03x02 - Aretha: Until The Real Thing Comes Along

[bunniefuu]

ARETHA: Previously on Genius...

My singing's always been
my guardian angel.

WEXLER: Everybody's floored by your voice.

I want to know what's underneath.

And which one of C.L's daughters is you?

-I'm Aretha Louise.
-Met her at a party at her daddy's house.

-RICK: I thought he was a preacher.
-Well, he loves Sunday morning

and Saturday night.

WEXLER: Miss Franklin.

TOM: Welcome to Muscle Shoals.

-Fire him. The trumpet player.
-I wasn't saying nothing to her.

This was supposed to be
my last chance,

-my last chance, and you ruined it.
-Stop it!

ARETHA: For the record, Ted and I
have a wonderful marriage.

I am a princess in a fairy tale.

Do you have any idea how good you are?
You're a wunderkind.

A wonder child.

When we go back out on the road,
I'mma take you with me.

She ain't old enough to travel
on the gospel circuit.

-That road's a wild place now.
-[SCREAMS]

I'm always gonna protect you.
You remember that.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

A million baby kisses

I said, said I'm gonna deliver

The minute that you sing that

Oh, Swanee River

Rock-a-bye your rock-a-bye baby

With a Dixie

Melody

One more time, yeah

A million baby kisses

I'm gonna deliver

The minute that you sing that

Oh, Swanee River

Rock-a-bye
your rock-a-bye baby

With a Dixie

Melody

Oh

-[LAUGHS] Yeah!
-[SCATTERED APPLAUDING]

-That's my girl!
-Thank you so much, Village Beacon.

[WHISTLES]

ARETHA: Thank you for coming.

[TED WHISTLING]

-Was I good?
-Ooh, are you kidding me?

You were on fire up there.

Well, they weren't clapping much.

That's 'cause they don't
know how to show their love.

-Mmm.
-But you know who does.

Why don't you take a load off?

I'mma hit up the club manager,
talk about getting us paid.

I'm gonna go freshen up first, baby.

Okay.

-You did your thing, girl.
-Mmm-hmm.

[DOOR CLOSES]

You gonna rub my feet when we get home.

-Well, whatever my baby needs.
-Mmm.

-ALL: Surprise!
-[LAUGHS]

[APPLAUDING]

-What in the world...
-Happy birthday.

Mmm.

-You got me.
-[LAUGHING]

-Champagne for the lady.
-Now, are you sure

we should be spending all this cash?

Oh, nothing is too good for my best girl.

ERMA: Happy birthday, sister.

-Mwah.
-You missed my set.

You know I sing at the Tropico tonight.

Almost sold out the house.

Twenty-one. That's a big one.

I think things are gonna change
for me this year.

Well, you know Daddy always said.

Good things come to those who wait.

And I've waited long enough.

-There you are.
-[CHEERING]

ERMA: Happy birthday, sister.

Make a wish, girl.

I want to be on TV again.

Primetime this time.

I want to be on The Steve Allen Show
with six million watching.

Your wish is my command.

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

PEOPLE: [SINGING]
Roll, Jordan, roll

Roll, Jordan, roll

I want to go to heaven when I die

To hear old Jordan roll

ANNOUNCER: All right,
ladies and gentlemen,

The one, the only Reverend C.L. Franklin!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

Yes, sir! Ha, ha!

Thank you.

Hallelujah.

Thank you.

We're so grateful to be here.

It's a very special moment for myself

and my family.

I'm here with my daughter Aretha Louise.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

She will come up on this stage and sing

for the very first time...

-MAN: First time.
-...on this gospel circuit.

-[APPLAUDING]
-Yes, sir.

CLARENCE: You gonna remember her name.

Aretha. You'll remember her name.

Aretha, will you join me?

[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

WOMAN 1: Hi, Aretha.

[CROWD CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

WOMAN 2: Amen, amen.

WOMAN 3: Yes.
MAN 1: Oh, that's sweet.

MAN 2: Sing it, little girl.

-Yes.
-MAN 3: Sing.

WOMAN: Come on, now.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Amaz...

MAN: All right.
WOMAN: All right.

