ANNOUNCER: Previously on Genius.
CL: I'm going to call it the Freedom March.
We going to make change happen because we going to demand it.
It'd be the biggest freedom march in history.
TED: You know, a man like Dr. King really should have his own march.
I mean that would really get a turn out.
ART: You're a wonderkind, a wonder child.
CL: We go back on the road I'm going to take you with me.
MAN: She ain't old enough to travel on Gospel Circuit.
CL (over PA): I'm here with my daughter, Aretha Louise.
She will come up on this stage and sing for the very
first time on this Gospel Circuit.
MAN: Try this, it's sweet.
RONNY: You want to dance?
ARETHA: My tummy's been feeling sick and my monthly hasn't come.
BIG MOMMA: Well, how long has it been?
ARETHA: Four months.
CL: The road is a wild place, Mom.
BIG MOMMA: I wanted her to stay home.
CL: This is not going to stop you from what you were meant to do.
TED: You think you can manage her better than me?
RUTH: We can both manage her, Ted.
She's going places.
ANNOUNCER (over PA): The people of Chicago,
people of the world herby crown you...
(smacks)
the Queen of Soul.
(audience applause).
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. ♪
♪ Show me the way to get to Soulville, baby. ♪
♪ Show me the way to go home ♪♪
(cheering).
MAN: Aretha!
WOMAN: Ms. Franklin, Ms. Franklin.
Your music has saved my life.
ARETHA: Thank you so much for coming to my show.
Would you like me to sign anything for you?
WOMAN: Oh no, thank you.
It's enough just to shake your hand.
ARETHA: You're so sweet. Thank you so much.
MAN: Ms. Franklin, can you sign my album.
Ms. Franklin.
OFFICER: Back it up. Back up!
MAN: I didn't do nothing. What are you doing, man?
ARETHA: That's not necessary. That's not necessary. That's not necessary!
(thuds)
That isn't necess...
What's going to happen to him?
(theme music plays)
♪ ♪
(baby crying).
ARETHA: Shh, I'm right here. I'm right here baby.
Settle down.
Hungry?
No?
Big Momma, he won't stop fussing.
BIG MOMMA: Well, did you check his diaper?
ARETHA: Um...
I'm not a good mother, am I?
BIG MOMMA: Nah, you're good. You're beautiful, wonderful.
(doorbell)
Look at mommy.
CL: We're here.
ERMA: Could you guys please be quiet, I'm trying to read.
CL: Is that who I think it is out there?
Powder blue!
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yes indeed, yes indeed.
CL: Yes, sir. Brother Cleveland.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: All the way from Chicago.
CL: Oh, come on in here.
This is my mother here, Mrs. Rachel.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh, Mrs. Rachel, afternoon, ma'am.
Such a pleasure to meet you.
BIG MOMMA: Nice to meet you, too.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Oh, and this young lady must little Re.
Uh‐huh, yeah, I done heard a lot about you.
(baby crying).
CL: That's my grand‐baby, Clarence.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh, no, sweetheart.
I don't have a knack for that.
CL: Momma, Reverend James is gonna be our new choir director.
BIG MOMMA: Oh, nice. CL: Mm‐hmm, mm‐hmm.
And momma, I just found he ain't got nowhere to stay.
He's going to be staying with us for a while.
BIG MOMMA: He going to be staying with us?
CL: Until he find a place.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Ah, I hear there's a little star in you.
ARETHA: I haven't played too much since having the baby.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Well, it's time to start playing again.
CL: Brother, you must be hungry. So, Momma, come on.
We got to get him something to eat.
BIG MOMMA: Hold on, hold on.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: I sure can go for something myself.
What you got?
BIG MOMMA: I'm coming. CL: You know I got you.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh, nice and golden fried chicken.
BIG MOMMA: You don't know nothing about my chicken.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You gonna sock it to me?
BIG MOMMA: No, don't you cut my...
(baby crying).
REPORTER (over TV): A 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM curfew will be enforced
in a third of the city as the rioting continues.
(gunshots over TV)
ARETHA: I'm worried, Daddy.
It's calm right here in, in New York right now but it's
only a matter of time before the madness comes here
and to Detroit too.
CL: Some of the young people in the congregation are
especially agitated, you know, I preach peace.
CL (over phone): But if the people want to riot,
they gonna riot.
And if things get out of hand,
I've got my gun.
ARETHA (over phone): Please don't say that, especially around the kids.
CL: I'll keep everybody safe, Re.
You take care of yourself.
ARETHA: All right. Bye, Daddy.
Uh‐uh.
They put a crown on my head, and you punched me in my face.
TED: Things got out of hand for both of us.
I'm sorry. I'm cleaning up my act.
ARETHA: Well, until you can prove that you can keep sleeping on the couch.
