Podcasts about Positive

Want to increase and maintain playfulness in your relationship? Press play!Resource: -The Gottman Institute - Marriage Minute and Small Things Often podcast-The Adventure Challenge-Laura Silverstein's 52 Dates in 52 Weeks: Weekly Couple Date Night Planner5 Ways to Support the Positive on Purpose Podcast:1. Hit the subscribe button2. Write a Review3. Share a takeaway in your stories4. Tag the @positiveonpurposepodcast in a post5. Share with a friend or family member Connect with us! Follow our podcast Instagram account and tag us! @positiveonpurposepodcast

If you'd like a transcript of the podcast, head over to Youtube for video format   Hey there! Vicki here. Today, I want to dive deep into a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately: Success. I think about it each day as I work with my clients and create content for you, but it's been hitting a bit deeper these days.  I've been experiencing it personally, and while it's fantastic, it also feels new and confusing, so I figured, why not bring it to the podcast?  We've talked about goals before – setting them, working towards them, and ultimately achieving them. It's a vital part of coaching and education, understanding ourselves, and aligning with our soul's purpose. But what happens when you've checked off most of those goals? When you've manifested what you set out to achieve? That's where things get interesting.  I work with people who are passionately driven to understand their own greatness, unravel their unique wiring, and lead lives filled with joy and abundance. And I've been blessed to learn alongside them. We are the teacher and the student wherever we go, right?  Success will manifest differently – and while some shout it from the rooftops, others quietly support those around them. It's all okay and essential to recognize that we're here to share our experiences as a source of inspiration and individuality. Just don't be a braggadocious jerk about it, ok? But here's the kicker: you might feel unworthy when you've accomplished your goals. You may feel that is actually isn't ok to feel success on all levels.  It's ironic, isn't it? Not feeling deserving after achieving so much. Yet, it's a common challenge. Feeling worthy is essential, whether you're working on manifesting a new reality or trying to make sense of your current one. What's even more intriguing is that the human brain sometimes resists this newfound success. We're wired to solve problems; when they become scarce, we might unknowingly create chaos because we're accustomed to it. Our minds are addicted to challenges. Here to survive rather than thrive.  The key to navigating this phase is mindfulness. Whether you're just starting your manifesting journey or achieving most of your desires, it's crucial to be kind to yourself.  Self-compassion is non-negotiable. Feel your emotions without judgment, whether it's guilt, joy, or a yearning for more. So, my friends, let's keep painting the masterpiece of our lives. After all, your soul is always going to want to experience more. Who are you to tell it no?  Let's wonder, dream, and expand.  And remember, you deserve all the joy, abundance, and success that comes your way. Embrace it and share it with the world – because our journeys are meant to be extraordinary. ---

Chris Cote wants to tell us the one POSITIVE thing he learned from the Dolphins game this weekend. Then, it's time for the Useless Sound Montage, Against the Spread, AND Tony's Top 5 in one segment. Plus, Adam McKay joins us for our Horrifying Climate Fact of the Day and Amin shares his Top 5 Funniest Things Said at NBA Media Days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to Martin Hewlett's Calming Anxiety.Book your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendly.com/calminganxiety/zoom-hypnotherapyIf you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://calminganxietypodcast.supercast.com This is the start of our month of positive energy affirmations, courage and belief in who we are.Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.This is our lovely new visual meditation guide, please do subscribe and like. (it would really help)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMZpos7vRjg&t=56sIf you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you feel like you need more help but don't want to see a therapist in person then why not check out our online course - https://courses.martinhewlett.co.uk/courses/banishanxietyIf you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Finally, if you are ready to learn more about meditation and self hypnosis we have an eBook - Calming Anxiety - A New Way of Thinking. It comes with 5 guided sessions to listen to and shows you how to learn to relax deeply. https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/resources/ Its free !!!For one on one Zoom hypnotherapy sessions to help with anxiety and insomnia to confidence and coping with bad habits email hypnotherapy@martinhewlett.co.ukand , for our range of T-shirts and hoodies. www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shopand finally, in everything you do, just be kind .Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3LQlP0uIncense Burner - https://amzn.to/3v3EKxJMCT Oil (helps with my Keto Lifestyle) - https://amzn.to/3DLO9y9Weighted blanket - https://amzn.to/35NRZKsWeighted Bluetooth eye covers - https://amzn.to/3KdpxAJThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4110266/advertisement

Stop comparing yourself to other people! It's time to weigh in on yourself. The era of relying on the scale, on someone else's body, or on society's judgment is over. What's in is relying on yourself. Your intuitive feelings about your body are the most important thing in the world when it comes to how you look and what you weigh. In this episode, I'm talking about self-judgment and the only number that matters.   Key Takeaways When we throw away the number on the scale and focus on how we feel in our body, that becomes the most important thing. On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel in your physical body? That's the only number that matters.   Stop Comparing Yourself to Others  I want you to stop comparing yourself to others. Your body isn't the same as theirs, so it doesn't make sense to! I also want you to become aware of your self-judgemental thoughts, as they can actually be beneficial. We all have moments when we judge ourselves without thinking. That's how we're wired as humans, and that's okay. The real issue arises when we let these judgemental thoughts shape how we see ourselves. That's where the problem lies. We can understand, show kindness, and make room for the fact that we'll sometimes criticize ourselves. It's up to you to choose: do you want to criticize yourself in a way that brings you down? Or should you do it in a way that makes you feel stronger and more confident?   Focus On How You Feel In Your Body The type of judgment I want you to focus on is how you currently feel in your physical body. Dismiss all the numbers that the in-body scan or scale tells you, how much you lifted in your recent workout or what you ate. Sit with yourself for a minute and truly feel into your body. How do you feel? On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel in your physical body? When you throw away the other numbers and just focus on the one number that truly matters, your relationship with your body changes. We all have a natural ability to understand what we truly need by listening to our gut feelings. This skill can get buried when we think too much, feel extremely stressed, or don't get enough sleep. When these factors come together, we lose touch with what we really know about ourselves. I really encourage you to find a connection to your natural intuition and trust those feelings when it comes to your body. How do you feel in your physical body? I really want to know. If you don't know, sit with yourself in silence and really feel into it. Tell me in the comments on the episode page where you feel in your physical body on a scale of 1-10.   In This Episode  How self-judgment is useful [2:00] The only number that matters right now [5:30] What happens when you throw the other numbers away [8:30] How to use what you know to be true [17:00]   Quotes “Yes, there is some degree of awareness, and we have to be prepared for the automatic judgemental thoughts that are going to start to come in. Here's what I want to offer you: As humans, we will have judgemental thoughts. It's part of the cards we were dealt. Fine, that's not a problem. The problem is if we choose to allow these judgemental thoughts to create our reality. That's the problem.” [3:09] “We can support, sympathize, and hold space for the idea that we will all judge ourselves from time to time. And that is our choice. We get to decide do we want to judge ourselves in a way that's going to defeat us, or should we judge ourselves in a way that's going to be ever-so empowering.” [4:00] “We have to use the intuitive side of ourselves to know what we need. We all have that gift. The issue is that we lose our intuitive skills when we are overthinking things, when we're under tremendous stress, when we are sleep deprived, when all of these things are lined up beautifully, and we no longer have access to what we know to be true about ourselves.” [15:17]   Resources Mentioned Fit Women Collective Transform Transform Energy Check out the full episode page here Find Life Coaching for Women Physicians Online Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Subscribe to Life Coaching for Women Physicians on Apple Podcasts Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative   Related Episodes  Episode 95: Choosing Health Not Diet Culture Episode 180: Energetic Health Episode 177: Tracking Body Composition Changes

To help you as you wrap up this year and plan for the next one, we are dedicating the month of October to talking about financial planning—what it looks like, how you do it, and why it's so important.  Join host Jordan Johnstone as she interviews Kay Lynn Mayhue, President of Merit, which manages over 5 billion in RIA and Brokerage assets under management. Kay Lynn is passionate about helping people take their careers – and themselves – to exceptional levels, which is exactly what we hope you are able to do with the resources that 4word provides this month!

This morning, repeat positive affirmations to help build confidence and self belief. Positive morning affirmations like these will re-wire your brain if you repeat them every single day. Start today, and build confidence to a healthy and proud level. Support our Sponsors: Get the #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to ⁠greenchef.com/60wakemeup⁠ and use code 60wakemeup to get 60% off plus free shipping. Listen to my Spotify playlists to keep the good vibes going this morning: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nSXshDBPub8iigdyQJlWN?si=207f42f85dbc4b97 Want to be more focused? Wish distractions would just melt away? Sign up for the WMU Focus Course! If you're interested in joining, all you need to do is sign up for the course here: https://wakemeuppod.gumroad.com/l/focus. Get ad-free access to the entire WMU catalog + bonus content + 25% discount on WMU courses by joining the WMU Premium Feed. Sign up and start your 7-day free trial at https://wakemeup.supercast.com/. Follow the show on Youtube -  Spotify - Apple Podcasts - Amazon - Podchaser Listen on Podurama - https://podurama.com Say hi or request an episode at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/contact. See visual guides for the yoga and stretches in WMU episodes at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/stretches. And find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. **Only partake in the physical movements suggested in Wake Me Up episodes if you are physically able and in safe surroundings. All movements are done at the individual's own risk. Be safe, and always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.** Have a wonderful day

