The Great Aretha does Nessum Dorma.
All I can say is it is unexpected and – a little bit wow! But then this lady deserves R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
She filled in for Luciano on 22 minutes notice.
A star is born?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SJ Reidhead (aka The Pink Flamingo) is a writer based in New Mexico. The author of two novels, both westerns: Dust Devil and The Second Mrs. Earp and two works of non-fictions: TRAVESTY: Frank Waters Earp Agenda Exposed and A Church for Helldorado, Endicott Peabody's 1882 Tombstone Diary. One of the leading authorities on the life of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone during the Earp years, she is currently attempting to prove that Wyatt Earp's 2nd wife, Mattie Blaylock, was murdered. Other projects include a volume of Tombstone and Wyatt Earp related articles and essays. The author is currently working on a book about fashion in the Wild West based entirely on unpublished photographs.The author's work has appeared in Wild West, True West, Blogcritics, and The Tombstone Times. Recently the author has begun working on a handbook for "children" dealing with geriatric 'parents' and the changing roles we must all face in life.
SJ Reidhead has been involved in Republican politics she she was 'a little kid'. During the Reagan years she was a lobbyist working with various non-profit organizations who were attempting to salvage NASA and the American space program after the disastrous Carter years. The Obama Administration appears to be repeating these same disastrous policies.
The Pink Flamingo went on line on October 4, 2005, after the author realized "normal" Republicans were being marginalized as the extreme far right attempts to become the new normal. There are very few actual Republicans who blog on a regular basis. The Pink Flamingo is one of these blogs.
The Pink Flamingo is an unapologetic neo-con!
THE PINK FLAMINGO STORY
It started out as a joke. During the seven years I worked with the girls of my parish, leading a youth group, one of the things that I stressed were manners. Part of having manners, the way I see it, is to know how to set a proper table, host a party, cater it, and clean up afterward. I was fortunate enough to have a group of very talented girls in my youth group. They learned how to plan for, and execute large church functions, very properly. During one such function I noticed there were several incredibly tacky pink flamingos sitting on the table. Knowing the girls were up to something, I said nothing. A few months later they did the same thing at a function I was hosting at my home. I said nothing. They had a birthday party for me. More pink flamingos appeared - and a joke was born.
Thanks to the girls, all of whom are now grown, I have a collection of pink flamingos. It has become an ongoing joke. When I began working on my political blog, I realized the only possibly title was The Pink Flamingo!
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I can empathize with her breathing (and range–she needed to sing it in a different key, but time and resources didn’t allow the change… BTDT, and it wasn’t as pretty as this ;-)) difficulties (long story). She certainly put her own stamp on it. Beat the living socks off Michael Bolton’s butchery and Mario Lanza’s pitiful performance.
Still… I don’t think I want to hear that more than once. *heh*
Then I’m not alone in thinking Mario Lanza is “not all that”. I think the fact that Aretha had less than an hour to pull the thing of was remarkable. And the fact that she had enough faith in her own skills to just do her thing was quite remarkable, but then I’m an Aretha fan.
SJR
Oh, I’m a fan of Aretha’s work as well. On this, notsomuch, even given the situation. That said, I don’t know whose big brass pair she was swinging, but it took some major confidence to wing it in the situation. While I said I wouldn’t want to hear this rendition again and meant it, I would like to hear her do it in a key that suits her voice, for contrast if nothing else. (N.B., yes, I know changing keys does affect the “teleology” of a piece in often unintended ways, but in this case I’d like to hear those ways :-))