...ing grace

-Yes, come on, now. Come on.
-[WHOOPS]

How sweet...

MAN: That's it.
WOMAN: Yes.

The sound...

MAN: Come on, come on.

That saved

A wretch

-Like me...
-Mmm, mmm, mmm. Mmm.

She just a little nervous
'cause she singing

in front of the people, you know.

She just a little nervous.
She'll be all right.

I once

Was lost

But now

I'm found...

-Oh...
-Yes.

-[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
-ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen,

ladies and gentlemen, yeah, yeah!

MAN: Sing the song now.

Y'all give it up for Miss Clara Ward.

How I got over?

How I got over

-How I got over
-Oh

My soul looks back and wonders

How I got over

-Well, just as soon as I can see Jesus
-Oh, yes

-The man that made me free
-Oh, yes

-The man that bled and suffered
-Oh, yes

-And d*ed for you and for me
-Oh, yes

-I want to thank him because he brought me
-Oh, yes

-I'm gonna thank him because he taught me
-Oh, yes

-Thank him because he kept me
-Oh, yes

I'm gonna thank him

-'Cause he never left me
-Oh, yes

Well, I'm gonna sing

Oh, I'm gonna shout

Oh, I'm gonna thank Jesus

For all he's done for me

-Well, I'm gonna wear a diadem
-Oh, yes

-In the New Jerusalem
-Oh, yes

-I'm gonna walk the streets of gold
-Oh, yes

-In the homeland of the soul
-Oh, yes

-No, I'm gonna sing
-Hallelujah

-Yeah, and shout
-Till it's over

-Oh, I want thank you, Lord
-Thank you, Jesus!

For being so good to me

Yes, Lord

How I got over

-How I got over
-How I got over

Ooh, my soul looks back and wonders

How I got over

Yeah

How I got over

-Oh, how I got over
-How I got over

My soul looks back and wonders

How I got over

How I got over

Oh, yeah.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

-Ha!
-Praise you, Lord!

ANNOUNCER: Yeah!

This is Miss Clara Ward singing.

-Thank you.
-Y'all give a round of applause. Let's go.

You were wonderful, Miss Ward.

Aw, thank you, baby.
You sing beautifully, too.

Thank you.

CLARENCE: [OVER RECORDING]
It has sprung up,

emerged, materialized, arisen...

CLARENCE: All right, all right.
Lookie here, lookie here.

Thank you, ma'am.
Thank you. Bless you.

-Thank you so much.
-MAN: Reverend, Reverend.

-Oh, it's good to meet you.
-Yeah.

Uh, your radio program is a blessing.

We listen to it every week.

Mmm, yeah.
And now, to see you in person...

Please accept this as
an expression of our gratitude.

Yes, I've got a sweet tooth,
and it's gonna be satisfied.

Thank you so much.

Hey, Little Re. I'm Ronnie.

How you feel about your first time?

-It wasn't very good.
-[SCOFFS] Nah.

You have a beautiful voice,
and it's just gonna get better.

-You think so?
-I know so.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Keep your head up.

[EXHALES]

-[HORN HONKING]
-[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

I'm gonna call it the Freedom March.

As Gandhi marches people
to the sea this summer,

I'm marching our people
through the streets of Detroit.

Folks on board, businesses contributing,

we gonna make change happen
'cause we gonna demand it.

Nobody brings people together like you do.

It'll be the biggest
freedom march in history.

You mean in the state of Michigan.

CLARENCE: No, I mean

in this country,
'cause enough is enough.

Everybody's coming on board,
not just in Detroit.

That's why I'm traveling around

to churches like the one
I'm preaching at tonight.

-Daddy, I know I said...
-To spread the word.

Reverend King's helping me
drum up support.

Coming to my march?

And you know all the things
that I done done

-for that boy. Uh-huh.
-Yeah.

-You know, that boy, he owe me.
-Though a man like Dr. King

really should have his own march.

I mean, that would really get a turnout.

Mmm.

Sit down, baby.

Daddy, I know you wanted me to open up

-before your sermon tonight...
-CLARENCE: Mmm-hmm?

-...but I can't.
-TED: I got her an important audition

at the Village Beacon.