This episode has been a long time coming, my baby just turned one and I wanted to share my positive birth story and the tools I used to help myself to feel calm and confident going into birth. I'm sharing about:-How I used hypnobirthing and the tools that helped me -A reminder that birth can take any path and we are not always in control-How breathing and visualisation helped -Why birth doesn't have to be like what we see on the telly!If you're thinking of having a baby one day, you're pregnant or love someone who is, I hope this episode can inspire you to know that a positive birht experience is possible for you too.Wild Nutrition sponsor this weeks podcast. You can use my code CALMERYOU for £10 off your first order on www.wildnutrition.com.Download your FREE High Functioning Anxiety workbook at www.calmer-you.com/workbook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever been in a position where you've only seen your supervisor or administrator when there is conflict? Dr. Ellie Kazemi, behavior analyst and keynote speaker, joins me to discuss the work environment and how to build a positive work atmosphere, whether that's in an ABA clinic or in a school based setting.What is crucial to a positive atmosphere? Shared values and open communication. These important ideals come up over and over again throughout Dr. Kazemi's and my discussion. In order for teams to feel appreciated, psychologically safe, and have the desire for growth, they need administration and colleagues that promote transparency, shared values, and a framework to train resiliency for the ever changing systems.If you're a supervisor or administrator listening, consider how often and how naturally you're making yourself available for conversations with your team. Dr. Kazemi emphasizes the point that there needs to be consistent, visible support from leadership.Without these ideals, providers can face burnout, and even worse, the client can suffer. At the end of the day, we all want to make a difference and provide the best outcomes for our clients. The first step is creating a positive atmosphere for providers. You can find Dr. Ellie Kazemi on her website, Instagram, and LinkedIn.#autism #speectherapyWhat's Inside:Top tips for creating a positive work environment.The importance of shared values and open communication in any organization.How to cultivate psychological safety.The impact of the work environment on growth and investment in the mission.The importance of supervisor and administrative visibility.Mentioned In This Episode:Ellie KazemiEllie Kazemi - LinkedInEllie Kazemi (@ellie.kazemi) on InstagramMembership - ABA Speech

https://amzn.to/3mxdCnS - Grab Brandon's NEW book 'Be Extraordinary: Your Guide To Self-Mastery'!https://www.bebetterindustries.com - Book Brandon to help your leadership team become more influential and achieve self-masteryYou've been lied to.

At the end of each day we do a mental scan, reviewing our experiences from that day.When people do this, they often find:The moments where we moved outside of our comfort zoneThe moments where we pushed ourselvesAnd the moments where we were courageousAre often the moments that we end up being most proud of. Additionally, leading courage researcher, Dr. Jim Detert asserts that when looking back on life its acts of courage that are often associated with greater fulfillment, meaning, and positive legacy. Today I am going to offer a practice that will invite you to explore a simple process for intentionally increasing the capacity to be with discomfort, and how practicing this in low stakes moments can help strengthen your mind, body, and skillset to help unlock courage in moments that matter. Ready to get started?Did you enjoy today's practice? Please share with friends or someone you feel could benefit from the podcast. And if you have a moment, please do me a favor and rate the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you may be listening. Positive ratings and reviews help to elevate the show. Thanks! Interested in cultivating greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection in your life?Sign up now for the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge which runs during the month of October and includes:28 recorded daily practices delivered to your inbox17 brief recorded talks on themes of courage, calm, clarity, and connection2 live eventsDaily text or email reminders for each practiceLifetime access to all challenge contentLearn more and register here: practicingcourage.com. Are you a coach looking for 1x1 mentoring to deepen your skillset? I am happy to share I have opened up additional mentorship opportunities. If you are interested in working together send me a direct message on LinkedIn or at joshuasteinfeldt.com.Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:Courage is Developed Through Practice | Dr. Jim DetertLessons in Hope, Courage, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigalFinding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness | Emily Esfahani SmithTil next Tuesday,-JoshuaSupport the show

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep.” – Rumi Todays Episode: As dawn breaks and your mind starts to sift through the problems weighing you down, I'd like to offer a fresh perspective. Today, let's reimagine that process.  Take a deep breath, and think about those concerns that often hold a tight grip on your thoughts. Now, for each of those concerns, cast a different light. Visualize the pinnacle of success, the most ideal outcome, turning every challenge into a beacon of triumph.  Next ask yourself: What tangible action can I take today, no matter how small, to set the wheels in motion toward this victorious vision?  This simple exercise serves as a testament to the power that lies within you. You're not defined by yesterday's shadows or past missteps. There's no pre-written destiny that says you're confined; you have the freedom to rewrite your story.  Point your compass in the right direction. Evaluate the elements of your life, and if something doesn't resonate with your path forward, have the courage to adjust its presence. Each step, no matter how tiny, steers the direction of your life's narrative.  Remember, every morning is a new beginning, and you are blessed with the opportunity to move away from the old and towards the ideal.  Continue to live inspired! Eddie

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-8-23-2023/Jah%20Works%20Radio%208-23-2023.mp3 On the grand finale night of Ras E’s visit to the 44 for 2023, him and D-Ro throw down a final musical set from the Ioneyez Studio – full of higher heights vibez and good times!  Big up the one called RAS E!!!  Fulljoy, family, and One Love until next week… Download here (right […]

Hello and welcome to Martin Hewlett's Calming Anxiety.Book your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendly.com/calminganxiety/zoom-hypnotherapyIf you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://calminganxietypodcast.supercast.com This is the start of our month of positive energy affirmations, courage and belief in who we are.Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.This is our lovely new visual meditation guide, please do subscribe and like. (it would really help)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMZpos7vRjg&t=56sIf you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you feel like you need more help but don't want to see a therapist in person then why not check out our online course - https://courses.martinhewlett.co.uk/courses/banishanxietyIf you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Finally, if you are ready to learn more about meditation and self hypnosis we have an eBook - Calming Anxiety - A New Way of Thinking. It comes with 5 guided sessions to listen to and shows you how to learn to relax deeply. https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/resources/ Its free !!!For one on one Zoom hypnotherapy sessions to help with anxiety and insomnia to confidence and coping with bad habits email hypnotherapy@martinhewlett.co.ukand , for our range of T-shirts and hoodies. www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shopand finally, in everything you do, just be kind .Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3LQlP0uIncense Burner - https://amzn.to/3v3EKxJMCT Oil (helps with my Keto Lifestyle) - https://amzn.to/3DLO9y9Weighted blanket - https://amzn.to/35NRZKsWeighted Bluetooth eye covers - https://amzn.to/3KdpxAJThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4110266/advertisement

I always thought the word Positive meant somethin good, but now that results are positive ?

Wendy is adjusting to a (slightly) empty nest at home. Simply put, she did not handle her daughter's departure for college as well as she thought she would... as she puts it, "it kicked my ass." Fall into this week's podcast to find out how Wendy is finding solace in the difficult transition.

Smiling isn't just for aesthetics; it's a potent tool for holistic health, influencing both mental and physical states. In this month's episode, we delve into the transformative power of smiles, transcending beyond oral hygiene and dentistry. We explore the fascinating science behind smiling, revealing its evolutionary roots and physiological impacts. Learn how the simple act of smiling affects not just your oral health but also your mental well-being. You'll hear research-based insights into the impact of smiling on longevity, relationships, and even stress management. Smiling is a universal language that holds the power to transform not just your dental health but also your mental and emotional well-being. This National Dental Hygiene Month, let's commit to spreading positivity one smile at a time. Key Takeaways:-It takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown. Smiling releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, all of which can act like natural painkillers.-Dale Carnegie emphasizes the importance of facial expression in interpersonal skills.-UC Berkeley and Wayne University have conducted studies showing that smiling can impact longevity and overall well-being. (UC Berkeley Study)-Penn State study indicates that smiling employees are perceived as more likable and competent, influencing customer satisfaction and repeat business. (Penn State Study)-A genuine smile engages not just your mouth but also your eyes. It's a universal sign of warmth and kindness.-While stress is unavoidable, smiling can act as a natural buffer, mitigating the harmful effects of stress on the body.-Research suggests that people who smile more tend to live longer.-Your thoughts are powerful tools in shaping your life experience. Positive self-talk can be influential in adopting good habits, including the habit of smiling.-Mother Teresa on Smiling- Every smile is an action of love, a gift to a person, enriching their day as well as yours. Actionable Tips-Make a conscious effort to smile more, even when alone.-If you can't brush your teeth immediately after a meal, chew sugar-free gum or candy with xylitol as the active ingredient.-Mind your self-talk. Positive thoughts can manifest as real-life positivity, so try to maintain a healthy mental dialogue. Book a consultation today:I am always here to help answer any question and schedule a 15 minute call with me. If I can not help, I can get you to a provider that can.https://shereewertz.com/15-min

372 - I Scream, You Scream This week we sat down with Screampie to discuss their exploration into sadomasochism!  SUPPORT THE SHOW (PayPal, Cashapp, Venmo, Patreon) Check out our sponsor for this week, Terrible Toyshop. You can find The Stinger here! Find us on Twitter and Instagram: @ocpkink More by PODCAST JUKEBOX: Queers Next Door | Being There Will Sean Podcast? | The Goth Librarian Podcast Drinks with God | ProudToBeKinky | NO LOVE LOST

Want to live the life you dream?  Meet Lilly Beyond, Founder of Mental Fitness SchoolLCS Certified & Positive Intelligence™ Coach. Lilly is a former award-winning Tech Festival Director and international Communication Designer turned Subconscious Mind Programmer, Burnout Expert, and certified Life Coach of the globally renowned Life Coach School, as well as one of the first professional coaches in Europe to bring Stanford U's Positive Intelligence® to the EMEA region, 250+ individual clients since 2017.  You deserve to get your power back in your own life, in spite of your challenging circumstances & uncertainty. Connect with Lilly here: https://www.mentalfitnessschool.com/

How does effective communication affect your company culture? In this episode Rob Cressy and Arturo Gomez they emphasize the importance of clear communication, setting goals, and establishing core values and culture within the organization. The hosts also highlight the value of autonomy and results-driven approaches rather than focusing on the number of hours worked. They share personal experiences and insights into managing remote businesses and teams.-You can connect with us on social media:Follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadershipdna/Rob Cressy - LinkedIn: /Cressy/  - Instagram: @Rob_Cressy - Website: http://www.RobCressy.comArturo Gomez - LinkedIn: /arturo-gomez-6159556/-Leadership DNA is a podcast for those who aspire to become a better leader. From leading yourself to leading others, what is the blueprint for leadership and how can you improve those skills? Each week Arturo Gomez and Rob Cressy share stories, lessons learned, and nuggets of wisdom about what it takes to be a great leader. Your feedback is important to us. We want to hear what you think it takes to be a great leader. If anything we talk about in the episode resonates with you or you took action, let us know about it. 