TED: Come on now, baby. ARETHA: Have you lost your mind?
TED: Look, don't let that "Queen" stuff get to your head.
ARETHA: I'm going to let that "Queen" thing go wherever I want it to.
TED: I'm tired of sleeping on this damn couch.
ARETHA: Shh, Dr. King is on.
ANNOUNCER (over TV): A lot of us are looking at these images on TV
of people, negros, fighting the police and wondering how is thi
going to make things better?
KING (over TV): Well, what we don't see on our TVs is how the fighting started.
If a peaceful person has violence inflicted upon him,
unfortunately, violence is often the result.
ARETHA: I remember the first time he came and preached at my daddy's church.
ANNOUNCER (over TV): Do you believe in the power of nonviolence?
KING (over TV): I believe that physical force is best
met with the power of the soul.
I would ask people of all races to ask themselves how can
I help and how can I be of service?
ARETHA: He's right. I want to be of service.
(Ted scoffs)
TED: You going to be an activist now?
How you going to fit that into your busy schedule?
ARETHA: How I fit it in my schedule ain't your business.
But I'm going to find something to do.
♪ I love you I love you ♪
♪ I love you too ♪
♪ Baby won't you call me the moment ♪
♪ You get there ♪♪
CAROLYN: You liking it?
ARETHA: It's too easy.
RUTH: Uh, let me call you back. Okay, thank you, uh‐huh.
ARETHA: There's no longing and pain.
People are fighting and dying out there,
I don't feel none of that in this.
CAROLYN: Well, maybe that's just cause you're holding back.
Aretha, you've got to put some of you in there.
Come on.
KING CURTIS: I think I can help.
Listen to this.
(solo sax)
(whole band groove)
ARETHA: Stop.
(music stops)
RUTH: Thank you, fellas. Thank you.
Hey, hey, hey, what's going on with you?
ARETHA: You watch the news?
RUTH: Yeah, what's on the news doesn't stop me from doing my job.
ARETHA: You see Dr. King on The Bachman Show?
RUTH: Yeah.
ARETHA: I want to go on there, sing something.
RUTH: He's going to want an interview.
ARETHA: I'll do it.
Could be good to lend my voice, right?
RUTH: Sure, right, yeah.
JERRY: Put down whatever you're drinking.
It is time for champagne.
ARETHA: What are we celebrating?
JERRY: "Baby I Love You" just went number one on the R&B charts.
RUTH: Hey! MAN: Congratulations.
ARETHA: Thank you. But I don't feel very much like a party.
JERRY: What? CAROLYN: Aretha.
JERRY: Ms. Franklin?
(muffled chatter)
♪ Bah‐da bah‐da‐da‐da ♪
♪ Monday, Monday ♪
♪ bah‐da bah‐da‐da‐da ♪
♪ So good to me ♪
♪ Bah‐da bah‐da‐da‐da ♪
♪ Monday mornin', it was all I hoped it would be ♪♪
NAT: Excuse me.
Now, what does a brother have to do to get a beautiful
woman like you to sign right here.
ARETHA: You need to tell me what I'm signing.
NAT: Can I at least tell you my name first?
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm. NAT: I'm Nat.
ARETHA: Like the rebel?
NAT: You're smart and beautiful.
Okay, I see.
ARETHA: What are you canvasing for?
NAT: Well, I'm working to establish a new chapter of
Dr. King's Operation Breadbasket here in New York City.
ARETHA: He was a guest at my family's house when I was younger.
NAT: Wait a minute. You're Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA: Shh. Don't tell everyone here.
NAT: What is "The Queen of Soul" doing out here?
ARETHA: A little breath of fresh air,
hoping to find a way to make a difference.
Maybe I can help you hand out some flyers.
NAT: Absolutely. Here you go.
ARETHA: What should I say? NAT: Just speak from the heart.
Here you go.
WOMAN: Oh, I'll take one.
NAT: Oh, absolutely, sister. There you go. Come on, let's make a change.
Here you go.
You're getting the hang of it. There you go.
ARETHA: Thank you so much.
NAT: Everybody's voice matters.
ARETHA: Would you like to take a flyer?
MAN: Yeah, thank you.
ARETHA: Thank you so much. Hey, we could use your vote.
♪ Hold on, I'm coming ♪♪
Any help you can give is appreciated, thank you.
♪ Hold on, I'm coming ♪♪
NAT: There you go. Look at you.
ARETHA: Sir, would you take a flyer?
Thank you so much.
JERRY: Ms. Franklin. I thought I'd find you here.
We need to get going.
NAT: Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah.
You know this guy?
ARETHA: Jerry Wexler, this is Nat.
Nat, this is...
JERRY: This is the guy who's got a studio full of musicians waiting on her.
It was very nice to meet you, would you excuse us please?
NAT: Would you excuse us?