You canceling on me?
You gave me your word, baby.

It's for a producer,
The Steve Allen Show?

TED: He's only in town for one night.

I'm moving things forward for myself,
you know?

Ted got me booked
so the producers could see me

live in action.

You can come meet us for a drink after.

You should be playing at bigger clubs

than that hole in the wall.

You sang at the Newport Jazz Festival.

[SCOFFS SOFTLY]

It's a nice place to be seen, Daddy.

Baby, if I didn't send money every month,

you wouldn't be able to afford to be seen.

I pay for your rent,
I pay for your electric bill.

I pay for the meal that's on this plate.

-We don't need your money.
-Oh?

Oh, you gonna be in his stable now, huh?

[SIGHS]

You don't have to come
if you don't want to, Daddy.

We'd understand if you were
too tired after your flight.

[QUIETLY] Mmm-hmm.

-[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]
-My girl can sing, right?

What'd I tell you?
My baby is out of sight.

-You're a wonderful singer, Miss Franklin.
-Thank you.

It means a lot coming from you.

These are for you to keep.
So, four records on Columbia.

She had two top-ten hits
on the R&B charts.

PRODUCER: Your song choice tonight
was interesting.

Why the Al Jolson tune?

Well, back in the day, um,

my father and I used to love him.

Kind of hokey.

Let's get you another drink.

CLARENCE: Glad to meet you.

-Reverend Franklin.
-You missed my song, Daddy.

I'm sure you brought the house down.

-How was your sermon?
-Oh, it was all right.

I'm sure they're all excited
for your march.

Yes. Yes, they are.

So what do you think?
She's got quite a voice, huh?

My baby girl is on the rise.

You know, your records
just don't capture the energy

you bring in your live performance.

Maybe I'm just better in person.

-Yeah.
-Aretha's been soloing in church

since she was 12 years old,
not to mention all the years

-on the gospel circuit.
-TED: Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

When can she be on the show?

She's got a couple open dates
the next few weeks.

I remember John Hammond

telling me about you after
your first record came out.

Very talented.

-Well, thank you.
-Yeah.

Let's keep in touch, Miss Franklin.

TED: Why would he mention Hammond for?

That man ain't lift a finger
to help you get on the show.

That was his nice way of saying no.

There's a way to talk to these people.

You... You can't be too pushy.

Okay, you know what?
I don't know why you two

are acting like it didn't go over.

He loved you and he wants you on the show.

We're going straight to the top.

That's it.

Drinks are on me.

Drinks on me!

You wonder why things ain't hittin'.

You're getting bad advice.

He's hustling.

For-for us.

He's hustling for me.

But it's the wrong kind of hustle, baby.

He runs women.
Don't act like you don't know.

You got to step away from him, baby.

He's dragging you down.

Where's he off to?

Sit down, baby.

-Let me get you another.
-Mmm.

[HORNS HONKING]

JOHN: You should have been

at the radio station this morning.

WKMG, remember?

Mr. Hammond, it won't happen again.

We screwed up.

Ted and I, we're still like newlyweds,

waking up late, staying out all night...

Actually, as her manager,
it was my job to make sure

she was there.

She had a late show last night.

A producer from Steve Allen
wanted to see her.

Our plan was to wait on that.

But why wait?

He said they'd be in touch.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

-Sally?
-Yes, Mr. Hammond?

Can you get me Norm Chaseman
over at ABC?

-Head of booking for Steve Allen.
-Right away.

It wasn't a question of
if we could book you for Steve Allen.

-It was a question of when. Mmm.
-Exactly.

Now, I know we haven't had
the kind of hit that an artist

-of your caliber deserves.
-Which is why

Ted and I are here today.
We-We're so excited

to find out what your plans are

-for this next record.
-Good.

Because we're building a career here.

It's a daily grind.

Whatever we book you for,

you got to show up.

Your sister Erma,
she never misses a promo date.

Mr. Hammond, I assure you,
I am not afraid of hard work.

I hope that's clear.

-[INTERCOM BUZZES]
-SALLY: I have Norm Chaseman on the line.

JOHN: Norm. How's the swing?

