How About a Little R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha?

Jesus, this is a tough crowd.

What's with everyone dissing the hat?

Why didn't anyone find it aesthetically logical? And in any case, who cares?

Whatever happened to personal style? Must we all look the same? Aretha's got gravitas and the cojones to take a risk. She's Aretha, for heaven's sake.

(And how's your singing, Ellen?)

Aretha was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (Albeit by a colossal bonehead.) Rolling Stone magazine named her the #1 all time best singer of the rock era. She was the first black woman ever on the cover of Time Magazine. She's almost 70 years old. Can't she look the way she wants to?

This is America, not some bleak, narrow-minded fashion gulag. The woman is a goddess. The Queen of Soul. Larger-than-life and a living legend. She has brought so much joy, righteous feeling and passion to so many for so long that, hey, she could wear the Bronx Zoo on her head and I'd love it.

But as it happens, I loved the hat. It was classy, sassy, clever, unexpected and completely original, a glorious touch perched on a national treasure on a once in a lifetime day. In a country newly celebrating itself for its many hard-won freedoms.

The way I see it, love Aretha, love her hat. I do. And I did.

Still, people are wild. It's as if she wore a bathing cap, Sarah Palin's bloodied turkey, a Fez, bunny ears, a yarmulke!

She dressed for the occasion. It was a crisp, cold day and she was singing outdoors for her brand new President. Of course she wore a hat. She's got flair and nerve and verve and she is one in a gazillion. Was she supposed to wear a backwards baseball cap? Not in this lifetime. Instead, she put on something exhibiting quirky talent and fearless creativity. My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, yes?

Aretha won't be around forever, but thank goodness, she's around now.

We're damned lucky to have her, hat and all.

Comments

[pueblocolorado]

I just spoke with my childhood friend in Detroit. She owns a cleaning company and they regularly clean for Aretha. Word is that the hat she wore was the more conservative of the choices! Aretha rocks...Love the hat.

[mjc]

The hat didn't bother me much at all. What did bother me is that she demonstrates that she is way past her prime in knowing the tune or staying in tune. I know, I know....soul singers like to tweak the words..., the old fashioned words that make some songs national emblems and anthems. But her lack of finding the tune and then staying with the notes/poem literally wrecked that song. And she is not the only one. I cannot stand to hear Tony Bennett anymore either. If you still have the voice and still carry a tune, fine. Sing at every occasion. But if you can't deliver, stay home or go with the clothes and hat but don't SING

[twohearts]

All I can say is: Stop Judging Everybody's Clothes & Hats......­....especi­ally Aretha, the Queen of Soul! I was thrilled to see her there in the freezing cold, toughing it out!

Singing at the temperature is difficult - and she's not young anymore. I'm a musician myself, and none of it bothered me one bit.

As to Shakira with the master, Stevie Wonder.......uh...

[missmaryherself]

What most of us white folks fail to realize is that there is a long, proud tradition when it comes to black women and hats. If you are intrigued or just want to get up to speed, you'll have an enjoyable time looking at: "Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats" by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. (ISBN-10: 0385500866; ISBN-13: 978-0385500869). I stumbled onto it in a bookstore several years ago and just thought, "Damn, I wish I could pull that off." Aretha is straight out of this legacy--her father's church was a coat-and-tie, handbag-and-hat, bring-the-­best-self-­you-got place of worship. Aretha owns that "vertical," and she did it proud at the inauguration.

[kylennblack]

Don't care. It was an ugly hat.

[Loxie72]

Aretha was Wearing That Hat and I love her for it. I don't have those kind of guts!

[Project4NuBostonTeaParty]

I love ARETHA, have since her first hit in the '60s, and I LOVED her hat. It was glorious, beautiful and defiant -- just like the woman herself.

As for her performance, it was obvious the cold air was affecting her throat, and I think that's why her singing was slightly sub-par (for her). She didn't go looking for notes that we all expected her to reach for. It takes courage to sing 'live' in that weather, so Aretha gets a pass from me.

My only disappointment Tuesday was the total lack of acknowledgment for ODETTA, who -- throughout a year of declining health -- was hanging on and had planned to sing for the new president. She almost made it.

