ANNOUNCER: Previously on Genius.
ARETHA: Wait a minute now,
there was a pizza box on the piano.
MAN: Sorry.
ARETHA: It makes the piano sound different.
JERRY: Who's this guy she's with?
CECIL: It's Ken Cunningham, he's solid.
I checked.
KEN: You're calling the shots;
you're making the arrangements.
Sounds like you're the producer too.
ARETHA: Where's my producer credit, Jerry?
JERRY: No artist gets producer credit.
Not The Who, not The Stones, not even The Beatles.
MAN: It just isn't done.
CL: Powder blue!
Reverend James is going to be our new choir director.
CLEVELAND: I've heard a lot about you.
ARETHA: I haven't played too much since having the baby.
CLEVELAND: It's time to start playing again.
ARETHA: King Curtis, when you play,
you're my second voice.
KING CURTIS: Second voice to Aretha Franklin,
I'll take that.
OFFICER: Keep your hands visible, sir.
CL: It's because I'm CL Franklin.
ARETHA: How much help do ya'll need from me?
CL: You just got to flaunt your power, don't you?
ARETHA: Because I'm my mother's daughter.
Miss you, Mommy.
I want to go live with Mommy in Buffalo.
You're not being fair!
She waited too long to stand up for herself and
it killed her.
And I refuse to let that be me.
DOCTOR: You're burning the candle at both ends.
My advice is to slow down.
(vomit)
BARBARA: Love you. ARETHA: Love you, too.
No! No!
BARBARA: You broke my heart.
ARETHA: You said you we're gonna help me.
CL: Stop that crying!
CL (over PA): Will you trust him?
(grunt)
(shattering glass).
(overlapping voices)
(gasping)
KEN: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey, it's all right.
It's all right, it's just a bad dream.
That's all.
Everything's going to be okay.
ARETHA: How many more am I going to have?
KEN: Well, the doctor says it's not uncommon,
but you came here to get well and that's what
you're going to do, just give it time.
ARETHA: I keep, I keep dreaming about my mother and I can't,
I can't get to her.
I can't, I can't see her face.
It'll be 20 years this spring.
And, well, with King Curtis dying I,
I feel like I lost my way.
I have to find a way to get back to myself.
KEN: Now, listen.
Don't, don't be so hard on yourself, sugar.
Remember, you've been running hard for a really long time.
It's only right you have some feelings when you stop.
How bout you get dressed.
You want to get dressed, huh?
You know your father will be here soon unless
you need me to hold him off.
I mean it's only been a couple weeks and I know it
takes a lot of energy from you.
ARETHA: No, it's all right.
KEN: You sure?
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm, I don't want him to worry.
KEN: Look at you.
CL: Hey, baby. You eating all right?
They, they got someone for you to talk to,
you know, with the, the therapy and whatnot.
Hey, I like that, that Ken fella.
You done finally found a good one.
Keep him.
ARETHA: Why didn't you let Momma take us?
CL: What, what?
ARETHA: Why didn't you let Momma take us?
CL: She, she, she didn't want to take you, babe.
ARETHA: That's, that's not true.
CL: Do you have any idea what the people would have said
if the pastor's wife took the, the children?
ARETHA: So, you were worried about what people would say?
CL: What happened between your mom and I is none
of your concern, baby.
This is, is this what they're teaching you here?
This, oh, damnit.
Come on, Retha.
ARETHA: I'm not going in.
CL: What? Retha?
ARETHA: Can you, can you, you take this inside and,
and light a candle for King Curtis?
I just need a minute.
CL: Baby come... ARETHA: Please? Please.
CL (over PA): Hallelujah.
I'm going to put my trust in the Lord.
(crying).
BOTH: Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
(theme music plays)
♪ ♪
MAN (over PA): Now, let's go back!
♪ Now let us all. All go b ♪ k
♪ Back to the old. Old landmark. ♪
♪ Now let us all. All go back ♪
♪ Back to the old. Old landmark. ♪
♪ Let us all. Back to the old ♪
♪ Old landmark ♪
♪ Let us stay in the service of the Lord. ♪
♪ Heal and pray ♪
♪ Heal and pray. ♪
♪ In the old. Old landmark ♪
♪ Heal and pray, in the old ♪
♪ Old landmark. ♪
♪ Heal and pray, in the old ♪
♪ Hear our prayer. ♪
♪ Glory, glory. ♪
♪ Glory, oh, hey! ♪
♪ Let us stay in the service of the Lord ♪
♪ Whoa, let us all. All go back. ♪
♪ All go back. Old landmark. ♪
♪ Let us all. All go back ♪
♪ Go back. Old landmark ♪
♪ Let us all. All go back ♪
♪ Go back. Old landmark ♪♪
(scatting)
CLEVELAND: Father, God, we come here today!