I can't wait to tell everyone I met the most beautiful woman
and it ended up being Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA: It was nice to meet you.
PROTESTER: Stop the war in Vietnam.
NAT: Pleasure was mine.
PROTESTER: The Vietnamese are people too!
JERRY: We really do need to get going.
PROTESTER: Stop the war in Vietnam!
ARETHA: Feels like the world is ending and I just can't sit by and watch.
JERRY: So, you hand out flyers?
ARETHA: It's something.
JERRY: It is. It's honorable work.
But right now, we need you in the studio focused.
ARETHA: You're right. JERRY: I am?
ARETHA: I need to go where I can reach most people.
CROWD: Not people, war on poverty!
Not people, war on poverty!
♪ I love you ♪
♪ And I love you ♪
♪ And I love you too ♪
♪ Baby will you call me the moment ♪
♪ You get there ♪
♪ Hey, baby ♪
♪ Mmm‐hmm ♪
♪ I know, I know, I know I know ♪
♪ We've gone too far. ♪
♪ Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby ♪
♪ It really doesn't hurt me that bad ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Because you're taking me with you ♪
♪ I'm keeping you right a‐here in my heart ♪
♪ It's all because I love you ♪
♪ And I love you ♪♪
(up tempo music)
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yeah, darling.
You see how I'm putting grease on them cords?
ARETHA: I see, I see.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You see, I take the sound in through
my ear and let it flow throughout my whole body.
Yeah. I let it work me, put my back into it.
Then I dig in.
Yes, yeah.
You got to go head‐to‐head with these keys,
you see me wrestling with it?
ARETHA: I see.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Uh‐huh.
Here we go!
Yeah, now we feeling it.
ARETHA: Woo!
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Thank you my darling.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Which music you like better, gospel or pop?
ARETHA: Do I gotta choose?
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You know, gospel folks think that pop is sinful.
ARETHA: My daddy likes all types of music.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yeah, there ain't many preachers like your daddy.
ARETHA: I want you to come out on the road with us this summer.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: On the Gospel Circuit?
ARETHA: We could be friends.
I didn't have a friend last time.
BROTHER FRANKLIN: Maybe.
Let's see what you got on the keys.
Mm‐hmm.
ANNOUNCER: A round of applause for
Ms. Aretha Franklin, everybody.
After our break,
we'll return with more of The Alan Bachman Show.
TED: You're doing great. Need me to go back out there with you?
ARETHA: No. RUTH: You wanted to do this.
ARETHA: That doesn't make it any easier.
RUTH: Look, you'll be fine.
He'll want to hear about the new record and then he'll ask
you some softball questions about the movement.
ARETHA: What was I thinking?
RUTH: Just say whatever's on your mind and then if that
doesn't work, talk about the new record.
TED: Need a little help?
ARETHA: No. I need to stay focused.
RUTH: You got this.
ALAN: Thank you, that was wonderful Aretha.
They named you "The Queen of Soul".
Did they give you a crown?
ARETHA: They did, Allen, but I only wear it on official state business.
ALAN: You've been performing a lot of sold out shows.
You must be making a lot of money.
ARETHA: Oh, a lady never tells.
ALAN: Things are getting pretty hot in your hometown of Detroit,
and I'm not just talking about the weather.
There have been a lot of riots across the country this summer,
some people are saying that Detroit is next.
ARETHA: Well, I hope not.
ALAN: Some people think that things are better for the negro
now then they've been, let's say, a few years ago.
Can you explain the reason for the riots?
ARETHA: Well, what I wanted to say that I agree with Dr. King.
I think that now is the time for love and healing.
ALAN: We've heard a lot from Dr. King these days.
And your music has certainly touched a lot of people.
You've sold millions of records;
do you feel pressure as a successful singer to do
something about what's going on?
ARETHA: Not pressure, opportunity.
I could do more which is exactly what I'm planning to do.
(audience applause)
WOMAN: We love you, Aretha.
ANNOUNCER (over TV): Today marks the fourth day of escalating riots,
looting, and arson in Detroit.
ARETHA: Daddy, is everybody okay?
CL (over phone): We okay.
ARETHA: How's the church?
CL (over phone): The worst is over but come home as soon as you can.
ARETHA: I'm flying in tonight. Bye, Daddy.
ANNOUNCER (over TV): An entire neighborhood has been leveled by fire.
♪ There's a train a comin' ♪
♪ You don't need no baggage ♪
♪ You just get on board ♪
♪ All you need is faith ♪
♪ To hear the diesel's hummin' ♪
♪ You don't need no ticket ♪
♪ You just thank the lord ♪♪
CL: Baby, it looks like Brother Wallace is going to pull through.
They done put him in a room where the family could visit.
ARETHA: Was he shot? CL: By the police.
ARETHA: How's Sister Boyd's son?
