Aretha Franklin - Songs of the Great Divas (Sept 30th)

[johnm1120]

Aretha Franklin is dropping a surprise album on September 30th. A covers album of songs by other divas.

Reportedly the first single is a cover of "Rolling in the Deep."

[Leigh]

Can't wait to see the tracklist to see which divas she given nods to

[KeepDeanWeird]

Sept 18, 2014 10:59:25 GMT -5 Leigh said:

Can't wait to see the tracklist to see which divas she given nods to

Goodness knows, we need another cover of "At Last...." This article lists several of the songs. www.showbiz411.com/2014/09/17/exclusive-aretha-franklin-will-drop-surprise-album-on-930-with-sensational-adele-cover

[Leigh]

Thanks for the link. I was hoping to hear her interpretation of a Mariah track, especially after her little performances of Touch My Body in concert some years ago.

I'm very interested to hear her take on Rolling In The Deep though! and 'Nothing Compares 2 U'

[Deleted]

From Billboard: Clive Davis on New Aretha Franklin Album of Diva Classics: 'She's on Fire'

Following news Aretha Franklin is preparing a new album for release before the end of the month with Clive Davis overseeing production, there's great anticipation over what the legendary soul singer has put together with the help of Clive Davis' oversight.

This new project will be Franklin's 39th studio release in 58 years, and according to Davis the icon is "in absolutely peak form." It also marks Franklin's reunion with Davis and his Arista Records, following two releases apart.

"Aretha has always held a very special place in my heart. She's universally recognized to be the greatest singer of all time," Davis told Billboard. "Although we took a recording break, our strong friendship always continued. And it was a particular thrill when we announced two years ago that we would be making another album together.

"I had this concept of having the Queen of Soul inimitably interpret Diva classics by Dinah Washington, Etta James, Gladys Knight, Gloria Gaynor, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Adele among others. And has she done that. Aretha's new album is purely and simply sensational. She's on fire and vocally in absolutely peak form. What a thrill to see this peerless artist still showing the way, still sending shivers up your spine, still demonstrating that all contemporary music needs right now is the voice. What a voice."

The album's name has not yet been announced. It is due for release Sept. 30.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

I wonder what kind of promo they're planning. It's not like there was a lot of anticipation for new Aretha album, so they need to do something to let people know it exists

[George]

Sept 19, 2014 14:14:00 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

I wonder what kind of promo they're planning. It's not like there was a lot of anticipation for new Aretha album, so they need to do something to let people know it exists

Yeah, we can't have this going the route of her 'surprise' Walmart album:

[Leigh]

It would be great to see a televised show, featuring a handful duets with some of the original divas themselves.

[SHOOTER]

Album pushed back to October 21st. Single still drops tomorrow.

[Illusions]

Rolling In The Deep was premiered in the UK.

soulatlantic.tumblr.com/post/98642761258/aretha-franklin-rolling-in-the-deep-adele

[Dreams]

I'm so used to the original that hearing Aretha's version feels weird. I don't think it's a good cover. I'm not a fan of the dance beat, at all, or the way her vocals were mixed.

From that link, I'm guessing this is the album art?

[SHOOTER]

Pre-order is up on iTunes.

1. At Last
2. Rolling in the Deep (The Aretha Version)
3. Midnight Train to Georgia
4. I Will Survive (The Aretha Version)
5. People
6. No One
7. I'm Every Woman / Respect
8. Teach Me Tonight
9. You Keep Me Hangin' On
10. Nothing Compares 2 U

[#LisaRinna]

I was still hoping "Touch My Body" would make the tracklist.

Instead we get "No One" cause Clive is Always trying to squeeze Alicia everydamnwhere.

[Deleted]

"The Aretha Version". Lol. So what are the others?

[HolidayGuy]

She must give that extra special 'Retha touch to those two.

[Dreams]

Sept 29, 2014 5:59:46 GMT -5 #LisaRinna said:

I was still hoping "Touch My Body" would make the tracklist.

I don't think they would allow her to cover (fairly recent) songs by artists who are on rival labels/divisions.

Anyways, this project looks a mess. Looking at the tracklist I'm not really interested in hearing her take on any of those songs.
I was hoping for something original with her new release; I've always loved how Aretha managed to re-invent herself every once in awhile, or put out at least one genuinely good album every decade. I guess this is not it.

[Nick]

I wonder if there's a deluxe version.

[George]

That cover is pretty nice!

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

I don't mind her version of Rolling In The Deep, but meh

Also not surprised this got pushed back because there was ZERO hype for the "surprise" release on 9/30. Hopefully they can line her up with an HSN special or something so that she can at least open up with some decent numbers.

[Live Your Life]

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES: Aretha Franklin has a new studio LP coming 10/21 on RCA, co-produced by the artist with her BFF Clive Davis, whose present title is Chief Creative Officer for Sony Music as a whole. The lead single on the instructively titled Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics is Adele's modern-day classic "Rolling in the Deep,” its title tagged with “(The Aretha Version).” She’ll sing it tonight on Letterman and Friday on The Today Show. Among the other familiar tunes Aretha covers on the LP are Barbra Streisand's "People," Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia," The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Alicia Keys' "No One," and a mash-up of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and Destiny's Child's "I'm A Survivor." Contributing producers include Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, André 3000 and Harvey Mason Jr. The album is in pre-order for a mere $7.99, and you can sample Aretha doing Adele here. Fascinating, ain't it?

[Luckie Starchild]

Annie Lennox and Diana Krall also have covers albums coming out the same day.

[darko95]

I like "Rolling In The Deep". She sounds glorious.

[K.]

I personally think it's over the top.

[Dreams]

Performance


Interview


The song is (relatively) better live. Cissy Houston, the mother of the late great Whitney Houston, was singing background.

The interview was cool. I love love LOVE Ms Franklin, she's such a character! I can watch interviews with her for days.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Hopefully the promo that they lined up for the intended release date of 9/30 at least helps with preorders now. At least it only got pushed back 3 weeks instead of months.

[Relaxing Cup]

Wow I was kind of clowning her in the singles thread in chr pop but the live performance is much better! the cd recording reminds me of a ghoul.

[jenglisbe]

Sept 17, 2014 22:48:54 GMT -5 johnm1120 said:

Aretha Franklin is dropping a surprise album on September 30th. A covers album of songs by other divas.

Reportedly the first single is a cover of "Rolling in the Deep."

I know it got pushed back and we now have a single, but I don't understand how that was going to be a surprise album anyway if we knew about it a couple weeks before it was released? The terms "surprise album" is way overused.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Did you know she had been in the studio recording?

No?

Then it's a surprise album.

[Deleted]

There's been talk of this album for months. There was another thread with info about her recording an all female covers album.

[Leigh]

Haha I couldn't stop myself watching Cissy - she couldn't have been any less interested. My favourite moment was at 1:24 when she actually rolls her eyes. I can't imagine where Whitney got her sass from...