Lord there is a, there's a saint among us.
WOMAN: Amen!
CLEVELAND: Who may feel like they've been mistreated,
Father, God.
Not because they have done something wrong, Father, God.
But because there's something extremely right about them.
CONGREGATION: Yeah!
CLEVELAND: Isaiah 53:5
tells us the pierce in your side
is from our transgressions.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
CLEVELAND: He was crushed for our iniquities.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
CLEVELAND: The punishment that brought us peace
is on Him.
By these wounds we are made whole, Father, God.
God is working things out for you even if you don't feel it.
Have faith. Be faithful.
For where there is faith,
hope grows, and miracles blossom.
Father, God, thank you!
Thank you for this congregation!
♪ Come on and shout, shout, shout it ♪
♪ Ho, you gotta shout it ♪
♪ He healed you, you better run and shout ♪
♪ He saved you, you better run and shout ♪
♪ Shout, shout, shout, shout‐shout‐shout ♪
♪ Glory, glory, glory, glory. ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, shout it, shout it. ♪
♪ Shout, shout, shout Shout‐shout‐shout‐shout. ♪
♪ Shout‐shout‐shout‐shout‐shout‐ shout‐shout ♪
♪ Glory, glory, glory, glory ♪ ♪
(overlapping chatter).
CLEVELAND: Lord ain't gonna be waitin' for you,
but I will be.
I knew it was you the moment you walked in here.
That scarf and them glasses ain't fooling nobody.
You could come in here with a paper bag over your head,
I'd know it was you.
ARETHA: I wasn't trying to hide from you now.
CLEVELAND: You know you should have called me before
you did that Andy Williams Show.
ARETHA: Now, why I need to call you about Andy Williams?
CLEVELAND: That terrible, red feather duster thing.
I mean I could have saved you a whole mess of trouble.
ARETHA: I stand by my red feather duster.
CLEVELAND: Well, all right.
I ain't here to argue with the Queen.
I hear you're taking a break.
You, you earn that vacation.
ARETHA: It's not that kind of time off.
CLEVELAND: Are you okay, Re?
ARETHA: I will be.
I feel like I, I feel like I got lost.
Maybe I, I got to where I was going,
and it was nowhere I wanted to be.
CLEVELAND: Well, you know,
you always have a home in the House of God.
ARETHA: I know, I know.
I, I want to record a Gospel album.
CLEVELAND: Back to your roots. ARETHA: Not exactly.
I want to record it here with you,
your choir, your church.
CLEVELAND: Not your daddy's church?
ARETHA: No.
CLEVELAND: Does he know about this yet?
ARETHA: No.
I want to find my own way and I can't do that with
my daddy around.
He's part of the reason I was pulled apart
in the first place.
CLEVELAND: I know. I was there, I saw it.
Well, you know he ain't going to take this laying down.
ARETHA: That's okay. It's how it has to be.
CLEVELAND: Okay.
Let's do it, let's make a Gospel album.
Well, all right.
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
CLEVELAND: If you ready, I'm ready.
(school bell ringing).
MRS. LOWREY: Everyone, don't forget to do your
reading for tomorrow.
And I've graded some of your essays.
Do better next time, yes?
See you tomorrow.
STUDENT: Thank you, Ms. Lowrey.
MRS. LOWREY: Oh, Aretha. Come here for a second.
You did a beautiful job on your essay.
ARETHA: Thank you, Mrs. Lowrey.
MRS. LOWREY: I'm going to show it to Mrs. Drake this
afternoon and propose that you be one of our
ninth grade graduation speakers.
ARETHA: Thank you, Mrs. Lowrey.
MRS. LOWREY: You can maybe start with a little
welcome to everyone.
ARETHA: Like this?
(clears throat)
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.
First of all,
I'd like to congratulate my fellow graduates.
MRS. LOWREY: Exactly.
You know, I used to sing in the choir with
your mother, Barbara.
She was very smart, just like you.
She would be so proud of the student that you've become.
You'll be a natural as one of our speakers.