CL: He didn't make it. Cecil talked to him.
ARETHA: How can I help? What do they need?
CECIL: They need help paying they hospital bills,
funeral expenses.
ARETHA: We need to help people,
raise some money so they could rebuild.
CECIL: You've got tour dates coming up.
ARETHA: I'll cancel them.
CECIL: You going to tell Ruth that?
ARETHA: I'll work around them, it's not important.
This is important.
CL: I couldn't agree with you more.
ARETHA: You could preach, Daddy.
I could sing.
We could ask other people.
People would help Detroit because of you.
CL: Then let's do that.
But first, let's get going on this.
We've got to help our people here.
Look, I'll be with you in a minute.
WOMAN: All right. My ankle is starting to swell.
MAN: Much appreciated.
CL: Y'all better listen to Dr. King,
now he's got a lot to say.
KING: Thank you, Mother Franklin.
MOTHER FRANKLIN: Dr. King, it is a pleasure and an honor
to have you in our home.
KING: Well, thank you. Pleasure's all mine.
CL: Momma, can I have a little more sugar?
Thank you.
KING: Reverend? CL: Yes, sir.
KING: You truly resurrected the spirit of Detroit tonight.
CL: Thank God, thank God.
KING: And Ms. Franklin, I'm impressed to see you here.
I know you're busy the way your career's going.
ARETHA: Well, I live in New York,
but Detroit will always be my home.
TED: I try to make sure she comes back to Detroit whenever she can.
KING: And if you ever need something done in Detroit,
everyone knows to call on Reverend CL Franklin.
CL: Come on now, come on now.
KING: I wish I could have come earlier but the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
has been struggling financially.
They've been telling me the best way to raise money
is to hold benefit concerts.
So, been hitting the road with the likes of Harry Belafonte
and Joan Baez just to name a few.
ARETHA: I'd like to join your tour, Dr. King.
KING: We'd love to have you.
CL: I'll clear my schedule, too.
KING: I don't want to pull you away from Detroit, Reverend.
CL: Oh, no, no, no, no.
ARETHA: I think what Dr. King is saying is that he only needs singers to help.
CL: Well, Detroit needs its favorite daughter now more than ever.
ARETHA: But with Dr. King I could reach so many more people.
KING: Your daughter would draw a crowd.
That would be quite a boon for us.
TED: We actually would love to make this happen.
We just got to review the schedule.
CL: The schedule's grueling as it is.
You don't want to spread yourself too thin, baby.
KING: Normally, I'd agree.
But your daughter's a star of international prominence and
that comes with a certain responsibility.
ARETHA: Come on, Daddy.
There's enough of me to go around.
CL: If Dr. King thinks it's best then, well, of course.
ARETHA: And if you need me in Detroit, I'll be here.
KING: The SCLC is having our annual banquet soon.
Surely you can join us then.
CL: Well, I'll show up wherever I'm invited.
ARETHA: How about I join you all for the next couple of weeks?
KING: Amen. That'd be beautiful.
♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪
♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪
♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪
♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪♪
CL: Yeah, that's my girl.
That's right.
MAN: She's signing a lot better than she did last year.
CL: She's more used to the environment now,
that's what it is.
MAN: Yeah. CL: Yeah.
MAN: Your daughter, I tell you she's a,
she's a baby singer if I ever heard one.
And you can really bring in the crowd, Rev.
CL: I see you adding some extra chairs over here.
MAN: We just sold a few more tickets than I thought we would, so.
CL: Pay me more, huh?
MAN: We already, already agreed on your fee.
CL: The word of God has no price,
but I know you charging for them extra chairs.
You good?
MAN: Yeah.
♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪
♪ Oh‐oh ♪
♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪♪
CL: If I feel taken advantage of,
I might have to cancel the show right now.
MAN: I'll tell you what, there ain't no need for that.
I'll just, I'll tell you, I'll just make the proper adjustments.
CL: That's what I want to hear.
Appreciate it.
♪ Everywhere ♪
♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪
♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪♪
WOMAN: Let your light shine, yes.
(clapping).
♪ Jesus Christ is born ♪♪
CL: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Baby, baby. That's right.
Come here, girl. There's my girl.
You glad to be back on the tour?
ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
CL: That's right, come on.
ANNOUNCER: That's right, that's right.
There they go.
Come on choir, come on choir.
Woo, that's what I'm talking about.
Thank you, Jesus.
You just heard my daughter Aretha.
Now, we've been up waiting for this all week.
No, don't take your seats.
Get up on your feets.
Don't take your seats, get up on your feets.
(clapping)
CL: Because what you've been waiting for,
all the way from Greenwood, Mississippi.
The one, the only Mrs. Sammie Bryant.
(clapping and cheering).