Yeah?

So listen, we talked about
a slot for Aretha Franklin.

You remember? Yeah.

She's more than ready.

What have you got open?

Yes.

That'll work. Well, let's book it.

Oh, she's gonna be
a great draw for you guys.

Ha. Thanks.

Yeah, you, too.

Your next television appearance,

booked.

-Hmm.
-Thank you, Mr. Hammond.

Now, about your next album.

[SLOW INSTRUMENTAL JAZZ PLAYING]

-[MUSIC STOPS]
-That sounds a lot like my last record.

-All jazz.
-You have an orchestra

inside of you,
and we want to complement that,

to surround you with sound.

-I want more than that.
-Look at Elvis.

He's got gospel hits and rockabilly hits.

I mean, Aretha's as good as Elvis. Hell...

-She's better.
-I can't be a throwback.

-Times are changing.
-Sounds like

you want to keep trying
a little bit of everything.

I mean, the last time, it was tender,

-moving, swinging.
-Why can't she try different things

to see what sticks?

-Because nothing seems to stick.
-It didn't chart the way

-we hoped.
-Because you're all over the place.

You got to let me establish you
in a particular vein.

You are a jazz singer.

Mr. Hammond, there's got to be more for me

than just another jazz record.

[STAMMERS] What about Sam Cooke?
He brings down the house.

His music is for the lovers
and the fighters.

He can sing anything. I can do that.

I know I can.

How about I give you
my version of Foggy Day?

Well, it sounds to me like

-you want to be Judy Garland.
-No!

But why not?

Come on, Mr. Hammond.
You and I both know that I'm going places.

And so I deserve to be compared
to the best.

I want gold records, and I need songs

that I can make a k*lling with.

You want a hit record,

and I know a thing or two
about what works.

I want to be on that wall.

Okay.

Okay. Fine.

If you want to be Judy Garland,

let's try it.

And if we can't sell records,

you can always go back
to recording gospel.

MAN 1: That look good. All right.

MAN 2: Y'all, now look who's here.

[HORN HONKS]

-I got it. I'm gonna tie it right here.
-MAN: Good to see y'all.

Hey now, brother.

What's going on, man? How you doing?

Good to see you, good to see you.

All right, sister,
come over here, this way now.

Y'all did pretty good last night, now.

Well, where's the next show?
Tuscaloosa? Hey.

Hey, what's going on, man?
How you doing?

All right, all right.

I want to be just like you, Miss Clara.

Can you teach me how?

Well, first you got to study
all the singers that you like.

You borrow from them,

and then you mix in what you already got.

CLARENCE: Re, leave Miss Clara alone

and go wait with the young people.
Miss Clara and I got

some church business to attend to.

-Yes, Daddy.
-Mmm-hmm.

Tell you what.

On the second leg of the trip,

I'll have my car, and you and I can ride

-from place to place.
-Sounds like fun.

-Oh, good.
-You want to hold onto this for me?

-[GUITAR PLAYING]
-[SINGING] I'm gonna be

Colored all my life

I am gonna be, mmm

Colored all my life, yes

I am gonna be

Colored all my life

And I ain't got time

To take no mess from you

You want to sing with me?

Maybe later.

Not every time we sing will be in a tent.

Sure was pretty.

You playing dress-up?

Miss Clara gave it to me.

Well, it looks good.

I really shouldn't be wearing it.
I'm only 12.

CLARA: Frank?
CLARENCE: Hey, baby.

They're like royalty, ain't they?

Think they'll get married?

I hope so.

[BUS ENGINE STARTS]

You blushing for real now?

Come on, girl.
Let's get on the bus.

[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING]

ARETHA: What a friend

We have in Jesus

-All
-CLARENCE: Sing it!

-Our sins and griefs
-Sing it.

To bear

Our griefs to bear

All because we do not carry

[CLARA SINGING ALONG]

Everything to God in prayer

-[APPLAUDING]
-That's right.

Everything to God

-In prayer
-CLARENCE: That's right.

[APPLAUDING AND CHEERING]

She was great. Great.

That will set them straight.