ARETHA: Thank you, Mrs. Lowrey.
Sorry, I've gotta run,
I'm going to be late for choir practice.
MRS. LOWREY: Okay. Keep practicing.
♪ Back to the old landmark ♪
♪ Old landmark ♪♪
CLEVELAND: No, no, no, no, no, no.
Come on Rufus, what ya doing back there, huh?
Naomi, you're making the altos look bad.
Hey, hey, hey, Ruth,
you ain't even open up your mouth.
From the top, let's go.
(piano).
♪ Now let us all ♪
♪ All go back ♪
♪ Back to the old landmark ♪
♪ Old landmark ♪
♪ Let us all go back ♪
♪ All go back. ♪
♪ To the old landmark. ♪
♪ Old landmark ♪
♪ Now let us all ♪
♪ All go back ♪
♪ Old landmark ♪♪
♪ And we'll stay in the service of the Lord ♪ ♪
CLEVELAND: Yes, hey, hey, hey. All right now, all right now.
All right now, Re, this is what I need you to do.
I need you to come in after the second bar, right,
I need you to sing out loud throughout the bridge, okay?
CL: Reverend Brother Cleveland, if, if,
if my daughter needs any instruction,
she'll get it from me, not from you.
Understood?
CLEVELAND: Yeah, I get it.
Reverend Franklin, I'm just trying to.
CL: Aretha's voice is a gift from the Lord.
The less we do with it, the better.
CLARA: Now, if you were wise CL,
you'd remember the heavenly source of Aretha's gift
yourself from time to time.
CL: Mm‐hmm. CLARA: Mm‐hmm.
CLEVELAND: Let's go from the top.
(clapping).
JERRY: Pow! Pop!
ARETHA: It's a great idea, right?
And, and James has been kind enough to let us
have his church.
JERRY: Yeah, absolutely.
ARETHA: So, what's that look?
JERRY: Well, the acoustics in here are not the best.
ARETHA: I've been here plenty of times and listen
to the choir without any problems.
JERRY: Okay.
Well, a bigger issue is the size.
I mean how many people can fit in here; 30, 40, max?
ARETHA: Well, James and I were thinking of maybe doing
this over two nights.
JERRY: Okay, so now we're up to 80.
I mean I'm concerned about the scope.
I mean do you really want to go from playing huge
amphitheaters to recording a bunch of old‐time Gospel songs
in a place the size of my living room?
ARETHA: Old‐time?
I'm going to be singing popular songs and weaving it
with Gospel music in a way that you've
never heard before.
JERRY: I know, I know.
I, I just don't want us to be moving backwards is all.
ARETHA: Well, maybe sometimes you've got to move backwards to move forwards.
Listen, I even got the cover on press.
JERRY: Another one of Ken's? ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
JERRY: People love what he did for the cover of Greatest Hits.
ARETHA: Check it out.
JERRY: Oh. That's great, that's beautiful.
Okay.
ARETHA: Listen, I, I know that The Rolling Stones
didn't get producer credit on their album and
I know that The Beatles
didn't either but that is not my concern.
I'm going to produce this album,
it's the only way it can happen.
I can see it now, Jerry.
It's beautiful and I'm going to call it Amazing Grace.
JERRY: Aretha...
Then that's how we'll do it.
ARETHA: Good, all right.
JERRY: All right? ARETHA: All right. JERRY: All right.
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
♪ I'm climbing ♪
♪ Climbing ♪
♪ Oh. Lord ♪
♪ Climbing. ♪
♪ Every day ♪
♪ Climbing ♪
♪ Oh, I'm climbing. ♪
♪ I'm climbing ♪
♪ High mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home. ♪
♪ I'm going up the side of the mountain ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home. ♪
♪ I'm going up the side of the mountain ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home. ♪
♪ I'm going up the side of the mountain ♪
♪ Meet my Jesus ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Climbing ♪
♪ I'm going up. ♪
♪ Hey‐hey‐hey ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Climbing, yeah ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Hig ♪ r
♪ Yeah‐yeah ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Higher ♪
♪ Climbing higher, woop. ♪
♪ Going up ♪
♪ Climbing higher, woop ♪
♪ Hey, meet my Jesus ♪
♪ Climbing higher, woop ♪
♪ Higher ♪
♪ Climbing higher. ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Climbing higher. ♪
♪ Higher, yeah‐yeah. ♪
♪ Climbing higher, wo ♪
♪ Higher, yeah. ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Higher, yeah. ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Higher, yeah. ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Higher, yeah. ♪
♪ Climbing higher woop ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Climbing higher woop ♪
♪ Climbing higher ♪
♪ Climbing! ♪
♪ I'm climbing higher mountains ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home. ♪
♪ Home... ♪
♪ Home... ♪ ♪
(applause and cheering).
