Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

Timmy84 said:

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

I heard it several times. She did a killer version of it live in New Orleans at the Jazz Fest in 1977, as well as "When I Think About You" from the same album, not to mention the way she destroyed the place with "Dr. Feelgood" and a couple of tunes from the SPARKLE album. Stevie Wonder came on stage and jammed with her on "Rock With You Baby" from SPARKLE and they tore it down with trade-off of scats and ad-libs. This was the first time they ahd jammed together live.

RnBAmbassador said:

Timmy84 said:

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

I heard it several times. She did a killer version of it live in New Orleans at the Jazz Fest in 1977, as well as "When I Think About You" from the same album, not to mention the way she destroyed the place with "Dr. Feelgood" and a couple of tunes from the SPARKLE album. Stevie Wonder came on stage and jammed with her on "Rock With You Baby" from SPARKLE and they tore it down with trade-off of scats and ad-libs. This was the first time they ahd jammed together live.

Cool. I'm seeing there's some videos from some performances in 1977, I wonder if that's what you're referring to. I've been actually checking a lot of Aretha live performances lately.

Timmy84 said:

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

Probably the same reason the album has never been reissued on CD and the song has never been included on any Aretha hits collection. Aretha was not a priority for Atlantic by this time. The song wasn't a crossover pop hit. I'm guessing all parties involved would like to forget her late '70s recordings exist.

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Timmy84 said:

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

Probably the same reason the album has never been reissued on CD and the song has never been included on any Aretha hits collection. Aretha was not a priority for Atlantic by this time. The song wasn't a crossover pop hit. I'm guessing all parties involved would like to forget her late '70s recordings exist.

Just like those in Columbia rather forget about the stuff she did with them in the early '60s?

[Edited 12/28/10 22:26pm]

Some only want to glorify a small window of time in an artists' life. Usually the period when sales were at their peak. Not saying it's right, but that's the way people are.

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Some only want to glorify a small window of time in an artists' life. Usually the period when sales were at their peak. Not saying it's right, but that's the way people are.

Unfortunate in my opinion. I like to go over an artist's hills, peaks and valleys, especially an artist I truly admire.

Timmy84 said:

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Some only want to glorify a small window of time in an artists' life. Usually the period when sales were at their peak. Not saying it's right, but that's the way people are.

Unfortunate in my opinion. I like to go over an artist's hills, peaks and valleys, especially an artist I truly admire.

I know what you mean Timmy. When I zone in on an artist that knocks my socks off I gradually buy up their entire discography. I want to hear EVERYTHING they've done. I am constantly saying to myself HOW THE HELL HAVE I NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE?!?!, HOW THE HELL WAS THIS NOT A SINGLE?!?!, HOW THE HELL DOES THIS NOT GET PLAYED ON THE RADIO?!?!, etc...

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Timmy84 said:

Unfortunate in my opinion. I like to go over an artist's hills, peaks and valleys, especially an artist I truly admire.

I know what you mean Timmy. When I zone in on an artist that knocks my socks off I gradually buy up their entire discography. I want to hear EVERYTHING they've done. I am constantly saying to myself HOW THE HELL HAVE I NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE?!?!, HOW THE HELL WAS THIS NOT A SINGLE?!?!, HOW THE HELL DOES THIS NOT GET PLAYED ON THE RADIO?!?!, etc...

Yeah there's a song I'm having on repeat right now from Aretha's "You" album titled "You Make My Life" and I just think that song also had potential. Of course Aretha and Atlantic were in the beginning of a fallout during this time.

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Timmy84 said:

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me WHY this song was NEVER played on the fucking radio when I was growing up?! Especially since it gave Aretha another #1 R&B hit?!

Probably the same reason the album has never been reissued on CD and the song has never been included on any Aretha hits collection. Aretha was not a priority for Atlantic by this time. The song wasn't a crossover pop hit. I'm guessing all parties involved would like to forget her late '70s recordings exist.

Nope. The reason 5 of her Atlantic albums are not on cd is because she owns the masters to them and was not able to reach financial terms with Rhino who wanted to re-issue them There is a lot of Aretha material in the vaults and for the most part she hasn't had any interest in looking back. WITH EVERYTHING I FEEL IN ME, YOU, SWEET PASSION, ALMIGHTY FIRE, and LA DIVA are the owns.

If you notice on THE QUEEN OF SOUL 4 cd BOX SET, they licensed a few of the titles through her, because she owns them.

This part of the reason the AMAZING GRACE movie has not been released. Last mentions was that she wanted 2 million to sign off on it. Heard they negotiated to 1.4 million, time will tell.

Unfortunately many Aretha things will surface once she passes. It is the nature of the beast in this business. I only hope she proves the medical community and naysayers wrong and lives longer than the last report mentioned of a couple fo months.

Heal Aretha and recover - we need the Queen of Soul longer!!!

RnBAmbassador said:

therevolutionwillnotbe said:

Probably the same reason the album has never been reissued on CD and the song has never been included on any Aretha hits collection. Aretha was not a priority for Atlantic by this time. The song wasn't a crossover pop hit. I'm guessing all parties involved would like to forget her late '70s recordings exist.

Nope. The reason 5 of her Atlantic albums are not on cd is because she owns the masters to them and was not able to reach financial terms with Rhino who wanted to re-issue them There is a lot of Aretha material in the vaults and for the most part she hasn't had any interest in looking back. WITH EVERYTHING I FEEL IN ME, YOU, SWEET PASSION, ALMIGHTY FIRE, and LA DIVA are the owns.

If you notice on THE QUEEN OF SOUL 4 cd BOX SET, they licensed a few of the titles through her, because she owns them.

This part of the reason the AMAZING GRACE movie has not been released. Last mentions was that she wanted 2 million to sign off on it. Heard they negotiated to 1.4 million, time will tell.

Unfortunately many Aretha things will surface once she passes. It is the nature of the beast in this business. I only hope she proves the medical community and naysayers wrong and lives longer than the last report mentioned of a couple fo months.

Heal Aretha and recover - we need the Queen of Soul longer!!!

I forgot she owns those records. I remember reading about that. Interesting.

I have this record. My favorite song on it is Mumbles.

I love this song!!!!

I have a bootleg of Almighty Fire that I bought from Europe. It looks real so that's fine with me. I love the work she did with Curtis Mayfield!