This episode discusses how to move forward in a positive future. Without a vision of who you want to become, you have no true direction in life. When you spend time creating a future vision of yourself that inspires you, that becomes a magnet that pulls you forward. You no longer need inspiration or motivation because spending time in that vision gives you all the fuel you need. The path to abundance is available to you now; your mind's lens needs to adjust so that you can see it. Our frequency is what we frequently see, so if you want to see something different, you must become something different! This is a powerful episode, and I can't wait to share it with you. - Henry -------------------------------- The Positive Mindset Podcast ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠iTunes⁠ -------------------------------- ⁠Request Coaching Info⁠ -------------------------------- Social Media ⁠Say hi on TikTok⁠ ⁠Say Hi on Instagram⁠ -------------------------------- Email Me ⁠henry@vibeabundant.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/positive-mindset-podcast/support

In this episode of The New 1% Podcast, Timmy Douglas discusses why prioritizing people over profit is the key to long-term success. Timmy presents three compelling reasons that underscore the value of investing in people. Reel: Timmy introduces the episode by emphasizing the importance of choosing to invest in people over profits. Segment 1 - People as the Golden Goose: Timmy explains that people are the "Golden Goose" of any endeavor because scaling alone is impossible. Success relies on building relationships and collaboration. Segment 2 - Trust and Goodwill vs. Dollars: Timmy explores how trust and goodwill are more valuable than dollars since money ultimately comes from people's pockets. Positive relationships and reputation lead to lasting success. Podcast - Segment 3 - Profit as a Means to an End: Timmy discusses profit as a means to an end, which always involves people. By investing in people, businesses naturally attract profit. Podcast - Segment 4 - How to Invest in People: Timmy provides practical insights into investing in people effectively, including breaking limiting beliefs, skill development, character nurturing, and casting a vision that includes others. By the end of the episode, Timmy encourages listeners to prioritize people, recognizing that by doing so, not only do profits follow, but they become a natural result of meaningful relationships and positive contributions. Join The New 1% soft launch team at workwithtimmydouglas.com This is for the people looking to buy a business at some point, but not in the next 12 months. The impact here is in spreading the word until you can commit to doing the work Get a FREE Community Investing Course that will set you up to reap the rewards without doing the work by leveraging people and technology. If you're looking to buy a business in the next 12 months, DM me and join the hard core launch team, limited to 100 people! Here you'll get the following for FREE access to a list of Private money partners for buying businesses that I'm building a due diligence checklist a community of people committed to buying businesses essential contacts in major cities for due diligence. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timothy-douglas0/support

In this episode of The New 1% Podcast, Timmy Douglas discusses why prioritizing people over profit is the key to long-term success. Timmy presents three compelling reasons that underscore the value of investing in people. Reel: Timmy introduces the episode by emphasizing the importance of choosing to invest in people over profits. Segment 1 - People as the Golden Goose: Timmy explains that people are the "Golden Goose" of any endeavor because scaling alone is impossible. Success relies on building relationships and collaboration. Segment 2 - Trust and Goodwill vs. Dollars: Timmy explores how trust and goodwill are more valuable than dollars since money ultimately comes from people's pockets. Positive relationships and reputation lead to lasting success. Podcast - Segment 3 - Profit as a Means to an End: Timmy discusses profit as a means to an end, which always involves people. By investing in people, businesses naturally attract profit. Podcast - Segment 4 - How to Invest in People: Timmy provides practical insights into investing in people effectively, including breaking limiting beliefs, skill development, character nurturing, and casting a vision that includes others. By the end of the episode, Timmy encourages listeners to prioritize people, recognizing that by doing so, not only do profits follow, but they become a natural result of meaningful relationships and positive contributions. Join The New 1% soft launch team at workwithtimmydouglas.com This is for the people looking to buy a business at some point, but not in the next 12 months. The impact here is in spreading the word until you can commit to doing the work Get a FREE Community Investing Course that will set you up to reap the rewards without doing the work by leveraging people and technology. If you're looking to buy a business in the next 12 months, DM me and join the hard core launch team, limited to 100 people! Here you'll get the following for FREE access to a list of Private money partners for buying businesses that I'm building a due diligence checklist a community of people committed to buying businesses essential contacts in major cities for due diligence. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timothy-douglas0/support

Hello and welcome to Martin Hewlett's Calming Anxiety.Book your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendly.com/calminganxiety/zoom-hypnotherapyIf you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://calminganxietypodcast.supercast.com This is the start of our month of positive energy affirmations, courage and belief in who we are.Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.This is our lovely new visual meditation guide, please do subscribe and like. (it would really help)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMZpos7vRjg&t=56sIf you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you feel like you need more help but don't want to see a therapist in person then why not check out our online course - https://courses.martinhewlett.co.uk/courses/banishanxietyIf you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Finally, if you are ready to learn more about meditation and self hypnosis we have an eBook - Calming Anxiety - A New Way of Thinking. It comes with 5 guided sessions to listen to and shows you how to learn to relax deeply. https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/resources/ Its free !!!For one on one Zoom hypnotherapy sessions to help with anxiety and insomnia to confidence and coping with bad habits email hypnotherapy@martinhewlett.co.ukand , for our range of T-shirts and hoodies. www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shopand finally, in everything you do, just be kind .Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3LQlP0uIncense Burner - https://amzn.to/3v3EKxJMCT Oil (helps with my Keto Lifestyle) - https://amzn.to/3DLO9y9Weighted blanket - https://amzn.to/35NRZKsWeighted Bluetooth eye covers - https://amzn.to/3KdpxAJThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4110266/advertisement

Surround yourself with positivity to boost your happiness!Let's Connect:You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking hereYou can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking hereRequest your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide hereSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

En octobre 2022, une rumeur ravive l'éternel débat autour des bonnes pratiques à adopter pour éduquer son enfant. Le Conseil de l'Europe réfléchirait à retirer une méthode appelée « time out » de son guide de sensibilisation à une parentalité non violente, qui compile les bonnes pratiques à appliquer dans les États membres. Cette pratique, préconisée par le Conseil de l'Europe depuis 2009, consiste à isoler l'enfant dans sa chambre pour le punir afin qu'il puisse se calmer.Pour certains psychologues et spécialistes de l'éducation, le « time out » est pourtant une méthode tout à fait adaptée pour apaiser facilement un enfant, sans avoir recours à des formes de violences verbales ou physiques. Pour d'autres, c'est en réalité une forme de violence éducative ordinaire à bannir, qu'il faudrait remplacer par une éducation positive, basée sur la bienveillance et l'écoute de l'enfant. Pendant des mois, ces deux camps s'affrontent dans les médias par tribunes interposées, laissant les parents déboussolés.Pour Code source, Bérangère Lepetit, journaliste au service société du Parisien, revient sur cette récente controverse qui agite le milieu de l'éducation.Ecoutez Code source sur toutes les plateformes audio : Apple Podcast (iPhone, iPad), Google Podcast (Android), Amazon Music, Podcast Addict ou Castbox, Deezer, Spotify.Crédits. Direction de la rédaction : Pierre Chausse - Rédacteur en chef : Jules Lavie - Reporter : Ambre Rosala - Production : Raphaël Pueyo - Réalisation et mixage : Julien Montcouquiol - Musiques : François Clos, Audio Network - Archives : France Inter, RTB et TNTV. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Das Atom-Aus ist noch nicht ad acta gelegt: Ein brisantes KKW-Papier zeigt, dass das Wirtschaftsministerium die Vorteile der Kernkraft für deutlich größer erachtet hatte, als Habeck der Öffentlichkeit mitteilte. Web: https://www.epochtimes.de Probeabo der Epoch Times Wochenzeitung: https://bit.ly/EpochProbeabo Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTimesDE YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC81ACRSbWNgmnVSK6M1p_Ug Telegram: https://t.me/epochtimesde Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtimesde Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTimesWelt/ Unseren Podcast finden Sie unter anderem auch hier: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/etdpodcast/id1496589910 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/277zmVduHgYooQyFIxPH97 Unterstützen Sie unabhängigen Journalismus: Per Paypal: http://bit.ly/SpendenEpochTimesDeutsch Per Banküberweisung (Epoch Times Europe GmbH, IBAN: DE 2110 0700 2405 2550 5400, BIC/SWIFT: DEUTDEDBBER, Verwendungszweck: Spenden) Vielen Dank! (c) 2023 Epoch Times

Shaped by Faith Guest This Friday…Kelly Irvin Bestseller Kelly Irvin is the author of thirty books and novellas, including Amish romance, romantic suspense and an upcoming women's fiction title. Her latest Amish romance novel, The Heart's Bidding, is the first book in a new series Amish Calling, set in Virginia. She has published seven romantic suspense novels, including recently released A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine. The award-winning novelist worked as a newspaper reporter before spending more than twenty years in public relations. Kelly now writes fiction full-time. She lives with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin, in San Antonio. Hope you enjoy listening to our conversation! Keep reading...