WOMAN: Yes!
ARETHA: Everybody take a break, thank you.
Thank you.
JERRY: It's great guys, great.
That's great. Really, really good.
I think we need a bigger church.
I'm just a little concerned about the impact.
I want you to check out New Zion in Pasadena.
Big, beautiful church, seats about 1,000.
ARETHA: Tell me what you're thinking.
JERRY: Okay, ready for this?
I think we should make a documentary of the show.
It's going to be epic, why not film it?
The Rolling Stones did it,
James Brown, Elvis Presley.
You want to make inroads on your acting career,
this'll put you on the map.
ARETHA: It's not really what I had in mind.
CLEVELAND: Yeah, she really wants to have
a church service.
JERRY: It's still going to be, just bigger and better.
And, and, and this way think about how many more people you
can take to church.
Impact.
CLEVELAND: It's about what you want, Re.
This is for you.
JERRY: You'll still call all the shots.
ARETHA: If we're gonna do this,
I want to do it in the community.
CLEVELAND: What about we do it in Watts?
New Temple Missionary.
JERRY: How many does it seat?
WOMAN: Excuse me, Reverend.
Ms. Franklin, your sister Erma's on the line.
She said she's been trying to reach you.
ARETHA: Tell her I'll get back to her.
Take a look at New Temple?
JERRY: I'm on my way.
CLEVELAND: They sanctified up there at New Temple.
♪ ♪
♪ May‐ay‐be ♪
♪ If I pray every night ♪
♪ You'll come back to me ♪
♪ And may‐ay‐be ♪
♪ If I cried everyday ♪
♪ You'd come back to stay ♪
♪ Oh‐oh‐oh‐oh‐oh, maybe ♪♪
ERMA: You okay, Re?
BIG MOMMA: What's going on in here?
Girls, we're going to be late for church.
You all right little Re?
ARETHA: Yeah, I'm coming.
CLEVELAND: These are the stages, right.
From what you told me; this picture right here
is probably where you are.
Three months pregnant.
ARETHA: I'm going to have another baby.
I wish my mother was here.
CLEVELAND: I know you do.
On that circuit this summer,
girl, you were running wild.
Which one of those boys did that to you?
Never mind, I should of did a better job of
looking out for you.
Your father should have did a better job
looking out for you.
ARETHA: Daddy's going to be so ashamed of me.
CLEVELAND: Just don't tell him until you have to, okay?
And remember he's your father, not God.
It's going to be all right, Re.
♪ Holy ♪
♪ Holy ♪♪
MAN: Next thing you know we'll be doing
"Heard it Through the Grapevine".
ARETHA: Yes, this is a Marvin Gaye song.
As you know, he is the son of a sanctified minister.
MAN: I don't see how this is the Lords music, Ms. Franklin.
ARETHA: All music is God's music.
We are sharing the gift he gave us.
CLEVELAND: All right, everybody, take ten.
And if anybody feels like this is beneath them,
I have 100 people ready to take your place.
ARETHA: I don't blame them.
We promised them a church service and I don't want to
lose sight of that.
JERRY: Okay, couple of things.
Great news.
Joe Boyd at Warner Brothers got Sydney Pollack
to direct the film.
CLEVELAND: Who's that?
JERRY: He's a big director.
He's shooting Streisand and Redford's next movie,
nominated for an Oscar two years ago.
This is monumental for us.
ARETHA: What else?
JERRY: Right.
Your father called me; he's upset.
Wants us to record the album at New Bethel.
ARETHA: No.
JERRY: I know it's a big pivot,
but I don't think it's a bad idea.
CLEVELAND: She said no.
ARETHA: That's probably why my sister called and now
he calls you.
JERRY: Look, I don't know what's going on between you
and your father, Aretha.
But as your producing partner I have to tell you
that recording this at New Bethel is a good idea.
Okay, from a marketing perspective it's a home run.
The acoustics are fantastic.
ARETHA: The acoustics, I know what the acoustics are
like at New Bethel, Jerry.
I recorded my first record there and I don't care.