-Mmm-hmm.
-We gonna have to all

start calling you
the baby singer fore long.

CLARA: Mmm-mmm.

You letting your light shine, Little Re.

Mmm, that's why I brought you.

So you can watch, listen, and learn.

I just pretended
I was Miss Clara Ward.

Aw, you following
in my singing footsteps

and you doing me proud.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen,

Miss Lena Horne!

[APPLAUDING]

I've wined and dined on Mulligan stew

And never asked for turkey

As I hitched and hiked and grifted, too...

I like how she moves.

She's graceful, feminine.

Mmm.

BARTENDER: Ladies, drinks.

She's got the gowns,
she's got the glamour.

Which makes up for the fact
that she cannot sing.

She's got a beautiful voice.

At a party where
they honored Noel Coward

But social circles spin
too fast for me...

Now, girl, you know
I should just shut right up.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Look at us, trying to break
into the music business

and not getting nowhere.

I get too hungry for dinner at 8:00...

You know I had six singles on Epic

and not one has charted.
Lena's got dozens.

And a room full of rich people
paying to see her.

She's a star.

With people I hate...

She speaks her mind.

She's got something special.

Uh, and we don't?

I don't like crap games

With barons and earls

Won't go to Harlem

In ermine and pearls...

Don't tell me he's pimping again.

Okay, I won't tell you.

I thought he quit.

ARETHA: Well... [SIGHS]

My music isn't doing much, either.

My records are barely getting
on the R&B charts

and that doesn't pay the rent.

Well, Daddy's still sending you money.

Less and less.

What about your advance?

I spent it.

Give us a minute?

I'm flat, that's that

I'm all alone

When I lower my lamp

That's why the lady...

You know,
this producer I talked to earlier,

he is a huge fan of yours.

You are this close to breaking out.

Just keep your eye on the prize, right?

Let me see that smile.

-[APPLAUDING]
-Come on.

-[BOTH LAUGH]
-You know I love that smile.

Ah...

-I want gowns.
-Okay.

-And I want dance lessons.
-Okay.

And I want elocution.

I want to be more like Lena.

It's gonna cost you.

Can we take a loan out?

From a bank.

Look, I got the money figured out.

You know I always take care of business.

I don't like your side business.

I do what I got to do

so you get to do
what you want to do.

I don't like it, either.

But I do it because I care about you.

And I'm gonna get you those gowns.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

...the real thing

Comes

Along

And that was
Until the Real Thing Comes Along,

the seductive new single

from jazz vocalist Miss Aretha Franklin,

who is live with us in the studio.

Well, thank you so much, Uncle Terry.

-It is a pleasure to be here.
-Miss Franklin,

why don't you help our listeners
get to know you a bit?

What was life like before
you came to the Big Apple?

Well, I grew up singing
on the gospel circuit

all over the south.

My daddy was a preacher
and my biggest hero.

That's a lot of traveling
for a little girl.

ARETHA: Well, I think it was a blessing.

I got the chance to sing
to a lot of different folk

and I got the opportunity
to practice being on stage,

which is, uh, a lot harder than it looks.

Um, it was a great way to cut my teeth.

What have you got coming up?

Next Friday, I-I'm going to be

doing the midnight gig at the Hudson Gate.

Oh, following in the footsteps
of Lena Horne

-and Billie Holiday.
-Well, it does feel very special

to be singing on the stage
where they started out.

And I'm really excited about it.

Now I've heard a secret about you.

You've booked your next TV gig.

ARETHA: Oh, yes, that's right.

Uh, I'm going to be
on The Steve Allen Show.

A little birdie told me, your new album's

gonna be a little bit of everything.

Some show tunes, some jazz.

Have you decided which version
of Aretha gets to sing on TV?

Uh, well...

there's only one Aretha
and she gets to sing what she wants.

MAX: Now, the waltz is the first step

that's gonna get you where you want to go.

Let's take it from the top.

Head up, one...

Ooh, three, one.

It's okay. Stay with me.

That's right, look at me.

One, slowly.

-There you go, that's right.
-Okay.

-That's beautiful, yeah.
-I'm getting it.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

This dress that we sh*t this in, I...

