Strong Songs

Let's go back, let's go back, let's go way on back to that time Aretha Franklin recorded one of her best songs.

On this episode, Kirk dives into two different versions of Franklin's classic tune "Think." First it's the laid back groove and roomy mix of the 1968 original, then it's time to fast-forward 12 years for the juiced-up arrangement she recorded with the Blues Brothers band in 1980.

It's a story of how different production techniques, arrangements, and tempos can lead to two very different—but equally excellent—versions of the same song. We've done Dancing Queen, we've covered the band Queen, so it feels like it's past time for the Queen of Soul. 

NOTE: This episode is best enjoyed along with four fried chickens and a Coke.

Band/Artist: Aretha Franklin

Album: Aretha Now, 1968 and The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack, 1980

Composed by: Aretha Franklin and Teddy White

Listen/Buy (Original): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify

Listen/Buy (Blues Brothers): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify

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ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:

• "Respect" by Otis Redding, performed by Aretha Franklin on I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, 1967
• "She Didn't Cut Me Loose" by Curtis Selgado from Soul Shot, 2012
• Wesley Morris's excellent 2018 NYT obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/arts/music/respect-aretha-franklin-death.html
• Franklin's scene from The Blues Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLbPv6yIvBU (you should really just watch the whole movie)

OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark

This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net.

NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST

Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://tinyletter.com/KirkHamilton

STRONG PLAYLISTS

You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music.

SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!

Many, many thanks to all of Strong Songs's patrons! A patron-funded bonus episode should be finished for next week, so look forward to that.

If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs

SEPTEMBER 2019 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS

andrew walters
CALEB ROTACH
Chad Barnard
Dan Apczynski
Dave Florey
Glenn
Jared Norris
Mark Schechter
Sara Walsh

SEPTEMBER 2019 HALF NOTE PATRONS

Alexander Polson
Andre Bremer
Andrew Lee
Arjun Sharma
Bill Thornton
Brett Douville
Brian Amoebas
Chas Lednicky
Chris Brown
Cyrus N. White
Dominik Schmitt
Earl Lozada
Eero Wahlstedt
Elliot Jay O'Neill
Emily Williams
FlSHBONES
Forrest Chang
Jaehoon Jeong
James Johnson
Jasmine Fellows
Jeffrey Olson
John and Sharon Stenglein
Jon O'Keefe
joujou
Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua
Jules Bailey
Justin Liew
Justin McElroy
Kate Albury
Kevin Morrell
Kevin Pennyfeather
Kyle Simons
Matt Gaskell
Max Schechter
Melanie Stivers
Michael Blackwell
Miriam Juskowicz
Mueller
Nate from Kalamazoo
Nicholas Schechter
Richard Toller
samuel gardner
Shane DeLeon
Shaun Wiese
Tim
Tom Clewer
Tom Lauer