I'm not recording this album there.
CLEVELAND: Stay the course.
You hear me?
KEN: Re! Wait up! Re!
Where are you going?
Re, hold up, just wait a minute.
ARETHA: I, I, I'm done. This isn't working.
I need to go back to New York tonight.
KEN: Come on, sugar. You've got to at least sleep...
ARETHA: I don't want to sleep on it.
I don't need to sleep on it.
I can't record this album at his church.
I, I, I've done that once.
KEN: First of all, no one can force you to record at
New Bethel or anywhere else for that matter.
As far as I'm concerned, you don't have to record it
at a church at all.
This is about your personal relationship with God.
ARETHA: I don't know what it's about anymore.
KEN: I'll tell you what it's about.
It's about your father calling Jerry, that's it.
Why do you keep giving him your power?
ARETHA: I, I just.
KEN: This isn't going to work if you keep shutting me out.
ARETHA: I, I love my father.
He made me who I am but this,
this was supposed to be for me.
And he took that away.
♪ Feelings gone ♪♪
JERRY: Hey, I'm, I'm sorry.
ARETHA: Ken's pulling the car around.
I'm just getting my things.
JERRY: I screwed up.
ARETHA: I appreciate you saying that.
I'm so sorry I wasted your time.
I really should have known better.
JERRY: Aretha, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
You know, a lot of people ask me what my job is.
What does a producer do anyway?
And, and for the longest time I never knew exactly
how to answer that, you know,
because it's different with every artist.
You know, sometimes I've got to build a road so they can
drive on it and sometimes I just got to point them
in the right direction.
But the number one thing that I always
got to make sure to do, no matter who it is;
do not get in the way.
You know who taught me that?
ARETHA: Me.
JERRY: That's right.
And I got in the way and I'm sorry for that.
You're producing this record, too, and,
and maybe I should have helped that happen before now.
But I didn't because I'm a Neanderthal.
But you're brilliant.
You came out here, you kicked the door down,
and you're making the opportunity for yourself.
And I'm here to help you.
So, don't, don't turn back now.
ARETHA: Thank you.
But you can't help my father and he won't be satisfied
until he takes over this whole thing.
So, I...
I'm done.
♪ Free ♪
♪ I'm free, I'm free, I'm free, I'm free ♪
♪ Hey, yeah ♪
♪ Free at last ♪♪
CLEVELAND: I really wish you didn't have to leave
but thank you for coming to say goodbye.
Why don't we go inside?
I know everyone would love to see you before you leave,
let them say they goodbye.
Come on.
ARETHA: Maybe just for a moment.
I'll be right back, baby.
KEN: Take your time, sugar.
♪ Lead me on ♪
♪ To the light ♪
♪ To the light and ♪
♪ Take my hand ♪
♪ Precious Lord ♪
♪ Lead me on ♪
♪ When my way groweth drear ♪♪
CLEVELAND: You can't just out sing them,
you've got to outshine them, too.
♪ Precious Lord, linger near ♪
♪ When my light is almost gone ♪♪
BARBARA: Love you. ARETHA: Love you too.
♪ Hear my cry ♪
♪ Lord, hear my call ♪
♪ Hold my hand ♪
♪ Lest I fall ♪
♪ And take my hand ♪♪
ARETHA: They sound good.
Real good.
CLEVELAND: Welcome back, Ms. Franklin.
ARETHA: I never left.
♪ Oh ♪♪
ARETHA: Let's take it from the top one more time.
♪ Climbing higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get ♪♪
Chuck, Chuck, Chuck I know you have a problem but
you speeding up a little bit, keep it real steady for me.
CHUCK: Yes, ma'am.
MAN: Hold on, one second.
♪ Climbing higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ Climbing higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪♪
ARETHA: Mr. Pollack, it's nice to meet you.
It's an honor to have you onboard.
SYDNEY: The honor is mine, I'm a huge fan.
Now, Reverend Cleveland gave me a tentative list
of the songs but I was wondering if we could
do a cue to cue so we can get an idea of
where you're going to be during the performance.
ARETHA: I'm sure Jerry told you this is more of a church
service than a concert so if we move at all,
it'll be because the spirit moves us.
MAN: Excuse me, Sydney.
Can we get some seats removed from the center of the church?
We need a holding space for the rig.
ARETHA: Oh, no, no, no, baby. That won't do.
Praise first, production second.
SYDNEY: Jerry.