Ryder Cup action is taking over BBC 5 Live, meaning there was no live show from Elis James and John Robins this week... But fear not, as we have a right treat in store for you. You've heard 'Desert Islands Discs'... You've enjoyed the audio soundscape that is 'The Archers'... But in this special bonus podcast you're about to hear something that nobody has ever dared to attempt due to the sheer level of broadcasting prowess required to pull it off. That's right, prepare to experience one presenter doing an impression of all four members of The Beatles whilst another presenter hand grinds their own coffee beans. Enjoy!

European bourses are trading higher across the board with the Stoxx 600; US equity futures are also firmer in a continuation of yesterday's gains.DXY succumbs to more intense selling pressure amid softer US Treasury yields and renewed risk appetite; Antipodeans outperform.EGBs rebound following softer-than-expected German Retail Sales, French and pan-EZ inflation metrics.Crude prices have been relatively flat throughout the European morning, but the contracts have been tilting higher in lockstep with broader risk sentiment on month and quarter-end.Looking ahead, highlights include US PCE, Chicago PMI, UoM Sentiment, Speeches from Fed's Barkin, Williams.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” - anonymous Today's episode dives into the empowering realm of self-competition, unraveling how our primary focus should be on outdoing who we were yesterday rather than getting entangled in the race with others. When we turn the lens on our own actions, efforts, and attitudes, we step into a sphere of control, making personal improvement an achievable goal. The narrative of 'You Vs You' not only fosters a culture of continuous self-betterment but also nurtures a sense of control over our own progress and outcomes. Through this introspective lens, each day becomes an opportunity to evolve, to be better, and to take one step closer to our own pinnacle of excellence. This talk underscores that in the grand scheme of self-improvement, we are our only competition, and in this competition lies our empowerment.

e in here, happy Friday!

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Are you interested in working with a trauma therapist but not quite sure what that looks like? In today's episode, I am talking with licensed therapist Emily Cox.  Join us as we discuss what therapy looks like, inner child work and becoming the best version of you. Connect with Emily at: www.larkspurtherapy.com Instagram: @larkspur.therapy Facebook: Larkspur Therapy If you liked this podcast, please: -subscribe -share it with others -write a review  **Let's stay connected.** Click ⁠⁠Deniseglee.com⁠⁠ to

135: Mindful Movement Personal Trainer and Barefoot Specialist Nikki Graybill share the reason and the way to mindful movement for balanced health. Nikki Graybill Today's Lexi:  Προσεκτικόs - Prosektikos -Mindful In Today's Episode: Which exercise keeps us connected as a human? The powerhouse of all excises: The Squat! Learn the correct form to perform it. Does mindset make a difference in the way our bodies function and move? The science proves that the disposition we carry transfers to our physical well-being.  Our bodies hear everything our mind says so …feed it - fuel it with positivity! Positive affirmation examples which show us how it's done.   Nikki shares some things to tell yourself when you're working out. Today's Ola Kala Moment: Take care of self by being mindful Resources: Nikki Graybill Fitness  Credits: Music: Spiro Dussias Vocals: Zabrina Hay Graphic Designer: Susan Jackson O'Leary  

Sponsor: Needed: Use code BIRTHHOUR for 20% off at thisisneeded.com. The Birth Hour Links: Know Your Options Online Childbirth Course Beyond the First Latch Course (comes free with KYO course) Support The Birth Hour via Patreon!

Chapter 1 What's Turn the Ship Around"Turn the Ship Around" is a leadership book written by L. David Marquet. It was published in 2012 and details Marquet's experience as the captain of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe. He shares the story of transforming the ship's culture from a leader-follower model to a leader-leader model, where each member of the crew is empowered to take ownership and make decisions. The book focuses on the principles of empowering others, creating a sense of ownership, and fostering a culture of leadership. It has been widely praised for its innovative leadership approach and its practical advice on how to create high-performing teams.Chapter 2 Why is Turn the Ship Around Worth Read"Turn the Ship Around" by L. David Marquet is worth reading for several reasons:1. Unique leadership insights: Marquet shares his personal experience as a former nuclear submarine commander and offers a fresh perspective on leadership. He challenges traditional hierarchical command structures and advocates for a "leader-leader" approach, where decision-making is pushed down to the lowest level possible.2. Practical applicability: The book provides practical tools and techniques that can be applied in any organization. Marquet introduces concepts such as "intent-based leadership" and "creating leaders at every level," which can help individuals and teams become more empowered and autonomous.3. Real-life examples: Marquet illustrates his ideas with real-life examples from his time as a submarine commander. He candidly highlights the mistakes and challenges he faced and offers valuable lessons that can be applied in various professional settings.4. Engaging storytelling: The book is written in a storytelling format, making it easy to read and engaging. Marquet's writing style and narrative approach keep the reader captivated, making it an enjoyable read.5. Positive impact: "Turn the Ship Around" has had a significant impact on leadership and organizational culture in various industries. It has become a widely recommended book for leaders and managers seeking to create high performing teams and foster a culture of empowerment and accountability.Overall, "Turn the Ship Around" is worth reading because it provides unique leadership insights, practical advice, real-life examples, engaging storytelling, and the potential to positively transform an organization's leadership and culture.Chapter 3 Turn the Ship Around Summary"Turn the Ship Around!" by L. David Marquet is a leadership book that tells the story of how Marquet transformed the culture and performance of a nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Santa Fe.Marquet, a highly experienced and highly decorated naval officer, was unexpectedly appointed as captain of the Santa Fe. However, he quickly realized that the ship was plagued by a lack of trust, low morale, and poor performance. The previous leadership style on the Santa Fe was one of top-down command and control, where decision-making was concentrated in the hands of the captain.Marquet believed that this leadership style was flawed and would not allow the ship to reach its full potential. He decided to challenge the traditional leadership model and instead adopt a model of decentralized control and empowerment. He called this model “leader-leader” instead of “leader-follower.”In his book, Marquet outlines the key principles and practices he used to transform the Santa Fe. These include:1. Control by consent: Instead of giving orders, Marquet encouraged his crew to take ownership and responsibility for their roles. He emphasized the importance of gaining consent before making decisions.2. Competence: Marquet focused on building a...

Hello and welcome to Martin Hewlett's Calming Anxiety.Book your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendly.com/calminganxiety/zoom-hypnotherapyIf you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://calminganxietypodcast.supercast.com This is the start of our month of positive energy affirmations, courage and belief in who we are.Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.This is our lovely new visual meditation guide, please do subscribe and like. (it would really help)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMZpos7vRjg&t=56sIf you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you feel like you need more help but don't want to see a therapist in person then why not check out our online course - https://courses.martinhewlett.co.uk/courses/banishanxietyIf you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Finally, if you are ready to learn more about meditation and self hypnosis we have an eBook - Calming Anxiety - A New Way of Thinking. It comes with 5 guided sessions to listen to and shows you how to learn to relax deeply. https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/resources/ Its free !!!For one on one Zoom hypnotherapy sessions to help with anxiety and insomnia to confidence and coping with bad habits email hypnotherapy@martinhewlett.co.ukand , for our range of T-shirts and hoodies. www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shopand finally, in everything you do, just be kind .Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3LQlP0uIncense Burner - https://amzn.to/3v3EKxJMCT Oil (helps with my Keto Lifestyle) - https://amzn.to/3DLO9y9Weighted blanket - https://amzn.to/35NRZKsWeighted Bluetooth eye covers - https://amzn.to/3KdpxAJThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4110266/advertisement