I love. I thought I would need
to get something off the rack,

but then I decided I had to have
something custom made.

Uh-huh. I mean,
if you're gonna go out there,

-you got to get out there right.
-That's right.

All the money
I've spent on hair, nails

and makeup, clothes.

It costs money to look good.

Yes, it does. [LAUGHS] Although...

all the money I spent,
it ain't really paid off yet.

-Well, same here, but it will.
-Mmm.

-Yeah. Well...
-God willing.

Hmm.

Career's not where it needs
to be right now,

but it will be, and until then

we gonna look good and we gonna feel good.

-Yes, we are.
-Yes.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Oh, Re, you know,

sometimes I look at you...

Girl, you are recording for Columbia.

And it's like, do I even have a chance?

Sometimes I look at you,
and you're recording at Epic,

and I think the same thing.

Mmm-hmm.

All right, Re?

You got that TV gig coming up, right?

-Mmm-hmm.
-So how about you come home to prepare?

And then you could help Daddy
with the march.

I'm not coming to the march.

Are you mad at Daddy?

No, I...

I got to work and I'm trying
to set myself up here

and I haven't had the support
that I need so far.

I'm trying to...
I'm trying to do it on my own.

Yeah.

-It's hard trying to find your way.
-Mmm-hmm.

[MUSIC PLAYING OVER STEREO]

Come on in this house

Stop all that yakety-yak...

[PEOPLE CLAMORING]

[WOMAN LAUGHING]

Thank you, Jesus!

Mmm, I'm gonna get exactly
what I want when I want.

[PEOPLE CLAMORING]

ARETHA: Excuse me, Sister May?

Have you seen my daddy?

Oh, the last time
we saw him was in 14F.

Mmm-hmm.

She got no clue.

[LAUGHING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

Well, you're the cutest thing
that I did ever see

I really love your peaches
want to shake your tree

Lovey dovey...

[MUSIC FADES AND SOUND DISTORTS]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[CLARENCE LAUGHING]

Miss Ward.

Sweetie, what are you doing
out here at this hour?

You need to get back to your room
before your daddy sees you.

Where are you going?

I just left a party,
but you, young lady,

are going to bed, go on.

[MUFFLED MUSIC PLAYING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

Keep going straight to your room.

Like to have a good time

Wild, wild boyfriends

Like to lose their minds

Wild men dig me

But I love a cool one

Wild men dig me...

Hey now! Y'all look who's here!

Girl, you can sing.

And you cute as all get-out, too, girl.

Baby, they say you gonna be a real star.

WOMAN: A real star.

Mmm. Go get me another drink, baby.

-I got you.
-Thank you, baby.

[CROWD CLAMORING]

They can scream and break down

But they don't k*ll me

Well, they can romp and stomp

Well, they can rock and roll...

MAN: You empty-handed!

I'm not thirsty.

Try this... It's sweet.

They all want to be mine...

[GAGS]

[MAN LAUGHING]

It's like a Shirley Temple

with a touch of Saturday night.

Fun, right?

Heard you singing today.

You sang beautiful.

Thank you. You sing good, too.

I think you like your drink, mmm-hmm?

You want to dance?

MAN: Now-now-now, man,
what you over there doing?

[LAUGHING]

[CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[ROOSTER CROWING IN DISTANCE]

[SIGHS]

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

[CLARENCE HUMMING]

[ROOSTER CROWING]

Ah! [HUMMING]

Daddy, I don't feel so good.

Yeah?

-My tummy hurts.
-Huh?

I bet you wished
you had stayed in the room

last night like I told you, huh?

[CHUCKLES]

Hmm.

Here.

[WATER FIZZING]

Drink that.

You'll feel better after a while.

Go on.

-[GAGS]
-Mmm-hmm.

Let's get ready.

We got to show up and show out for God

no matter what.

You understand?

-Yes, Daddy.
-All right.

[CLARENCE HUMMING]

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AND CHEERING]

CLARENCE: God is good...

CONGREGATION: All the time!

And all the time...

-CONGREGATION: God is good!
-Some people say,

"How can I, Reverend,
how can I identify with Jesus?