Someone (Sen. Diane Feinstein?) should have openly expressed appreciation for Odetta, for her life's work and her support for Obama. Had Odetta been there singing, we would have been treated to the Queen of Folk in addition to the Queen of Soul. Odetta researched and performed many 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century American songs, some written by slaves. She is credited by Bob Dylan himself with inspiring him to become a folksinger. Were it not for Odetta, would we have Dylan the way we know him?

Hello, Obama staffers! It's not too late to remember Odetta (a great American who thankfully has left us many wonderful recordings) with a public statement.

I'll be waiting...

[MThomasNC]

Ladies and gentlemen, listen up. Hats for black ladies of a certain age group is a cultural thing. My mom would not leave the house for church or formal occasion without her hat. Her bad, sassy, bold hats. This was also for her friends and all the church sisters. Aretha Franklin, dear diva with her bad hat, you go girl!!!
I was surprised that Michelle's mother didn't wear a bad, sassy hat. She is of that generation.

[DillyDid]

i was on the Mall when diva Aretha came sailing forth wearing that hat, and where I was standing a mighty cheer went up for her AND that hat.

We loved it, and...umm. we didn't all have to be black to appreciate her hat as a statement of high ceremony and utter joy.

To naysayers- bah humbug..

[Erica Heller - Huffpost Blogger]

She's a true original and as we all know, originality is not always accepted or appreciated.

[hollybork]

Hat was fine, who care? Typical sunday go to black church stand out hat. Seen a million of them. The problem was she was not in voice. Or she was singing out of her range. Not a great performance. But it was cold and she is old. Story told.

[DKLabRat]

I thought the hat was ludicrous. But having said that I wasn't surprised by it. It's part of Aretha's general style and part of the style used by a large number of soul singers of a certain age, sex and race. As such it's entirely up to her what she wears and everyone else should butt out.

[geejai54]

You can tell this is a cultural thing with the hats. Most black folks get the hat thing, most white folks don't At my house on Inauguration day when Aretha took the podium we said "way to go Aretha" We loved the hat. If you would visit black churches on a Sunday morning you will find women of a certain age in similar hats. We refer to them as "Crowns" I am a hat wearer myself. And as to her voice, no it may not have been up to what is was in her hey day but it still wasn't bad for a woman in her 70's singing in sub zero weather. And to all the professional singers who say they would have sung the song better and different too bad they did not invite you.

[Erica Heller - Huffpost Blogger]

I love the notion of "crowns" and this is one woman who certainly deserves one. And as for: " And to all the professional singers who say they would have sung the song better and different too bad they did not invite you," I must say that was perfectly put.

[GoogleMaster]

Actually the Star Spangled Banner is sung a thousand different ways by a million different artists. Case in point - any Super Bowl game. I don't see anything wrong with an artist not rendering a song beat for beat, note for note exactly as the sheet music describes it. Even gospel songs are interpreted a myriad number of ways depending on the singer's interpretation. I liked Aretha's rendition. And the hat was rather odd but that worked for me too. That's Aretha, someone who we've not seen perform for ages.

[BeatriceStockwell]

She didn't sing "The Star-Spangled Banner."

[greymom]

I think we owe a lot to the African American church going woman of a certain age who have kept the tradition of a stunning hat alive in an age where most people wear a stocking cap at most in coldest weather and only to keep their heads warm and not to make a fashion statement.

In Britain, they wear them at daytime weddings and Ascot and I picked up a stunning lime and navy blue one in a second hand store in the UK when I lived there 10 years ago. Its price used was $60 and I am hoping my youngest son will have a daytime wedding so I can wear it someday.

Kudos for Aretha keeping the milliner's art alive. The hat was everything a hat should be, whimsical and utilitarian.

[luzcannon]

I think we owe a lot to the African American church going woman of a certain age who have kept the tradition of a stunning hat alive

So right. Hats, dresses, shoes, bags - those women have saved dressing well. I can't pull it off, but I looooove it when I see it. Aretha's hat was class all the way, and she is The Queen.

[MPeter]

Thank you for that. I can only add, AMEN. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!