthier talent. Wouldn't that be nice?