Episode 168 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Say a Little Prayer”, and the interaction of the sacred, political, and secular in Aretha Franklin's life and work. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-five-minute bonus episode available, on "Abraham, Martin, and John" by Dion. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Resources No Mixcloud this week, as there are too many songs by Aretha Franklin. Even splitting it into multiple parts would have required six or seven mixes. My main biographical source for Aretha Franklin is Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin by David Ritz, and this is where most of the quotes from musicians come from. Information on C.L. Franklin came from Singing in a Strange Land: C. L. Franklin, the Black Church, and the Transformation of America by Nick Salvatore. Country Soul by Charles L Hughes is a great overview of the soul music made in Muscle Shoals, Memphis, and Nashville in the sixties. Peter Guralnick's Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm And Blues And The Southern Dream Of Freedom is possibly less essential, but still definitely worth reading. Information about Martin Luther King came from Martin Luther King: A Religious Life by Paul Harvey. I also referred to Burt Bacharach's autobiography Anyone Who Had a Heart, Carole King's autobiography A Natural Woman, and Soul Serenade: King Curtis and his Immortal Saxophone by Timothy R. Hoover. For information about Amazing Grace I also used Aaron Cohen's 33 1/3 book on the album. The film of the concerts is also definitely worth watching. And the Aretha Now album is available in this five-album box set for a ludicrously cheap price. But it's actually worth getting this nineteen-CD set with her first sixteen Atlantic albums and a couple of bonus discs of demos and outtakes. There's barely a duff track in the whole nineteen discs. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript A quick warning before I begin. This episode contains some moderate references to domestic abuse, death by cancer, racial violence, police violence, and political assassination. Anyone who might be upset by those subjects might want to check the transcript rather than listening to the episode. Also, as with the previous episode on Aretha Franklin, this episode presents something of a problem. Like many people in this narrative, Franklin's career was affected by personal troubles, which shaped many of her decisions. But where most of the subjects of the podcast have chosen to live their lives in public and share intimate details of every aspect of their personal lives, Franklin was an extremely private person, who chose to share only carefully sanitised versions of her life, and tried as far as possible to keep things to herself. This of course presents a dilemma for anyone who wants to tell her story -- because even though the information is out there in biographies, and even though she's dead, it's not right to disrespect someone's wish for a private life. I have therefore tried, wherever possible, to stay away from talk of her personal life except where it *absolutely* affects the work, or where other people involved have publicly shared their own stories, and even there I've tried to keep it to a minimum. This will occasionally lead to me saying less about some topics than other people might, even though the information is easily findable, because I don't think we have an absolute right to invade someone else's privacy for entertainment. When we left Aretha Franklin, she had just finally broken through into the mainstream after a decade of performing, with a version of Otis Redding's song "Respect" on which she had been backed by her sisters, Erma and Carolyn. "Respect", in Franklin's interpretation, had been turned from a rather chauvinist song about a man demanding respect from his woman into an anthem of feminism, of Black power, and of a new political awakening. For white people of a certain generation, the summer of 1967 was "the summer of love". For many Black people, it was rather different. There's a quote that goes around (I've seen it credited in reliable sources to both Ebony and Jet magazine, but not ever seen an issue cited, so I can't say for sure where it came from) saying that the summer of 67 was the summer of "'retha, Rap, and revolt", referring to the trifecta of Aretha Franklin, the Black power leader Jamil Abdullah al-Amin (who was at the time known as H. Rap Brown, a name he later disclaimed) and the rioting that broke out in several major cities, particularly in Detroit: [Excerpt: John Lee Hooker, "The Motor City is Burning"] The mid sixties were, in many ways, the high point not of Black rights in the US -- for the most part there has been a lot of progress in civil rights in the intervening decades, though not without inevitable setbacks and attacks from the far right, and as movements like the Black Lives Matter movement have shown there is still a long way to go -- but of *hope* for Black rights. The moral force of the arguments made by the civil rights movement were starting to cause real change to happen for Black people in the US for the first time since the Reconstruction nearly a century before. But those changes weren't happening fast enough, and as we heard in the episode on "I Was Made to Love Her", there was not only a growing unrest among Black people, but a recognition that it was actually possible for things to change. A combination of hope and frustration can be a powerful catalyst, and whether Franklin wanted it or not, she was at the centre of things, both because of her newfound prominence as a star with a hit single that couldn't be interpreted as anything other than a political statement and because of her intimate family connections to the struggle. Even the most racist of white people these days pays lip service to the memory of Dr Martin Luther King, and when they do they quote just a handful of sentences from one speech King made in 1963, as if that sums up the full theological and political philosophy of that most complex of men. And as we discussed the last time we looked at Aretha Franklin, King gave versions of that speech, the "I Have a Dream" speech, twice. The most famous version was at the March on Washington, but the first time was a few weeks earlier, at what was at the time the largest civil rights demonstration in American history, in Detroit. Aretha's family connection to that event is made clear by the very opening of King's speech: [Excerpt: Martin Luther King, "Original 'I Have a Dream' Speech"] So as summer 1967 got into swing, and white rock music was going to San Francisco to wear flowers in its hair, Aretha Franklin was at the centre of a very different kind of youth revolution. Franklin's second Atlantic album, Aretha Arrives, brought in some new personnel to the team that had recorded Aretha's first album for Atlantic. Along with the core Muscle Shoals players Jimmy Johnson, Spooner Oldham, Tommy Cogbill and Roger Hawkins, and a horn section led by King Curtis, Wexler and Dowd also brought in guitarist Joe South. South was a white session player from Georgia, who had had a few minor hits himself in the fifties -- he'd got his start recording a cover version of "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor", the Big Bopper's B-side to "Chantilly Lace": [Excerpt: Joe South, "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor"] He'd also written a few songs that had been recorded by people like Gene Vincent, but he'd mostly become a session player. He'd become a favourite musician of Bob Johnston's, and so he'd played guitar on Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme albums: [Excerpt: Simon and Garfunkel, "I am a Rock"] and bass on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, with Al Kooper particularly praising his playing on "Visions of Johanna": [Excerpt: Bob Dylan, "Visions of Johanna"] South would be the principal guitarist on this and Franklin's next album, before his own career took off in 1968 with "Games People Play": [Excerpt: Joe South, "Games People Play"] At this point, he had already written the other song he's best known for, "Hush", which later became a hit for Deep Purple: [Excerpt: Deep Purple, "Hush"] But he wasn't very well known, and was surprised to get the call for the Aretha Franklin session, especially because, as he put it "I was white and I was about to play behind the blackest genius since Ray Charles" But Jerry Wexler had told him that Franklin didn't care about the race of the musicians she played with, and South settled in as soon as Franklin smiled at him when he played a good guitar lick on her version of the blues standard "Going Down Slow": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Going Down Slow"] That was one of the few times Franklin smiled in those sessions though. Becoming an overnight success after years of trying and failing to make a name for herself had been a disorienting experience, and on top of that things weren't going well in her personal life. Her marriage to her manager Ted White was falling apart, and she was performing erratically thanks to the stress. In particular, at a gig in Georgia she had fallen off the stage and broken her arm. She soon returned to performing, but it meant she had problems with her right arm during the recording of the album, and didn't play as much piano as she would have previously -- on some of the faster songs she played only with her left hand. But the recording sessions had to go on, whether or not Aretha was physically capable of playing piano. As we discussed in the episode on Otis Redding, the owners of Atlantic Records were busily negotiating its sale to Warner Brothers in mid-1967. As Wexler said later “Everything in me said, Keep rolling, keep recording, keep the hits coming. She was red hot and I had no reason to believe that the streak wouldn't continue. I knew that it would be foolish—and even irresponsible—not to strike when the iron was hot. I also had personal motivation. A Wall Street financier had agreed to see what we could get for Atlantic Records. While Ahmet and Neshui had not agreed on a selling price, they had gone along with my plan to let the financier test our worth on the open market. I was always eager to pump out hits, but at this moment I was on overdrive. In this instance, I had a good partner in Ted White, who felt the same. He wanted as much product out there as possible." In truth, you can tell from Aretha Arrives that it's a record that was being thought of as "product" rather than one being made out of any kind of artistic impulse. It's a fine album -- in her ten-album run from I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You through Amazing Grace there's not a bad album and barely a bad track -- but there's a lack of focus. There are only two originals on the album, neither of them written by Franklin herself, and the rest is an incoherent set of songs that show the tension between Franklin and her producers at Atlantic. Several songs are the kind of standards that Franklin had recorded for her old label Columbia, things like "You Are My Sunshine", or her version of "That's Life", which had been a hit for Frank Sinatra the previous year: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "That's Life"] But mixed in with that are songs that are clearly the choice of Wexler. As we've discussed previously in episodes on Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, at this point Atlantic had the idea that it was possible for soul artists to cross over into the white market by doing cover versions of white rock hits -- and indeed they'd had some success with that tactic. So while Franklin was suggesting Sinatra covers, Atlantic's hand is visible in the choices of songs like "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "96 Tears": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "96 Tears'] Of the two originals on the album, one, the hit single "Baby I Love You" was written by Ronnie Shannon, the Detroit songwriter who had previously written "I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Baby I Love You"] As with the previous album, and several other songs on this one, that had backing vocals by Aretha's sisters, Erma and Carolyn. But the other original on the album, "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)", didn't, even though it was written by Carolyn: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)"] To explain why, let's take a little detour and look at the co-writer of