Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin performed at Barack Obama’s inauguration this morning. She sang ‘My Country Tis of Thee’ and belted it out in classic Aretha style. Read more about it below, see photo and watch the video.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin is a living legend as the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She has 21 Grammies! She did performed for President Bill Clinton back in 1993, but this was her first Inauguration.
During a Labor Day weekend rally in Detroit, Barack Obama actually sang a bit of Aretha’s classic ‘Chain of Fools’ to her.
He has not receive a grammy for his performance…yet.
Aretha Franklin Video
Photos: wenn.com
January 20th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
So, Cat, what’s your point? Things are supposed to have a point, as Steve Martin so entertainingly expostulated in “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles.” There’s no point here.
More importantly, what is your implication?
January 20th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
ed my point? just relax…and enjoy the song by aretha!
January 20th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Kate, what was to enjoy? There were very few moments that the song was even good. Then it just went on with the pathetic voice roles that destroyed a beautiful song. There’s one thing about adding soul to a song like that, and then there’s another thing about butchering it. It wasn’t a good version just because Aretha sang it. Grow a pair and admit it.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
hey there jim
well first let me decline to ‘grow a pair’ and secondly, even though today has been a rough day for conservatives like me, i always enjoy aretha. i’m sorry you didn’t.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
“let me decline to grow a pair” hahaha, that was well played!
January 20th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I thought the words to this song were
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and Glorious,
Long to reign over us;
God save the Queen!
January 20th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Good Lord, why complain about the Lady Aretha? If they didn’t want some flamboyant but still bluesy effects going on in the song, then they SURE wouldn’t have picked Aretha, huh?
On the other hand, Ms. Beyonce is making my perfect pitch hearing twitch…
January 21st, 2009 at 6:46 am
Sing two syllables, stop for breath.
Sing two more syllables, stop again for breath.
If Aretha ever sang “God Save The Queen” like this, she’d be sent back home by the fastest plane. Show some respect, lady!
January 21st, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Aretha is God!! Rather…Goddess. Still the Queen of Soul. Did anyone forget that it was 20 degrees when she was singing? Also, does anyone know the physical difficulties in singing in temps lower than 45F degrees? Hmm…guess you’re not all professional singers. Also, God Save the queen?? Are you kidding me? The original song was written is 1832 by an American who was trying to put words to a nice tune with then horrible lyrics — God Save the King.
January 21st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Aretha – great example of how to butcher beautiful and sacred music and turn it into the usual poppy hip hop trash. How excrutiating it was to watch. How embarrassed I was for her. These people – the poetess, the ’soul’ singer, and those two idiots who think they gave inaugural ‘prayers’ – let us know that the the hillbillies and the classless whiners are back in the whitehouse again.
Do you think these typing monkeys will accidently write anything intelligeable by accident over the next 4 years? Ha!
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
I arrived at this site specifically to see the video of Aretha. Personally, I could care less what prayers were said or what songs were sung at some overblown ceremony. I just wanted to hear Miss Franklin so unfortunately make an inept pause between syllables while singing a potentially disastrous word like “country”. I was not disappointed as she starts the song sounding like she is singing an ode to “Aretha’s Urethra”.
Having said that and having read through the comments above, I couldn’t keep myself from commenting on what an imbecile Dan Marc appears to be. How could ANYbody call the new White House residents “hillbillies” and “classless” having just said good riddance to the biggest moron that has ever been elected. I also find it amusing when people degrade the intelligence of others and can’t even spell the insult correctly.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Beautiful singing,
Wonderful, emotional and inspirational day!
Americans can walk proud now!
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Just wondering why she changed the last line of the second verse she sang. The lyrics are “…protect us by thy might, great God our King.” She sang “….protect us by thy might, let freedom ring.” That was very disrespectful.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
People get over it! Don’t hate because the Queen of Soul represented. Don’t player hate congradulate, because she was asked to sing before the President. In case you haven’t noticed, he is more intelligent than past non-black President’s.