♪ ♪
♪ I got a robe ♪
♪ You got a robe ♪
♪ All of God's children got a robe ♪
♪ When I get to heaven ♪
♪ I'm gonna put on my robe ♪
♪ I'm shout all over God's Heaven ♪
♪ Heaven, Heaven ♪♪
WOMAN: What you mean you left your baby at home?
WOMAN 2: He's just so precious. Aw!
WOMAN: He look just like you, Re, especially around the eyes.
WOMAN 3: He sure does.
♪ I got a wings ♪
♪ You got a wings ♪
♪ All of God's children got wings ♪
♪ When I get to heaven ♪
♪ I'm gonna put on my wings ♪
♪ I'm gonna fly all over God's Heaven ♪♪
WOMAN: Now, who you say his daddy was again?
WOMAN 3: Yeah, who is the daddy?
♪ Everybody talkin' 'bout Heaven ♪
♪ Aint' going there ♪
♪ Heaven, Heaven ♪
♪ I'm gonna fly all over God's Heaven ♪♪
ARETHA: I better put the picture away.
WOMAN: Give it back, Darlene.
SAMMIE: Let me see.
Ya'll keep your hands off of other people's' precious things.
Come on, Re.
Let's go.
Girl, let's get away from them.
Re, honey, you don't need to pay them gals no mind.
I know you was raised to respect your elders,
but you don't need to give them mean gals the time of day.
ARETHA: I'll remember that.
SAMMIE: Next time they come for you, look for me.
Cause I'm going to look out for you.
I knew your mother;
she had that same shine you got.
She'd be proud of you.
ARETHA: I don't think Momma would be proud of me having a baby.
SAMMIE: If your momma was around that baby wouldn't have happened.
Is the father helping?
You ain't got to tell me who he is, all I want to know is,
is he helping?
ARETHA: It's all right, Sammie.
You don't have to worry about me.
SAMMIE: What do you like to do for fun when you
not on the road?
ARETHA: Roller skate, listen to the radio.
SAMMIE: Have you heard that song Loveable by Dale Cooke?
ARETHA: You don't know?
There's no such thing as Dale Cooke.
It's Sam Cooke using a pretend name.
SAMMIE: So, he can get away with singing pop music?
No!
Sam Cooke is a gospel singer.
Ain't no way he going to be going around singing no pop music.
ARETHA: I'd know his voice anywhere.
He used to sing at Daddy's church.
SAMMIE: Oh, if folks found out they would pitch a fit.
ARETHA: Folks like Darlene and her friends?
SAMMIE: They would say he's singing that devil's music
and run him out of town on the rail.
ARETHA: Would you?
SAMMIE: If Sam Cooke was singing, ooh,
the minute he start to sweat, I start fanning myself.
Stick with me and I'll show you a good time.
ARETHA: He's something else.
(crowd yelling).
OFFICER: Hey! Get down on the ground.
MAN: Get back on that bus, you coon.
No one wants you here.
WOMAN: Get out of here you dirty monkeys.
MAN: This is America not Africa.
WOMAN: We love you, Aretha.
MAN: Brownie, get the hell out of here.
(overlapping angry chatter).
MAN: Niggers.
MAN: Aretha, we love you!
WOMAN: Take your devil music somewhere else.
MAN: Stay strong, sister.
WOMAN: Y'all better watch it there's some niggers comin'.
MAN 2: Go to hell you chocolate baby.
MAN 3: Ya'll a bunch of monkeys.
MAN 4: You're a dead man, King.
MOTHER FRANKLIN: Dr. King, you all right?
KING: Fine, fine.
MOTHER FRANKLIN: You know, when my son was a baby,
I carried him on my back in the fields while I was working.
We were sharecroppers.
So, I want to thank you because I never thought I'd see this day.
KING: Thank you, Mother Franklin.
I needed to hear that.
♪ There's an old friend that ♪
♪ I once heard say ♪
♪ Something that touched my heart ♪♪
MAN: Sing your song!
♪ And it began this way ♪♪
(cheering and applause).
WOMAN: Come on! Come on Aretha!
♪ I was born by the river ♪♪
MAN: Yes sir!
♪ In a little tent ♪♪
WOMAN: That's it, sing!
♪ And just like the river ♪
♪ I've been runnin ever since ♪♪
MAN: C'mon girl!
♪ He said it's been a long time comin' ♪
♪ But I know my change is gonna come ♪
♪ Oh yeah ♪
♪ He said it's been too hard livin' ♪
♪ But I'm afraid to die ♪♪
WOMAN: Take your time!
♪ I might not be if I knew ♪
♪ What was up there ♪
♪ Beyond the sky ♪♪
MAN: C'mon!
♪ It's been a long, a long time comin' ♪
♪ But I know my change is gonna come ♪♪
MAN: Yes, it will. Yes, it will.
