I love a passionate and well thought out take that is different from the received wisdom. As much as I hoped to find a hidden masterpiece with Hey Now Hey when I was doing my Aretha Anew project, I found most of the album regrettable. Read on for details: http://anearful.blogspot.com/2018/09/aretha-anew.html?m=1. That said, I’m almost tempted to listen again and try to hear it through your ears!
Thank you, Jeremy. Skimming through your article (thanks for sharing, by the way), I have to come to the conclusion it might simply be a matter of taste. I know Aretha’s discography quite well, and most of the tracks you selected are perhaps the ones I tend to skip, or would have left out of a playlist 😂 Now, this is very interesting, fascinating, even, and it’s also part of this beautiful mystery we call music.
Hey Now Hey is definitely the album of hers that moves me the most. It’s not a typical Aretha album -- I’m sure we can all agree on that -- but to me it embodies some of her best work.
As embarrassed as I am in admitting true cluelessness to this album, I'm honored and happy you're the one who brought it to me (and your readers), Andy! Don't think I wasn't on Aretha....I had her '67 single, "Chain of Fools" (not only at 12, but a white, upper-middle-class suburban Texan, I'm proud to announce!) and giddily played the grooves off it--a perfect example of the vinyl shining:
The "dirty" guitar opening mixed with the "earthiness" of diamond against PVC (and, eventually, the inevitable pops and scratchy sounds!) made for a singularly unique listening experience, and I know that had to "get" me as much as the Don Covay song and Aretha's performance!
I was a senior in high school when "Hey Now Hey" came out, and was way too much into rock and prog, and my own band! It is very likely this album was in my KLOL-FM/Houston control room when I was a jock there, '75-'76, but I don't remember, personally playing it. But, as a "progressive rock" station, I could see us having this one especially (among her albums) available for airplay!
Jump to record store "vinyl jockey," and I certainly remember this being in the racks, but by '77 thru early '80s (my store tenure), she was moving far beyond that album to new stuff, and "Hey Now Hey" became just another "catalog entry" for her.
As for the '73/this album climate....you are spot on about nothing left to prove. Being on Atlantic was SO the perfect label for her (until she had Clive Davis at Arista, anyway), after her earlier '60s output on Columbia. They tried so hard to make her a pop star (a Black Streisand?).....looking at you, A&R head, Mitch Miller!
But, together with huge Aretha fan (and music biz legend), Ahmet Ertegun at the Atlantic helm, and bringing in Q? Please. Who ARE you gonna give free rein to, if not 1973 Aretha? Thanks again, Andy, for introducing us......me and "Hey Now Hey"----it's high time the two of us met!
Thank you, Brad! It’s such an honour for me to be able to introduce you to at least ONE record you didn’t know about! 😅
I love Chain of Fools (from “Lady Soul”, which also has my favourite Aretha song of all time, Good to Me As I Am to You), and this performance always comes to mind:
Mercy! That's an amazing duet, Mariah and Aretha....re-defined "rousing" I'd say! First thing I noticed is Aretha started the song with no audible key note, yet she started it on key! I suppose, out of mic range, the piano or guitar could've plucked a little key note audible to just Aretha, but.....Wow.
Pure genius. I also love how respectful Mariah is, singing next to her biggest idol, in awe of her talent. Aretha’s “go ahead” and Mariah’s dilemma (shall I show her what I can do? Shall I keep it cool?) and the hug at the end! This performance never gets old! Glad you enjoyed!
Always fun to see adoring young-un performing with the legend. The younger fangirl part of her has to "hold it together," while it's fun to see the legend "keep up" with runs and stuff to wow the kids in the crowd! But, you're right, Mariah was suitably reverential and selfless. I love the "do you know this?" from Aretha! You KNOW they had to have rehearsed it, if not onstage (I'd get that), but, as she mentioned, while girl-talkin' in the trailer!
Absolutely! Legend has it on the day of rehearsal, the aircon was too strong, so Aretha told Mariah they wouldn’t be rehearsing with such strong aircon. The day of the performance, in her trailer, they went through the song very quickly. Mariah was sh*tting herself. Here’s a bit more of the behind the scenes in case you’re interested!
See? Trailer........I know my backstages, do I not?😉Great interview! Too fun....she even does a great speaking Aretha! This was 5 years ago. Have you read Mariah's memoirs (assuming they've been published....and, if they have, I think I can guess your answer)?😁
Never heard this one before, thanks for the rec, sounds great so far!
Cheers, Jared! Enjoy!!
I love a passionate and well thought out take that is different from the received wisdom. As much as I hoped to find a hidden masterpiece with Hey Now Hey when I was doing my Aretha Anew project, I found most of the album regrettable. Read on for details: http://anearful.blogspot.com/2018/09/aretha-anew.html?m=1. That said, I’m almost tempted to listen again and try to hear it through your ears!