JERRY: You should know that Aretha's producing this album
too so we're going to defer to her on this.
SYDNEY: Copy that. ARETHA: You all right?
MAN: Yes, ma'am. ARETHA: Thank you.
MAN 2: Walk that aisle, tell me if I'm lined up.
ARETHA: Thank you, Jerry.
What if we put "How I Got Over" after
"Holy, Holy"?
CLEVELAND: Where we going to put "Precious Memory"?
ARETHA: Well, we could put it...
(thud and wooden clang)
MAN: Dammit!
CLEVELAND: I'm guessing this ain't the healing vibe
you had in mind.
You holding up okay?
ARETHA: Yeah.
CLEVELAND: Blessed is the man that remains
steadfast under trial.
For when he has stood the test,
he shall receive the crown of life.
For the Lord has promised those that love Him.
ARETHA: James Chapter 1, Verse 12.
CLEVELAND: Amen. ARETHA: Amen.
(drums tuning)
(warm ups)
(amp buzzes)
(overlapping chatter).
(guitar)
MAN: Doors are open, doors are open.
JERRY: I'm on my way.
SYDNEY: Okay, they're coming in guys.
(overlapping chatter).
(warm ups and chatter)
CLEVELAND (over PA): I'd like t say good evening to everybody.
CROWD: Good evening.
CLEVELAND (over PA): I'd like to thank you for coming out
to the first religious recording of the Lady of Soul,
Ms. Aretha Franklin.
(clapping).
CLEVELAND (over PA): Many of you have not had the
opportunity to hear Aretha sing Gospel.
Tonight, you're in for a thrill
Yeah baby, she can sing anything.
She can sing, "Three Blind Mice", anything.
I'd like you to be mindful that this is a church and
we're here for a religious service.
And whatever you hear tonight,
just remember tomorrow night's going to even be better
(clapping).
♪ Amen ♪♪
CLEVELAND (over PA): Will you please receive the
Southern California Community Choir.
♪ We are on our way ♪
♪ We're on our journey home ♪
♪ When we get to glory ♪
♪ We will shout ♪
♪ And tell the story ♪
♪ How we made it over ♪
♪ We're on our journey ♪
♪ Home ♪♪
(cheering).
CLEVELAND (over PA): She is known by many names and deservedly so
earned every title.
But I call her my sister, Aretha Franklin.
(applause and cheering).
WOMAN: Aretha!
(applause and cheering).
(overlapping chatter)
(applause and cheering).
CLEVELAND (over PA): Now, as you know this is a recording session.
And if things should happen,
we should have to take it over,
you understand.
If you said amen the first time,
I'm going to need to you say amen a second time.
Amen?
CROWD: Amen.
CLEVELAND (over PA): Amen. Amen
♪ This little light of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪
♪ This little light of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪ ♪
CL: Aretha Louise, I want to talk to you, baby.
(mumbled chatter)
You got something that you want to tell me?
How long did you think you could keep that from me?
I had to find out about it from your sister, Erma.
ARETHA: I was going to tell you, Daddy.
CL: You going to have two babies now, is that right?
You going to have two babies. What you going to do?
You going to take two babies on the road with you,
is that what you going to do?
ARETHA: I'm sorry, Daddy.
CL: Did you know?
I'm‐a ask you again.
Did you know? Did you know?
I want you to get out my church.
I done extended my hospitality as long as I can.
I can't allow you to be up underneath my roof no more.
ARETHA: Daddy, no!
CL: Get yourself out of my house.
ARETHA: It's my fault!
CLEVELAND: You need to take better care of your kids.
CL: You take your bags and get yourself out of my house.
ARETHA: He didn't do anything!
CLEVELAND: One day you going to fly out of this cage,
little bird.
Be good till then, all right?
CL: Go on now.
♪ A... ♪
♪ Ma... ♪
♪ Zing ♪
♪ Amazing grace ♪
♪ How sweet ♪
♪ The... ♪
♪ Sound ♪
♪ That ♪
♪ That saved ♪
♪ A wretch ♪
♪ Like me... ♪
♪ I, I once... ♪ ♪
WOMAN: Sing Aretha!
♪ Was lost ♪♪
(cheering and applause)
♪ But now ♪
♪ I'm ♪
♪ I'm found ♪
♪ Was ♪
♪ Was blind ♪
♪ But now... ♪
♪ Now I, I see... ♪♪
WOMAN: Sing it!