♪ Oh yeah ♪♪
(cheering).
♪ I went, ♪
♪ I went to my brother ♪
♪ And I asked him, brother ♪
♪ Could you help me, please? ♪♪
MAN: Yeah yeah.
MAN: What'd he say, what'd he say Aretha?
♪ He said, "My sister ♪
♪ I'd like to, but I'm not able" ♪
♪ And when I ♪
♪ When I looked around ♪
♪ I was right back down ♪
♪ Down on my bended knees ♪
♪ Yes I was, oh ♪
♪ There've been times that I thought ♪
♪ I thought that I wouldn't last for long ♪♪
WOMAN: Sing girl!
♪ But somehow right now I believe that I'm able ♪
♪ I'm able to carry on ♪
♪ I tell you that it's been a long ♪
♪ And oh ♪
♪ I's been an uphill journey all the way ♪
♪ But I know ♪
♪ I know, I know ♪♪
MAN: I know. I know.
♪ I know my change is gonna come ♪
♪ Yeah I tell you that ♪
♪ My change is come ♪
(cheering and applause).
MAN: Change is coming.
We need a change; we need a change.
KING: Thank you.
CL: Hallelujah
(cheering and applause)
(Zippo flick)
(overlapping chatter)
KING: Having trouble sleeping?
ARETHA: A little.
Ted snores and I've got to be on the road first thing in the morning,
so I figured I'd just stay up.
KING: I know that trick.
You sang really beautifully tonight.
Sam Cooke song was a good choice.
I appreciate you coming on the road,
traveling, and performing,
and taking care of some of our transportation costs.
You're quite generous.
ARETHA: It's the least I can do.
Turns out, Daddy doesn't want to be on the road with us.
KING: It's because he has his own flock to attend to.
ARETHA: And he wants me to come home.
He and the mayor are organizing an event that he wants me to attend.
KING: Having a preacher for a father is a blessing.
But it comes with its challenges.
He took you out of the Gospel Circuit when you were quite young.
ARETHA: Yes, he did. I learned a lot.
KING: Those gals teach you how to wear the fur coat?
ARETHA: Well, these hotels like to keep the air way up and
I don't like to be cold.
KING: Well, I'm going to Chicago tomorrow.
How about you?
ARETHA: Columbus.
You know, you're about the only person that I know that
is busier than I am.
Coretta and the children must miss you.
KING: I miss them too.
Is your husband, Ted, a good man?
ARETHA: I used to lean on him a lot more than I do now.
KING: It's easier for a woman to be the helpmate of king than
it is for a man to be the helpmate of a queen.
ARETHA: I don't think it is easy at all.
KING: Shall we have a toast to that?
ARETHA: Yes, please.
RUTH: Once you get to Columbus you have a radio promo
at 7:00 AM and then you have press interviews until noon.
Then you have a store appearance until 2:00 PM.
After that, we go straight to sound check.
There's no time for the hotel, you okay with that?
ARETHA: We'll make it work.
TED: You get enough sleep last night?
ARETHA: I'll get some sleep in the car on the way there.
TED: In the car, good luck.
ARETHA: I'll get a couple drinks to help.
Can I see the set list?
RUTH: Here you go, sweetie.
MAN: Martin, I think you should take it easy on that Vietnam issue.
KING: I'll say what I have to say.
MAN: But where we're going isn't Riverside Church.
These folks are more conservative.
KING: If I don't talk about it, who will?
RUTH: Also, I hate to bring this up,
but Jerry called again about the studio.
We got to get back to him.
ARETHA: I'm going to be on tour for six months.
MAN: But aren't you going to Philadelphia?
ARETHA: I'll do that, too. I'll do it all.
KING: I'll see you in Philadelphia.
ARETHA: I'll be there.
♪ Little Mama I took your lovin' ♪
♪ But I wasn't true to you ♪
♪ Little mama ♪♪
WOMAN: We've been to Louisville, Bowling Green,
Shelbyville, and Jackson to name a few.
Bet you glad you left that baby home.
WOMAN: Having fun now.
MAN: Girl, you can sing and dance.
Look at you shimmy, go ahead and sing it, girl.
SAMMIE: Little Re, little Re.
Girl, you was right.
Sam Cooke is singing pop music and he's performing in town
tonight at a local juke joint.
We going.
ARETHA: I'm only 13.
I can't get into that place.
SAMMIE: Girl, let me worry about that.
Let's go.
Come on, we going to do it all.
We going to get you all dolled up.
To top it off.
All right, oh, shoot.
CL: I didn't know you was all that,
a hard partying girl.
I didn't know you was like that,
I thought you was a good church girl.
Come on, let's get in here.
Hold up, we gotta go to bed it's.
Where you all going?
It's late.
Only place you all should be going is to bed.
We going to bed.