"He's the Son of God!"

I say you relate to Him
because of His humanness.

God made Jesus in such a way

that He got hungry.

-[CONGREGATION CLAMORING]
-He was tired!

He got lonely.

And when the darkness
was falling in on Him,

when He was up on that cross,
He thought of His mother!

He thought of His Father!

When the sins

of the entire world,

past, present and future
was up on His shoulders,

He thought of others.

[CHEERING AND CLAMORING]

That's the God I'm gonna trust!

That's the God

I'm gonna trust!

Will you trust Him?

CONGREGATION: Yeah!

-Will you trust Him?
-[CLAMORING]

MAN: [SINGING] I will trust

In the Lord

Will you trust Him?

Trust

In the Lord

-[KNOCKING]
-TV ANNOUNCER: Preparations are underway

for tomorrow's Walk to Freedom...

ERMA: Re!

Re?

TV ANNOUNCER: ...civil rights for Negroes.

Reverend CL Franklin...

Girl, you still got rollers in your hair?

Daddy's got a thousand people at the house

getting ready for the march.
Get dressed!

Cecil's gonna pick us up from the airport.

I told you I'm not going.

There's gonna be plenty
of people at the march.

Daddy won't even notice I'm gone.

Oh, of course he will.

And he'll miss his favorite daughter.

Daddy stopped sending money,
so I'm twisting in the wind.

TV ANNOUNCER: ...racial discrimination
in cities throughout the South.

Oh, girl, you ain't twisting in no wind.
You got Ted.

Daddy can have his march without me.

[SIGHS DEEPLY]

Don't cut him off.

This is an important event.

Not just for him but for all of us.

And he's your father.

Daddy cut me off 'cause I didn't
want him to run my life.

-Girl, come on and get dressed.
-I'm not going.

-Re, get dressed.
-All right, okay. You know what?

You need to leave before you,
uh, miss your flight.

Go on now. I'm staying right here.

TV ANNOUNCER:
Reverend Franklin thinks

the march will bring about
much-needed change.

ANNOUNCER: From Hollywood,
it's The Steve Allen Show.

From the Hollywood Playhouse,
we bring you 90 minutes

-of madness and melody...
-[SHOES TAPPING]

-It is cold in here.
-I told the stage manager

he need to turn down the AC.

I know you don't like it
too cold when you sing.

-What, you nervous?
-I'm good.

[PANTING] Is my daddy out there?

Yeah, I saw him.
You know who else is out there?

Jerry Wexler from Atlantic Records.

You are drawing the big sh*ts, girl.

MAN: Five-minute intermission
for set change.

Set change. Five minutes, everyone.

Dancers, stage left.

Get ready for your entrance.

ARETHA: My daddy showing up

even though I didn't go to his march?

-You think he's still mad at me?
-Look,

you are gonna be great.

That's all that counts.

HAMMOND: You're looking well, Reverend.

And you.

It's been a while
since we've seen each other.

Several years.

I'm treating your daughter well.

I hope there are no hard feelings.

Water under the bridge.

I appreciate she's still under contract
at Columbia.

Congratulations on your march.

We did a great service for the movement.

-Very admirable.
-[CROWD APPLAUDING]

STEVE ALLEN: This young lady
has been singing, uh,

chiefly for Columbia Records,
one of the most

exciting young singers
in the business today.

Let's make her feel right at home.

Here is Miss Aretha Franklin.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

Skylark

Have you

Anything to say to me?

Won't you tell me

Where my love can be?

Is there a meadow

In the mist

Skylark

[SNIFFLES]

-Big Mama?
-Hmm?

I think something's wrong with me.

I haven't been feeling so good.

Oh, what's the matter, baby?

Well, my tummy's been feeling sick

and my monthly hasn't come.

Not for a while.

Well, how long has it been?

Four months.

Get up. Come here.

Do you feel different inside?
Like everything's moving faster?

I don't know.

Erma says when you don't get
your monthly you have a baby.

Do you know how you get a baby?

Who did this to you?

A boy at school?

Someone on the road?
Who did this to you, Little Re?

-What's that?
-Little Re isn't feeling well.

Oh, yeah?