the song this episode is about, though we're not going to get to that for a little while yet. We've not talked much about Burt Bacharach in this series so far, but he's one of those figures who has come up a few times in the periphery and will come up again, so here is as good a time as any to discuss him, and bring everyone up to speed about his career up to 1967. Bacharach was one of the more privileged figures in the sixties pop music field. His father, Bert Bacharach (pronounced the same as his son, but spelled with an e rather than a u) had been a famous newspaper columnist, and his parents had bought him a Steinway grand piano to practice on -- they pushed him to learn the piano even though as a kid he wasn't interested in finger exercises and Debussy. What he was interested in, though, was jazz, and as a teenager he would often go into Manhattan and use a fake ID to see people like Dizzy Gillespie, who he idolised, and in his autobiography he talks rapturously of seeing Gillespie playing his bent trumpet -- he once saw Gillespie standing on a street corner with a pet monkey on his shoulder, and went home and tried to persuade his parents to buy him a monkey too. In particular, he talks about seeing the Count Basie band with Sonny Payne on drums as a teenager: [Excerpt: Count Basie, "Kid From Red Bank"] He saw them at Birdland, the club owned by Morris Levy where they would regularly play, and said of the performance "they were just so incredibly exciting that all of a sudden, I got into music in a way I never had before. What I heard in those clubs really turned my head around— it was like a big breath of fresh air when somebody throws open a window. That was when I knew for the first time how much I loved music and wanted to be connected to it in some way." Of course, there's a rather major problem with this story, as there is so often with narratives that musicians tell about their early career. In this case, Birdland didn't open until 1949, when Bacharach was twenty-one and stationed in Germany for his military service, while Sonny Payne didn't join Basie's band until 1954, when Bacharach had been a professional musician for many years. Also Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet bell only got bent on January 6, 1953. But presumably while Bacharach was conflating several memories, he did have some experience in some New York jazz club that led him to want to become a musician. Certainly there were enough great jazz musicians playing the clubs in those days. He went to McGill University to study music for two years, then went to study with Darius Milhaud, a hugely respected modernist composer. Milhaud was also one of the most important music teachers of the time -- among others he'd taught Stockhausen and Xenakkis, and would go on to teach Philip Glass and Steve Reich. This suited Bacharach, who by this point was a big fan of Schoenberg and Webern, and was trying to write atonal, difficult music. But Milhaud had also taught Dave Brubeck, and when Bacharach rather shamefacedly presented him with a composition which had an actual tune, he told Bacharach "Never be ashamed of writing a tune you can whistle". He dropped out of university and, like most men of his generation, had to serve in the armed forces. When he got out of the army, he continued his musical studies, still trying to learn to be an avant-garde composer, this time with Bohuslav Martinů and later with Henry Cowell, the experimental composer we've heard about quite a bit in previous episodes: [Excerpt: Henry Cowell, "Aeolian Harp and Sinister Resonance"] He was still listening to a lot of avant garde music, and would continue doing so throughout the fifties, going to see people like John Cage. But he spent much of that time working in music that was very different from the avant-garde. He got a job as the band leader for the crooner Vic Damone: [Excerpt: Vic Damone. "Ebb Tide"] He also played for the vocal group the Ames Brothers. He decided while he was working with the Ames Brothers that he could write better material than they were getting from their publishers, and that it would be better to have a job where he didn't have to travel, so he got himself a job as a staff songwriter in the Brill Building. He wrote a string of flops and nearly hits, starting with "Keep Me In Mind" for Patti Page: [Excerpt: Patti Page, "Keep Me In Mind"] From early in his career he worked with the lyricist Hal David, and the two of them together wrote two big hits, "Magic Moments" for Perry Como: [Excerpt: Perry Como, "Magic Moments"] and "The Story of My Life" for Marty Robbins: [Excerpt: "The Story of My Life"] But at that point Bacharach was still also writing with other writers, notably Hal David's brother Mack, with whom he wrote the theme tune to the film The Blob, as performed by The Five Blobs: [Excerpt: The Five Blobs, "The Blob"] But Bacharach's songwriting career wasn't taking off, and he got himself a job as musical director for Marlene Dietrich -- a job he kept even after it did start to take off.  Part of the problem was that he intuitively wrote music that didn't quite fit into standard structures -- there would be odd bars of unusual time signatures thrown in, unusual harmonies, and structural irregularities -- but then he'd take feedback from publishers and producers who would tell him the song could only be recorded if he straightened it out. He said later "The truth is that I ruined a lot of songs by not believing in myself enough to tell these guys they were wrong." He started writing songs for Scepter Records, usually with Hal David, but also with Bob Hilliard and Mack David, and started having R&B hits. One song he wrote with Mack David, "I'll Cherish You", had the lyrics rewritten by Luther Dixon to make them more harsh-sounding for a Shirelles single -- but the single was otherwise just Bacharach's demo with the vocals replaced, and you can even hear his voice briefly at the beginning: [Excerpt: The Shirelles, "Baby, It's You"] But he'd also started becoming interested in the production side of records more generally. He'd iced that some producers, when recording his songs, would change the sound for the worse -- he thought Gene McDaniels' version of "Tower of Strength", for example, was too fast. But on the other hand, other producers got a better sound than he'd heard in his head. He and Hilliard had written a song called "Please Stay", which they'd given to Leiber and Stoller to record with the Drifters, and he thought that their arrangement of the song was much better than the one he'd originally thought up: [Excerpt: The Drifters, "Please Stay"] He asked Leiber and Stoller if he could attend all their New York sessions and learn about record production from them. He started doing so, and eventually they started asking him to assist them on records. He and Hilliard wrote a song called "Mexican Divorce" for the Drifters, which Leiber and Stoller were going to produce, and as he put it "they were so busy running Redbird Records that they asked me to rehearse the background singers for them in my office." [Excerpt: The Drifters, "Mexican Divorce"] The backing singers who had been brought in to augment the Drifters on that record were a group of vocalists who had started out as members of a gospel group called the Drinkard singers: [Excerpt: The Drinkard Singers, "Singing in My Soul"] The Drinkard Singers had originally been a family group, whose members included Cissy Drinkard, who joined the group aged five (and who on her marriage would become known as Cissy Houston -- her daughter Whitney would later join the family business), her aunt Lee Warrick, and Warrick's adopted daughter Judy Clay. That group were discovered by the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and spent much of the fifties performing with gospel greats including Jackson herself, Clara Ward, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. But Houston was also the musical director of a group at her church, the Gospelaires, which featured Lee Warrick's two daughters Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick (for those who don't know, the Warwick sisters' birth name was Warrick, spelled with two rs. A printing error led to it being misspelled the same way as the British city on a record label, and from that point on Dionne at least pronounced the w in her misspelled name). And slowly, the Gospelaires rather than the Drinkard Singers became the focus, with a lineup of Houston, the Warwick sisters, the Warwick sisters' cousin Doris Troy, and Clay's sister Sylvia Shemwell. The real change in the group's fortunes came when, as we talked about a while back in the episode on "The Loco-Motion", the original lineup of the Cookies largely stopped working as session singers to become Ray Charles' Raelettes. As we discussed in that episode, a new lineup of Cookies formed in 1961, but it took a while for them to get started, and in the meantime the producers who had been relying on them for backing vocals were looking elsewhere, and they looked to the Gospelaires. "Mexican Divorce" was the first record to feature the group as backing vocalists -- though reports vary as to how many of them are on the record, with some saying it's only Troy and the Warwicks, others saying Houston was there, and yet others saying it was all five of them. Some of these discrepancies were because these singers were so good that many of them left to become solo singers in fairly short order. Troy was the first to do so, with her hit "Just One Look", on which the other Gospelaires sang backing vocals: [Excerpt: Doris Troy, "Just One Look"] But the next one to go solo was Dionne Warwick, and that was because she'd started working with Bacharach and Hal David as their principal demo singer. She started singing lead on their demos, and hoping that she'd get to release them on her own. One early one was "Make it Easy On Yourself", which was recorded by Jerry Butler, formerly of the Impressions. That record was produced by Bacharach, one of the first records he produced without outside supervision: [Excerpt: Jerry Butler, "Make it Easy On Yourself"] Warwick was very jealous that a song she'd sung the demo of had become a massive hit for someone else, and blamed Bacharach and David. The way she tells the story -- Bacharach always claimed this never happened, but as we've already seen he was himself not always the most reliable of narrators of his own life -- she got so angry she complained to them, and said "Don't make me over, man!" And so Bacharach and David wrote her this: [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "Don't Make Me Over"] Incidentally, in the UK, the hit version of that was a cover by the Swinging Blue Jeans: [Excerpt: The Swinging Blue Jeans, "Don't Make Me Over"] who also had a huge hit with "You're No Good": [Excerpt: The Swinging Blue Jeans, "You're No Good"] And *that* was originally recorded by *Dee Dee* Warwick: [Excerpt: Dee Dee Warwick, "You're No Good"] Dee Dee also had a successful solo career, but Dionne's was the real success, making the names of herself, and of Bacharach and David. The team had more than twenty top forty hits together, before Bacharach and David had a falling out in 1971 and stopped working together, and Warwick sued both of them for breach of contract as a result. But prior to that they had hit after hit, with classic records like "Anyone Who Had a Heart": [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "Anyone Who Had a Heart"] And "Walk On By": [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "Walk On By"] With Doris, Dionne, and Dee Dee all going solo, the group's membership was naturally in flux -- though the departed members would occasionally join their former bandmates for sessions, and the remaining members would sing backing vocals on their ex-members' records. By 1965 the group consisted of Cissy Houston, Sylvia Shemwell, the Warwick sisters' cousin Myrna Smith, and Estelle Brown. The group became *the* go-to singers for soul and R&B records made in New York. They were regularly hired by Leiber and Stoller to sing on their records, and they were also the particular favourites of Bert Berns. They sang backing vocals on almost every record he produced. It's them doing the gospel wails on "Cry Baby" by Garnet Mimms: [Excerpt: Garnet Mimms, "Cry Baby"] And they sang backing vocals on both versions of "If You Need Me" -- Wilson Pickett's original and Solomon Burke's more successful cover version, produced by Berns: [Excerpt: Solomon Burke, "If You Need Me"] They're on such Berns records as "Show Me Your Monkey", by Kenny Hamber: [Excerpt: Kenny Hamber, "Show Me Your Monkey"] And it was a Berns production that ended up getting them to be Aretha Franklin's backing group. The group were becoming such an important part of the records that Atlantic and BANG Records, in particular, were putting out, that Jerry Wexler said "it was only a matter of common decency to put them under contract as a featured group". He signed them to Atlantic and renamed them from the Gospelaires to The Sweet Inspirations.  Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham wrote a song for the group which became their only hit under their own name: [Excerpt: The Sweet Inspirations, "Sweet Inspiration"] But to start with, they released a cover of Pops Staples' civil rights song "Why (Am I treated So Bad)": [Excerpt: The Sweet Inspirations, "Why (Am I Treated So Bad?)"] That hadn't charted, and meanwhile, they'd all kept doing session work. Cissy had joined Erma and Carolyn Franklin on the backing vocals for Aretha's "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You"] Shortly after that, the whole group recorded backing vocals for Erma's single "Piece of My Heart", co-written and produced by Berns: [Excerpt: Erma Franklin, "Piece of My Heart"] That became a top ten record on the R&B charts, but that caused problems. Aretha Franklin had a few character flaws, and one of these was an extreme level of jealousy for any other female singer who had any level of success and came up in the business after her. She could be incredibly graceful towards anyone who had been successful before her -- she once gave one of her Grammies away to Esther Phillips, who had been up for the same award and had lost to her -- but she was terribly insecure, and saw any contemporary as a threat. She'd spent her time at Columbia Records fuming (with some justification) that Barbra Streisand was being given a much bigger marketing budget than her, and she saw Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, and Dionne Warwick as rivals rather than friends. And that went doubly for her sisters, who she was convinced should be supporting her because of family loyalty. She had been infuriated at John Hammond when Columbia had signed Erma, thinking he'd gone behind her back to create competition for her. And now Erma was recording with Bert Berns. Bert Berns who had for years been a colleague of Jerry Wexler and the Ertegun brothers at Atlantic. Aretha was convinced that Wexler had put Berns up to signing Erma as some kind of power play. There was only one problem with this -- it simply wasn't true. As Wexler later explained “Bert and I had suffered a bad falling-out, even though I had enormous respect for him. After all, he was the guy who brought over guitarist Jimmy Page from England to play on our sessions. Bert, Ahmet, Nesuhi, and I had started a label together—Bang!—where Bert produced Van Morrison's first album. But Bert also had a penchant for trouble. He courted the wise guys. He wanted total control over every last aspect of our business dealings. Finally it was too much, and the Erteguns and I let him go. He sued us for breach of contract and suddenly we were enemies. I felt that he signed Erma, an excellent singer, not merely for her talent but as a way to get back at me. If I could make a hit with Aretha, he'd show me up by making an even bigger hit on Erma. Because there was always an undercurrent of rivalry between the sisters, this only added to the tension.” There were two things that resulted from this paranoia on Aretha's part. The first was that she and Wexler, who had been on first-name terms up to that point, temporarily went back to being "Mr. Wexler" and "Miss Franklin" to each other. And the second was that Aretha no longer wanted Carolyn and Erma to be her main backing vocalists, though they would continue to appear on her future records on occasion. From this point on, the Sweet Inspirations would be the main backing vocalists for Aretha in the studio throughout her golden era [xxcut line (and when the Sweet Inspirations themselves weren't on the record, often it would be former members of the group taking their place)]: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)"] The last day of sessions for Aretha Arrives was July the twenty-third, 1967. And as we heard in the episode on "I Was Made to Love Her", that was the day that the Detroit riots started. To recap briefly, that was four days of rioting started because of a history of racist policing, made worse by those same racist police overreacting to the initial protests. By the end of those four days, the National Guard, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 101st Airborne from Clarksville were all called in to deal with the violence, which left forty-three dead (of whom thirty-three were Black and only one was a police officer), 1,189 people were injured, and over 7,200 arrested, almost all of them Black. Those days in July would be a turning point for almost every musician based in Detroit. In particular, the police had murdered three members of the soul group the Dramatics, in a massacre of which the author John Hersey, who had been asked by President Johnson to be part of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders but had decided that would compromise his impartiality and did an independent journalistic investigation, said "The episode contained all the mythic themes of racial strife in the United States: the arm of the law taking the law into its own hands; interracial sex; the subtle poison of racist thinking by “decent” men who deny they are racists; the societal limbo into which, ever since slavery, so many young black men have been driven by our country; ambiguous justice in the courts; and the devastation in both black and white human lives that follows in the wake of violence as surely as ruinous and indiscriminate flood after torrents" But these were also the events that radicalised the MC5 -- the group had been playing a gig as Tim Buckley's support act when the rioting started, and guitarist Wayne Kramer decided afterwards to get stoned and watch the fires burning down the city through a telescope -- which police mistook for a rifle, leading to the National Guard knocking down Kramer's door. The MC5 would later cover "The Motor City is Burning", John Lee Hooker's song about the events: [Excerpt: The MC5, "The Motor City is Burning"] It would also be a turning point for Motown, too, in ways we'll talk about in a few future episodes.  And it was a political turning point too -- Michigan Governor George Romney, a liberal Republican (at a time when such people existed) had been the favourite for the Republican Presidential candidacy when he'd entered the race in December 1966, but as racial tensions ramped up in Detroit during the early months of 1967 he'd started trailing Richard Nixon, a man who was consciously stoking racists' fears. President Johnson, the incumbent Democrat, who was at that point still considering standing for re-election, made sure to make it clear to everyone during the riots that the decision to call in the National Guard had been made at the State level, by Romney, rather than at the Federal level.  That wasn't the only thing that removed the possibility of a Romney presidency, but it was a big part of the collapse of his campaign, and the, as it turned out, irrevocable turn towards right-authoritarianism that the party took with Nixon's Southern Strategy. Of course, Aretha Franklin had little way of knowing what was to come and how the riots would change the city and the country over the following decades. What she was primarily concerned about was the safety of her father, and to a lesser extent that of her sister-in-law Earline who was staying with him. Aretha, Carolyn, and Erma all tried to keep in constant touch with their father while they were out of town, and Aretha even talked about hiring private detectives to travel to Detroit, find her father, and get him out of the city to safety. But as her brother Cecil pointed out, he was probably the single most loved man among Black people in Detroit, and was unlikely to be harmed by the rioters, while he was too famous for the police to kill with impunity. Reverend Franklin had been having a stressful time anyway -- he had recently been fined for tax evasion, an action he was convinced the IRS had taken because of his friendship with Dr King and his role in the civil rights movement -- and according to Cecil "Aretha begged Daddy to move out of the city entirely. She wanted him to find another congregation in California, where he was especially popular—or at least move out to the suburbs. But he wouldn't budge. He said that, more than ever, he was needed to point out the root causes of the riots—the economic inequality, the pervasive racism in civic institutions, the woefully inadequate schools in inner-city Detroit, and the wholesale destruction of our neighborhoods by urban renewal. Some ministers fled the city, but not our father. The horror of what happened only recommitted him. He would not abandon his political agenda." To make things worse, Aretha was worried about her father in other ways -- as her marriage to Ted White was starting to disintegrate, she was looking to her father for guidance, and actually wanted him to take over her management. Eventually, Ruth Bowen, her booking agent, persuaded her brother Cecil that this was a job he could do, and that she would teach him everything he needed to know about the music business. She started training him up while Aretha was still married to White, in the expectation that that marriage couldn't last. Jerry Wexler, who only a few months earlier had been seeing Ted White as an ally in getting "product" from Franklin, had now changed his tune -- partly because the sale of Atlantic had gone through in the meantime. He later said “Sometimes she'd call me at night, and, in that barely audible little-girl voice of hers, she'd tell me that she wasn't sure she could go on. She always spoke in generalities. She never mentioned her husband, never gave me specifics of who was doing what to whom. And of course I knew better than to ask. She just said that she was tired of dealing with so much. My heart went out to her. She was a woman who suffered silently. She held so much in. I'd tell her to take as much time off as she needed. We had a lot of songs in the can that we could release without new material. ‘Oh, no, Jerry,' she'd say. ‘I can't stop recording. I've written some new songs, Carolyn's written some new songs. We gotta get in there and cut 'em.' ‘Are you sure?' I'd ask. ‘Positive,' she'd say. I'd set up the dates and typically she wouldn't show up for the first or second sessions. Carolyn or Erma would call me to say, ‘Ree's under the weather.' That was tough because we'd have asked people like Joe South and Bobby Womack to play on the sessions. Then I'd reschedule in the hopes she'd show." That third album she recorded in 1967, Lady Soul, was possibly her greatest achievement. The opening track, and second single, "Chain of Fools", released in November, was written by Don Covay -- or at least it's credited as having been written by Covay. There's a gospel record that came out around the same time on a very small label based in Houston -- "Pains of Life" by Rev. E. Fair And The Sensational Gladys Davis Trio: [Excerpt: Rev. E. Fair And The Sensational Gladys Davis Trio, "Pains of Life"] I've seen various claims online that that record came out shortly *before* "Chain of Fools", but I can't find any definitive evidence one way or the other -- it was on such a small label that release dates aren't available anywhere. Given that the B-side, which I haven't been able to track down online, is called "Wait Until the Midnight Hour", my guess is that rather than this being a case of Don Covay stealing the melody from an obscure gospel record he'd have had little chance to hear, it's the gospel record rewriting a then-current hit to be about religion, but I thought it worth mentioning. The song was actually written by Covay after Jerry Wexler asked him to come up with some songs for Otis Redding, but Wexler, after hearing it, decided it was better suited to Franklin, who gave an astonishing performance: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Chain of Fools"] Arif Mardin, the arranger of the album, said of that track “I was listed as the arranger of ‘Chain of Fools,' but I can't take credit. Aretha walked into the studio with the chart fully formed inside