SAMMIE: Girl, let's go.
We get to see Sam Cooke tonight!
ARETHA: I'm so excited.
ANNOUNCER (over PA): Ladies and gentlemen,
let's take your seats for the Queen of Soul.
Ms. Aretha Franklin.
(applause and cheering).
TED: Now, you was up way too late last night, you know that, right?
♪ ♪
(applause and cheering).
ARETHA (over PA): Hello, Columbus.
I'm feeling so good tonight. How y'all feeling?
(thud)
(crowd gasps).
CL: Broken in three places?
How long that thing going to be on her arm?
DOCTOR: It's on track to heal in four weeks, maybe six.
You're burning the candle at both ends.
My advice is for you to slow down.
This could have been a lot worse.
CL: You should have been keeping your eye on her.
TED: I was, all right.
ARETHA: Now's not the time, Daddy.
I need to go back on tour.
CL: You need to stay home in Detroit.
TED: He right.
I'm going to tell Ruth to cancel the dates.
ARETHA: I can still sing; I just can't play piano.
CL: You need to stay home, get some rest.
I'm cooking up a big event for you with the mayor's office.
ARETHA: If I do anything, I'm going to honor my promise with Dr. King.
CL: You can't risk your health for him, baby.
ARETHA: I'm fine.
I just can't play, right, Doctor?
DOCTOR: No.
Whatever you do, my advice is to slow down.
CL: You hear?
ARETHA: I don't use my arm to sing.
DOCTOR: I understand that,
but you need to minimize movements.
You got lucky this time.
One more fall or injury to that arm and
you may never play piano again.
CHILD: No, no, come on. Stupid, I'll be right back.
CHILD 2: Like a rockstar.
TED: Oh, oh, okay guys.
Quit messing around, let's get ready.
CHILD: I can't get it.
TED: Come on here, let me show you something.
CHILD: Come here, you dig?
TED: Your arm still hurting?
ARETHA: Only when it's cold out.
TED: They getting someone to play the piano at the event?
ARETHA: They got someone to accompany me tonight.
TED: Good.
Boy, I thought I taught you how to tie a tie.
Come here.
CHILD: I forgot.
TED: Okay, now.
You're going to wrap this big part around here,
you're going to tuck it in and under,
and then tighten the knot.
Got that?
ARETHA: Clarence. CLARENCE: Here I come.
ARETHA: Put this on, keep it clean.
CLARENCE: Thank you, Momma.
TED: All right, I better not hear y'all yelling and squirming.
None of that in the theater, okay, this your momma big day.
You hear me?
BOTH: Yes, Daddy. TED: All right.
Baby, what you going to wear?
ARETHA: Still thinking about it. Y'all gotta vote.
TED: Yeah, girl, we'll help you pick out the outfit.
Let's see what we got.
Unless you want to be up on stage in front of all
those people in just your slip.
Now, I always been partial to the lime green.
CLARENCE: I like the feathers. Wear the feathers, Momma.
CHILD 2: You look good in green.
GROUP: Feathers, feathers, feathers, feathers, feathers, feathers!
♪ ♪
♪ It aint no fooling around with this ♪
♪ Aint no fooling around ♪ ♪
MAYOR CAVANAGH (over PA): As Mayor of Detroit,
I hereby proclaim February 16th as "Aretha Franklin Day".
♪ Some people call me selfish cause I want ya to myself ♪♪
KING: Look at us both sneaking out.
ARETHA: Maybe they won't miss us.
KING: They're going to wonder where we went.
ARETHA: I appreciate you coming to celebrate my special day.
KING: Wouldn't have missed it for the world.
ARETHA: I'm going back into the studio in a few months.
I'd love it if you'd come record some of your sermons on my album.
KING: Really? ARETHA: Mm‐hmm.
KING: I'm flattered.
Dr. King and the Queen of Soul.
But I wouldn't want to cause any problems between you
and your father.
ARETHA: Don't you worry about that.
KING: Oh, I see what you do.
Between your father and your husband, you make it all work.
ARETHA: Do I?
KING: I know you've heard me speak probably more times than
you care to over the past many months.
But every time I talk about freedom for our people,
I'm also talking about freedom of the mind,
psychological freedom.
To achieve what we want to as a people,
we need to start with personal freedom.
Where did the bone break?
ARETHA: Uh, here was the worst of it.
I felt like a bird with a broken wing.
CL: There you are.
Ya'll done snuck out the party.
Come on, let's go back in.
Do you want folks to think you chose Dr. King over your own father?
Come on.
KING: I'll be in, in a minute.
CL: All right, thank you, Doc.
KING: Get well now, cause we need you.
SAMMIE: And he gave you his jacket!
ARETHA: Only because he knows me from when he used to
come sing at Daddy's church.
But the way he was singing tonight,
he never sang like that before.
