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Aretha Franklin’s Optimism and Spiritual Resistance in Her Solo Track “Mary Don’t You Weep”

Aretha Franklin's Optimism and Spiritual Resistance in Her Solo Track "Mary Don't You Weep"
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Aretha Franklin’s 1972 live album “Amazing Grace” features her track “Mary Don’t You Weep,” which highlights her proficiency in disseminating biblical beliefs and spiritual contemplations through the composition of music. She earned a Grammy for her album for best soul gospel performance, and it sold about two million copies, leading to being platinum-certified by RIAA in 1992.

Franklin, otherwise known as the “Queen of Soul” and twice referred to by Rolling Stone Magazine as the greatest singer of all time, was an American singer and songwriter who is renowned for her expertise in blending gospel and jazz music.

RELATED: 15 Inspiring Country Songs About Faith to Strengthen Your Confidence in God and His Word

Her track is also considered one of the most significant Negro spirituals, and it was listed at 11,823 in the Roud folk song index.

Meaning Behind the Song 

Sung by Aretha Franklin with James Cleveland and The Southern California community choir, the song simply tells the story of Mary of Bethany and her perturbed pleas to Jesus. 

The song is sometimes referred to as the “slave song,” as it contains some coded messages of “hope and resistance.” It’s a song that beautifully describes how transcendent music can affect us. 

RELATED: 15 Timeless Gospel Hymn Classics That Have Stood the Test of Time

The song’s spiritual messages are comprehensible, which is hard for most Gospel Music artists to achieve. This makes Aretha Franklin revered by gospel music enthusiasts.

So, if you love listening to gospel songs, you should listen to Aretha Franklin’s amazing performance of “Mary Don’t You Weep” below. 

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