I might have a baby inside me.

How you know?

RACHEL: She hasn't had her monthly,

and I feel a bump.

Son.

[SNIFFLES]

RACHEL: What in God's name happened?

Well, the road is a wild place, Mama.

I wanted her to stay home.

You insisted.

She's too young to be out there.

All these children
are living without a mother.

And the first time that I let

that precious child out of my sight,
this happens?

You weren't watching her.

You let her fall prey to God knows what.

I did keep my eye on her, Mama.

As best I could.

The boy?

-[STAMMERS]
-The boy who did this...

must be held accountable.

CLARENCE: We could waste time
and chase after

worldly justice,

or we could simply accept that this
is a part of the mission

that God, God has for her.

Sky

Lark

I don't know if you can find

All of these things

But my heart

Is riding

On your wings

You see them

Anywhere

[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]

ANNOUNCER: We'll be right back
after a word from our sponsors.

CLARENCE: I don't know why she decided

to sing that particular song.

Well, she sings what she wants.

One minute insisting on show tunes,

and here she is doing a jazz number.

[LAUGHS SOFTLY] I can't reason with her.

[CHUCKLES]

-Nor can I.
-[LAUGHS SOFTLY]

How you feeling, baby?

All right, I guess.

-We're gonna take you to Dr. Stuart.
-Okay.

Are you mad?

No, baby.

And this is not gonna stop you
from singing.

Or from going to school.

Isn't that right, Mama?

We're all gonna pitch in,

and this baby will be the family's baby.

That's right.
This is not gonna stop you

from what you were meant to do.

Meant to do.

[SNIFFLES]

That was a wonderful performance.

I wish I could stay.

I think I sang really well.

-You always sing well.
-Mmm.

But we haven't found it yet, have we?

Not for lack of trying.

So let's get you back into the studio

and put our heads together.

TED: Hammond.
JOHN: Ted.

Listen, I, uh, I wish I could linger,

but I have another event. Congratulations.

Glad you could make it.

On your birthday last year,

do you remember
what you wished for?

Have you seen my father?

You said you wanted to be on
The Steve Allen Show,

and what did I say to you?

I said I was gonna make
your dreams come true,

and now look at where we are.

He made it all this way,
stayed for the show,

and didn't stay for the party,
which means he was either

still mad at me or he thought
my performance was bad.

-Was it?
-No... Baby, baby, baby, no.

Come on.

Mr. Wexler?

I'm a big fan, Aretha.

-Miss Franklin.
-Excuse me.

Miss Franklin.

You know I've launched a few careers,

Atlantic Records and me.

We roll up our sleeves and we dig deep.

This contract with Columbia is almost up.

What she does after that is her call.

Columbia's had a good run.
But music's changing.

You got to stay ahead of it
or you're gonna get left behind.

Can I be honest?

Yeah. Please.

Tonight, I wanted to be wowed,
but I wasn't.

And I don't think
the audience was, either.

Well, now you're
just plain wrong. Skylark?

-It's gonna be a classic.
-I'm trying everything I can.

You know I work with Ray Charles.

He's a genius.

I could do for you what I did for Ray.

I could help you find your sound.

That's what I do.

Now let me ask you,

what kind of music do you really
want to make, Miss Franklin?

I want to make hits, Mr. Wexler.

You'll get there

when you realize you're Aretha Franklin
and nobody else.

A pleasure.

Let me freshen your drink.

It's all yours.

[PLAYING SONG]

How I got over

How I got over

You know my soul
looks back in wonder

How I got over

How I got over

How I got over

You know my soul
looks back in wonder

How I got over

Just as soon as I see Jesus

The man who made me free

You know the man
who bled and suffered

You know he d*ed for you and me

I want to thank Him
because He brought me

I want to thank You, Jesus
because You taught me

I want to thank You
because You kept me

I want to thank You
'cause You never left me

I want to sing

I might just shout this evening

My soul looks back in wonder

How I got over

How I got over

Hey, how I got over

You know my soul
looks back in wonder

How I got over

How I got over

How I got over

You know my soul
looks back in wonder

-How I got over.
-[ALL CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]