You think I could be a pop singer?
SAMMIE: Sam Cooke sure think you can be.
ARETHA: And then I'll throw my coat on the ground,
just like he does.
SAMMIE: Oh, you better pick that up or I'm going to take it.
ARETHA: He never sang like that in church.
And he never looked that way in church.
SAMMIE: If I married him it'd be Sam and Sammie.
Ooh.
CL: Where the hell you been?
Oh, you grown now, huh, you grown.
SAMMIE: It's my fault, Reverend Franklin.
Re didn't even want to go out but I talked her into it.
CL: Did I ask you for your explanation?
Go on back in your room and let me have a conversation with my daughter.
Go on now.
SAMMIE: I'm sorry.
ARETHA: I'm sorry, Daddy.
CL: Went to a juke joint, huh?
(chuckles).
You're 13.
ARETHA: I wanted to see Sam Cooke perform.
CL: I asked you to stay inside.
ARETHA: I was just listening to music.
CL: Oh, you fixing to get in trouble,
that's what you doing now.
Now, I'm going to send you back home.
ARETHA: No!
CL: You need to be with the baby you have rather than
be out here trying to have another one.
Now, take that jacket off.
Give me that jacket.
And what, what you got on your lips?
Come here.
Go on and get inside now, go on.
MRS. JOHNSON: Hey, little Re. I heard you had a late night.
I hope you don't mess up your song.
CL: Mrs. Johnson.
MRS. JOHNSON: Evening, Reverend Franklin.
CL: Mm‐hmm. WOMAN: Reverend.
ARETHA: Please don't make me go home.
CL: Well, why you want to stay? ARETHA: I want to keep singing.
CL: Hmm.
Would Sam's jacket help?
ARETHA: Yes.
CL: I bet it would.
Come on.
You better put this thing on.
Turn around, let me see you.
All right.
You better sang, baby singer.
(applause).
ANNOUNCER (over PA): Oh, this going to be good.
WOMAN: All right.
ANNOUNCER (over PA): Ya'll about to hear the
little girl who is starting to be the baby singer of our tour.
CROWD: Yeah! Oh, yeah!
ANNOUNCER (over PA): You ready? You ready?
Put your hands together and welcome Little Miss Aretha Franklin.
(applause and cheering).
WOMAN: That girl can sing.
MAN: Take your time, take your time.
♪ Just ♪
♪ Just a closer walk with Thee ♪♪
CL: Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir.
(cheering).
♪ Grant it, Jesus, ♪
♪ Is my plea ♪♪
WOMAN: Oh yes, oh Lord. Jesus.
CL: Call his name.
♪ Daily walking ♪
♪ Close to Thee ♪
♪ Let it be ♪
♪ Dear Lord ♪
♪ Let it be ♪♪
MAN: Come on, come on. Come on.
♪ Let it be ♪
♪ I am weak but Thou art strong ♪♪
CL: That's right.
♪ Jesus keep me from all wrong ♪
♪ I'll be satisfied as long ♪
♪ As I walk ♪
♪ Let me walk ♪
♪ Close to Thee ♪
♪ When my feeble life is o'er ♪♪
CL: Sing it, girl.
♪ Time for me will be no more ♪
♪ Guide me gently ♪
♪ Safely o'er ♪
♪ To Thy kingdom's shore ♪
♪ To Thy shore ♪
♪ Just a closer walk with Thee
♪ Grant it ♪
♪ Jesus, is my plea ♪♪
CL: Yes, sir.
♪ Daily walking close with Thee ♪
♪ Let it be ♪
♪ Dear Lord ♪
♪ Let it be ♪♪
(applause and cheering).
CL: Yes, sir! That's right!
(applause and cheering).
KENNEDY (over TV): Martin Luther King was shot
and was killed tonight in Memphis, Tennessee.
(crowd gasps)
In this difficult day,
in this difficult time for the United States,
it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation
we are and what direction we want to move in.
For those of you who are black considering the evidence
there evidently is that there were white people
who were responsible, you can be filled with bitterness,
and with hatred, and a desire for revenge.
We can move in that direction as a country,
and greater polarization,
or we can make an effort as Martin Luther King did,
to understand and to comprehend,
and replace that violence,
that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land
with an effort to understand compassion and love.
I had a member of my family killed but he was killed by a white man.
But we have to make an effort in the United States.
We have to make an effort to understand,
to get beyond or go beyond these rather difficult times.
My favorite poem, my favorite poet was Aeschylus.
He once wrote
"Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget,
falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair
against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.
What we need in the United States is not division.
What we need in the United States is not hatred.
What we need in the United States is not violence
and lawlessness.
But love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another,
and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer
within our country,
whether they be white or whether they be black.
(music plays through credits)
Captioned by Cotter Media Group