♪ It was ♪
♪ I want the world to know that it was ♪
♪ It was ♪
♪ Grace, y'all ♪
♪ Woo‐ooh‐ooh ♪
♪ It was grace Lord ♪
♪ Oh Lord ♪
♪ That hath brought me so safe ♪
So safe ♪
♪ So safe ♪
♪ So, so, so safe ♪
♪ That's why ♪
♪ And it won't be nothin but that same Grace ♪
♪ That's gonna lead me right ♪
♪ I know that it won't ♪
♪ That's gonna lead me right. ♪
♪ Right on ♪ ♪
MAN: Right on.
♪ Right on. ♪
♪ Right on ♪
♪ Oh, right on, right on. ♪
♪ Right on ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪
(applause and cheering).
(flash bulbs)
(overlapping chatter)
JERRY: Thank you, thank you very much.
Boy, you brought the house down but
listen, listen, listen.
Sydney is losing his mind, all right.
His crew can't shoot around the people in the aisle.
So, he's going to bring a couple more guys and
some more equipment tomorrow.
ARETHA: Oh, no, no.
Absolutely not. That's impossible.
Do they even know what they're doing?
I don't even see that little clapper thing which usually
they use when I sing on T. V.
JERRY: It's Sydney Pollack. I think he's got it covered.
ARETHA: I don't care if it's Sydney Pollack.
JERRY: All right, I'll follow up.
ARETHA: Thank you. JERRY: I'll follow up.
Goodnight.
ERMA: I just got off the phone with Daddy and
told him how great you were.
And guess what he said?
You didn't call to invite him.
ARETHA: I forgot.
CAROLYN: Well, he's coming tomorrow night.
KEN: Come on, sugar. Let's, let's get you home.
ERMA: Alright now, Re.
(cheering).
(applause and cheering).
(flash bulbs)
ERMA: Let me help you with your dress, Re.
ARETHA: I'll finish it by myself.
ERMA: You sure? ARETHA: Yeah.
CAROLYN: You okay, Re? ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
CAROLYN: You know it'd be worse if he wasn't coming.
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
♪ ♪
CLEVELAND (over PA): Ladies and gentlemen,
we have a legend in God's house tonight.
One of the people who inspired Aretha,
a great Gospel singer herself.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sister Clara Ward.
(applause and cheering).
CLEVELAND (over PA): And now we want to present the man who
made this one here possible,
her father, the Reverend CL Franklin
from Detroit, Michigan.
(applause and cheering).
CL: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Yes, how are you?
How are you people?
Yes.
(overlapping chatter)
CLEVELAND (over PA): Bear with us for one more second.
We've got a cup of water that spilled on a great deal of electrical wires.
Can you hear this microphone?
CROWD: Yeah.
CLEVELAND (over PA): Okay, you can.
WOMAN: It's a beautiful service.
ARETHA: You didn't have to come all the way from home
just for this, Daddy.
CL: You really think you can keep me away?
CLEVELAND (over PA): All right let's give the technician a
big hand for fixing the difficulties.
And now let's get back to church.
(clapping).
CLEVELAND: You okay? ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
CLEVELAND: All right, all right.
CLEVELAND (over PA): We going to do a little song we borrowed from
Reverend CL Franklin.
One of his old numbers, a little song called
"Climbing Higher Mountains"
trying to get home.
(applause).
Amen.
♪ ♪
ARETHA (over PA): Wait a minute
We'll start again.
♪ I'm climbing ♪
♪ Higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ I'm climbing ♪
♪ Higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ I'm climbing ♪
♪ Higher mountains ♪
♪ Climbing ♪
♪ Whoa climbing ♪
♪ Everyday ♪
♪ Oh, I'm climbing ♪
♪ Higher mountains ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ Well my road, been a little rocky ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ Well my roads, been a little rocky ♪
♪ On my way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪
♪ Well my roads, been a little rocky ♪
♪ Goin up a mountain, goin on up the mountain ♪
♪ Well my roads, been a little rocky ♪
♪ All the way home ♪
♪ Trying to get home ♪♪
CL: Well, of course we want Aretha to graduate
with her class.
But Mrs. Lowrey, can you tell me how she's going to
keep up with her schooling, study for her tests,
and take care of one baby at home and another
one on the way?
And, you know, she's, she's singing in my choir, too.
MRS. LOWREY: Mr. Franklin, all due respect,
Aretha is so much more than just a singer.