Thank you, Jeremy. Skimming through your article (thanks for sharing, by the way), I have to come to the conclusion it might simply be a matter of taste. I know Aretha’s discography quite well, and most of the tracks you selected are perhaps the ones I tend to skip, or would have left out of a playlist 😂 Now, this is very interesting, fascinating, even, and it’s also part of this beautiful mystery we call music.
Hey Now Hey is definitely the album of hers that moves me the most. It’s not a typical Aretha album -- I’m sure we can all agree on that -- but to me it embodies some of her best work.
No accounting for taste, or so they say!
I’ve listened to (and own) several Aretha albums from the late 60s/early 70s, but not this one. Thanks for the recommendation!
My pleasure, Marcus! Hope you enjoy!
As embarrassed as I am in admitting true cluelessness to this album, I'm honored and happy you're the one who brought it to me (and your readers), Andy! Don't think I wasn't on Aretha....I had her '67 single, "Chain of Fools" (not only at 12, but a white, upper-middle-class suburban Texan, I'm proud to announce!) and giddily played the grooves off it--a perfect example of the vinyl shining:
The "dirty" guitar opening mixed with the "earthiness" of diamond against PVC (and, eventually, the inevitable pops and scratchy sounds!) made for a singularly unique listening experience, and I know that had to "get" me as much as the Don Covay song and Aretha's performance!
I was a senior in high school when "Hey Now Hey" came out, and was way too much into rock and prog, and my own band! It is very likely this album was in my KLOL-FM/Houston control room when I was a jock there, '75-'76, but I don't remember, personally playing it. But, as a "progressive rock" station, I could see us having this one especially (among her albums) available for airplay!
Jump to record store "vinyl jockey," and I certainly remember this being in the racks, but by '77 thru early '80s (my store tenure), she was moving far beyond that album to new stuff, and "Hey Now Hey" became just another "catalog entry" for her.
As for the '73/this album climate....you are spot on about nothing left to prove. Being on Atlantic was SO the perfect label for her (until she had Clive Davis at Arista, anyway), after her earlier '60s output on Columbia. They tried so hard to make her a pop star (a Black Streisand?).....looking at you, A&R head, Mitch Miller!
But, together with huge Aretha fan (and music biz legend), Ahmet Ertegun at the Atlantic helm, and bringing in Q? Please. Who ARE you gonna give free rein to, if not 1973 Aretha? Thanks again, Andy, for introducing us......me and "Hey Now Hey"----it's high time the two of us met!
Thank you, Brad! It’s such an honour for me to be able to introduce you to at least ONE record you didn’t know about! 😅
I love Chain of Fools (from “Lady Soul”, which also has my favourite Aretha song of all time, Good to Me As I Am to You), and this performance always comes to mind:
https://youtu.be/i0T8ZE3U8lo?si=07fH1AAmo14Pnrid
Thanks also for the background info and behind the scenes you mention in your comment, which is invaluable info for me and my subscribers to read!
Mercy! That's an amazing duet, Mariah and Aretha....re-defined "rousing" I'd say! First thing I noticed is Aretha started the song with no audible key note, yet she started it on key! I suppose, out of mic range, the piano or guitar could've plucked a little key note audible to just Aretha, but.....Wow.
Pure genius. I also love how respectful Mariah is, singing next to her biggest idol, in awe of her talent. Aretha’s “go ahead” and Mariah’s dilemma (shall I show her what I can do? Shall I keep it cool?) and the hug at the end! This performance never gets old! Glad you enjoyed!
Always fun to see adoring young-un performing with the legend. The younger fangirl part of her has to "hold it together," while it's fun to see the legend "keep up" with runs and stuff to wow the kids in the crowd! But, you're right, Mariah was suitably reverential and selfless. I love the "do you know this?" from Aretha! You KNOW they had to have rehearsed it, if not onstage (I'd get that), but, as she mentioned, while girl-talkin' in the trailer!
Absolutely! Legend has it on the day of rehearsal, the aircon was too strong, so Aretha told Mariah they wouldn’t be rehearsing with such strong aircon. The day of the performance, in her trailer, they went through the song very quickly. Mariah was sh*tting herself. Here’s a bit more of the behind the scenes in case you’re interested!
https://youtu.be/wm4DVQV0LP4?si=4QRYI8gVskL2DQc2
See? Trailer........I know my backstages, do I not?😉Great interview! Too fun....she even does a great speaking Aretha! This was 5 years ago. Have you read Mariah's memoirs (assuming they've been published....and, if they have, I think I can guess your answer)?😁