Aretha Franklin's black-ish take on Adele's "Rolling In The Deep"

Because spaghetti strap tops won't pay for themselves, Returning to the spotlight after a string of health issues that kept her from the stage, House Mother Aretha is prepping to release her newest album, Warblin' and Winnin' Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics, on October 21. Patti's bestie has reunited with soul music's Vampire-in-Chief Clive Davis to honor contemporaries and lessors alike with covers of hits by likes of Gladys Knight, Barbara Streisand, Sinéad O'Connor, Gloria Gaynor, and the late Whitney Houston.

And, for some reason, Alicia Keys.

'Retha starts the party with a rousing take on Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" that would make any surly, drinky deaconess proud. The set's lead single, a battered and deep-fried version of the original, turns Adele's faux-plantationy lover's lament into a battered and deep-fried howl-a-thon. Out with the soulful hoedown and in with the refined two-step, I reckon.

In short: The power is there, but now, so are the auto-tune and the struggle.



With production by Andre 3000 and Babyface, I'm not sure what to expect from the album. These are covers, so I want to believe that another game of Established Singers And The Trend-Chasing Producers Who Guide Them is less likely. At any rate, I vote that she drop a Trapped In The Closet-style visual album, directed by Lil B, of course. Can you see it? I can.

The Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics tracklist:

1. "At Last" (Etta James cover)
2. "Rolling In The Deep" (Adele cover)
3. "Midnight Train To Georgia" (Gladys Knight and the Pips cover)
4. "I Will Survive" (Gloria Gaynor cover)
5. "People" (Barbra Streisand cover)
6. "No One" (Alicia Keys cover)
7. "I'm Every Woman" (Chaka Khan cover) / "Respect"
8. "Teach Me Tonight" (Dinah Washington cover)
9. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (The Supremes cover)
10. "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Sinéad O'Connor cover)

Addendum:

...but this live performance of "Rolling In The Deep," though?

NO x (2841 x 40 million)

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