She is a gifted student.
CL: More than a singer?
Mrs. Lowrey, have you seen Aretha sing?
MRS. LOWREY: Of course.
I just, it is so important for our
young women to stay in school.
It is their path to self‐reliance.
CL: In my humble opinion,
self‐reliance is an overrated notion.
We must rely on our God for our guidance.
MRS. LOWREY: Indeed.
But I believe the Lord smiles on learning.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God.
A workman that needeth not to be ashamed."
Timothy 2:15.
Now, I've made a list of all the work that Aretha
needs to complete for graduation.
And I would be more than happy to spend as much
extra time with her as she needs.
Please, she has so much potential.
CL: We gonna see what God is going to do and then
we'll get back to you.
Okay.
Let me see that.
No, I don't think this is going to work.
It's okay, baby.
I have something else for you.
ARETHA: Going back on tour?
CL: Oh, no, no, no.
Even better, you have better things waiting for you!
(applause and cheering).
CL (over PA): Now, I think that Reverend Cleveland picked
a bad time for me to make a talk.
Behind all the spirit and enthusiasm that Aretha
has engendered here tonight.
CROWD: Yes!
WOMAN: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
CL (over PA): You all were overwhelmed with the magnificen
gift of her voice.
But I couldn't help but remember the first time
I took her with me on the road to sing Gospel.
You all were crying, you all were moved,
but as her father I was about to bust wide open.
(applause and cheering).
WOMAN: My, my, my.
CL (over PA): Not only because Aretha is my daughter.
I wouldn't be all right upstair if I didn't appreciate that.
But I saw with pride that Aretha is not only
just my daughter,
but Aretha is just a stone singer.
(applause and cheering).
CL: God bless you.
CLEVELAND: You can do this.
CLEVELAND (over PA): Now, the first time we heard Aretha Franklin
many years ago, we heard her sing this song.
I have heard of a land that we shall
"Never Grow Old".
CROWD: Yes, sir.
♪ I had... ♪
♪ Heard ♪
♪ Of a land ♪
♪ On far ♪ ♪
CROWD: All right, now. CL FRANKLIN: Yes, hallelujah.
♪ Far away strand ♪♪
WOMAN: Yes, sir.
(clapping).
♪ This a beauti... ♪
♪ ...Ful home ♪
♪ Of the soul ♪♪
CL: Yes, Lord. Ha‐ha!
She's may she had to leave school to do it,
but I believe Aretha may have found her higher calling.
♪ Built by Jesus ♪
♪ On high ♪♪
MAN: Yes, sir.
♪ There, there we'll never ♪♪
(overlapping chatter)
♪ Never will die ♪♪
CLEVELAND: Woo! WOMAN: Yes!
♪ This is a land where ♪♪
CECIL: Woo, yes, come on. WOMAN: Praise him.
♪ Never... ♪
WOMAN: Alright!
♪ Grow... ♪
♪ Grow old ♪♪
(applause and cheering).
♪ We'll, we'll never... ♪♪
CROWD: Sing Aretha!
♪ Can I get you to help me say that ♪
♪ We'll never ♪♪
WOMAN: Never!
♪ Never grow old ♪
♪ Old, we'll never ♪♪
CLEVELAND: Sing it! Yes, Lord!
♪ Never ♪
♪ Never grow old ♪♪
CAROLYN: Come on, Re!
♪ When you get through doing down here ♪
♪ There is a land ♪♪
MAN: Woo, Jesus!
♪ He done laid out a land ♪
♪ Oh, Lord ♪
♪ Where we'll never ♪♪
MAN: Never!
♪ We'll never ♪♪
WOMAN: Never!
♪ Never ♪♪
CROWD: Never!
♪ We'll never ♪
♪ Grow old ♪
♪ Mmmm‐mmm‐mm‐mm ♪♪
(applause and cheering).
MAN: Amen!
(overlapping chatter)
(applause and cheering).
♪ Because the Lord is my shepherd ♪
♪ I have every‐thing I need ♪
♪ He's gonna help me rest in the meadow's grass ♪
♪ And he's gonna lead me beside the quiet streams ♪
♪ He's restoring my failing health. ♪
♪ Lord's gonna help me do what honors Him the most. ♪
♪ Safe. ♪
♪ You're safe ♪
♪ Everyone of us is safe ♪
♪ We're safe ♪♪
Captioned by Cotter Media Group.