her head. The arrangement is based around the harmony vocals provided by Carolyn and Erma. To add heft, the Sweet Inspirations joined in. The vision of the song is entirely Aretha's.” According to Wexler, that's not *quite* true -- according to him, Joe South came up with the guitar part that makes up the intro, and he also said that when he played what he thought was the finished track to Ellie Greenwich, she came up with another vocal line for the backing vocals, which she overdubbed. But the core of the record's sound is definitely pure Aretha -- and Carolyn Franklin said that there was a reason for that. As she said later “Aretha didn't write ‘Chain,' but she might as well have. It was her story. When we were in the studio putting on the backgrounds with Ree doing lead, I knew she was singing about Ted. Listen to the lyrics talking about how for five long years she thought he was her man. Then she found out she was nothing but a link in the chain. Then she sings that her father told her to come on home. Well, he did. She sings about how her doctor said to take it easy. Well, he did too. She was drinking so much we thought she was on the verge of a breakdown. The line that slew me, though, was the one that said how one of these mornings the chain is gonna break but until then she'll take all she can take. That summed it up. Ree knew damn well that this man had been doggin' her since Jump Street. But somehow she held on and pushed it to the breaking point." [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Chain of Fools"] That made number one on the R&B charts, and number two on the hot one hundred, kept from the top by "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred and his Playboy Band -- a record that very few people would say has stood the test of time as well. The other most memorable track on the album was the one chosen as the first single, released in September. As Carole King told the story, she and Gerry Goffin were feeling like their career was in a slump. While they had had a huge run of hits in the early sixties through 1965, they had only had two new hits in 1966 -- "Goin' Back" for Dusty Springfield and "Don't Bring Me Down" for the Animals, and neither of those were anything like as massive as their previous hits. And up to that point in 1967, they'd only had one -- "Pleasant Valley Sunday" for the Monkees. They had managed to place several songs on Monkees albums and the TV show as well, so they weren't going to starve, but the rise of self-contained bands that were starting to dominate the charts, and Phil Spector's temporary retirement, meant there simply wasn't the opportunity for them to place material that there had been. They were also getting sick of travelling to the West Coast all the time, because as their children were growing slightly older they didn't want to disrupt their lives in New York, and were thinking of approaching some of the New York based labels and seeing if they needed songs. They were particularly considering Atlantic, because soul was more open to outside songwriters than other genres. As it happened, though, they didn't have to approach Atlantic, because Atlantic approached them. They were walking down Broadway when a limousine pulled up, and Jerry Wexler stuck his head out of the window. He'd come up with a good title that he wanted to use for a song for Aretha, would they be interested in writing a song called "Natural Woman"? They said of course they would, and Wexler drove off. They wrote the song that night, and King recorded a demo the next morning: [Excerpt: Carole King, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (demo)"] They gave Wexler a co-writing credit because he had suggested the title.  King later wrote in her autobiography "Hearing Aretha's performance of “Natural Woman” for the first time, I experienced a rare speechless moment. To this day I can't convey how I felt in mere words. Anyone who had written a song in 1967 hoping it would be performed by a singer who could take it to the highest level of excellence, emotional connection, and public exposure would surely have wanted that singer to be Aretha Franklin." She went on to say "But a recording that moves people is never just about the artist and the songwriters. It's about people like Jerry and Ahmet, who matched the songwriters with a great title and a gifted artist; Arif Mardin, whose magnificent orchestral arrangement deserves the place it will forever occupy in popular music history; Tom Dowd, whose engineering skills captured the magic of this memorable musical moment for posterity; and the musicians in the rhythm section, the orchestral players, and the vocal contributions of the background singers—among them the unforgettable “Ah-oo!” after the first line of the verse. And the promotion and marketing people helped this song reach more people than it might have without them." And that's correct -- unlike "Chain of Fools", this time Franklin did let Arif Mardin do most of the arrangement work -- though she came up with the piano part that Spooner Oldham plays on the record. Mardin said that because of the song's hymn-like feel they wanted to go for a more traditional written arrangement. He said "She loved the song to the point where she said she wanted to concentrate on the vocal and vocal alone. I had written a string chart and horn chart to augment the chorus and hired Ralph Burns to conduct. After just a couple of takes, we had it. That's when Ralph turned to me with wonder in his eyes. Ralph was one of the most celebrated arrangers of the modern era. He had done ‘Early Autumn' for Woody Herman and Stan Getz, and ‘Georgia on My Mind' for Ray Charles. He'd worked with everyone. ‘This woman comes from another planet' was all Ralph said. ‘She's just here visiting.'” [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"] By this point there was a well-functioning team making Franklin's records -- while the production credits would vary over the years, they were all essentially co-productions by the team of Franklin, Wexler, Mardin and Dowd, all collaborating and working together with a more-or-less unified purpose, and the backing was always by the same handful of session musicians and some combination of the Sweet Inspirations and Aretha's sisters. That didn't mean that occasional guests couldn't get involved -- as we discussed in the Cream episode, Eric Clapton played guitar on "Good to Me as I am to You": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Good to Me as I am to You"] Though that was one of the rare occasions on one of these records where something was overdubbed. Clapton apparently messed up the guitar part when playing behind Franklin, because he was too intimidated by playing with her, and came back the next day to redo his part without her in the studio. At this point, Aretha was at the height of her fame. Just before the final batch of album sessions began she appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, and she was making regular TV appearances, like one on the Mike Douglas Show where she duetted with Frankie Valli on "That's Life": [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin and Frankie Valli, "That's Life"] But also, as Wexler said “Her career was kicking into high gear. Contending and resolving both the professional and personal challenges were too much. She didn't think she could do both, and I didn't blame her. Few people could. So she let the personal slide and concentrated on the professional. " Her concert promoter Ruth Bowen said of this time "Her father and Dr. King were putting pressure on her to sing everywhere, and she felt obligated. The record company was also screaming for more product. And I had a mountain of offers on my desk that kept getting higher with every passing hour. They wanted her in Europe. They wanted her in Latin America. They wanted her in every major venue in the U.S. TV was calling. She was being asked to do guest appearances on every show from Carol Burnett to Andy Williams to the Hollywood Palace. She wanted to do them all and she wanted to do none of them. She wanted to do them all because she's an entertainer who burns with ambition. She wanted to do none of them because she was emotionally drained. She needed to go away and renew her strength. I told her that at least a dozen times. She said she would, but she didn't listen to me." The pressures from her father and Dr King are a recurring motif in interviews with people about this period. Franklin was always a very political person, and would throughout her life volunteer time and money to liberal political causes and to the Democratic Party, but this was the height of her activism -- the Civil Rights movement was trying to capitalise on the gains it had made in the previous couple of years, and celebrity fundraisers and performances at rallies were an important way to do that. And at this point there were few bigger celebrities in America than Aretha Franklin. At a concert in her home town of Detroit on February the sixteenth, 1968, the Mayor declared the day Aretha Franklin Day. At the same show, Billboard, Record World *and* Cash Box magazines all presented her with plaques for being Female Vocalist of the Year. And Dr. King travelled up to be at the show and congratulate her publicly for all her work with his organisation, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Backstage at that show, Dr. King talked to Aretha's father, Reverend Franklin, about what he believed would be the next big battle -- a strike in Memphis: [Excerpt, Martin Luther King, "Mountaintop Speech" -- "And so, as a result of this, we are asking you tonight, to go out and tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk. Tell them not to buy—what is the other bread?—Wonder Bread. And what is the other bread company, Jesse? Tell them not to buy Hart's bread. As Jesse Jackson has said, up to now, only the garbage men have been feeling pain; now we must kind of redistribute the pain. We are choosing these companies because they haven't been fair in their hiring policies; and we are choosing them because they can begin the process of saying, they are going to support the needs and the rights of these men who are on strike. And then they can move on downtown and tell Mayor Loeb to do what is right."] The strike in question was the Memphis Sanitation Workers' strike which had started a few days before.  The struggle for Black labour rights was an integral part of the civil rights movement, and while it's not told that way in the sanitised version of the story that's made it into popular culture, the movement led by King was as much about economic justice as social justice -- King was a democratic socialist, and believed that economic oppression was both an effect of and cause of other forms of racial oppression, and that the rights of Black workers needed to be fought for. In 1967 he had set up a new organisation, the Poor People's Campaign, which was set to march on Washington to demand a program that included full employment, a guaranteed income -- King was strongly influenced in his later years by the ideas of Henry George, the proponent of a universal basic income based on land value tax -- the annual building of half a million affordable homes, and an end to the war in Vietnam. This was King's main focus in early 1968, and he saw the sanitation workers' strike as a major part of this campaign. Memphis was one of the most oppressive cities in the country, and its largely Black workforce of sanitation workers had been trying for most of the 1960s to unionise, and strike-breakers had been called in to stop them, and many of them had been fired by their white supervisors with no notice. They were working in unsafe conditions, for utterly inadequate wages, and the city government were ardent segregationists. After two workers had died on the first of February from using unsafe equipment, the union demanded changes -- safer working conditions, better wages, and recognition of the union. The city council refused, and almost all the sanitation workers stayed home and stopped work. After a few days, the council relented and agreed to their terms, but the Mayor, Henry Loeb, an ardent white supremacist who had stood on a platform of opposing desegregation, and who had previously been the Public Works Commissioner who had put these unsafe conditions in place, refused to listen. As far as he was concerned, he was the only one who could recognise the union, and he wouldn't. The workers continued their strike, marching holding signs that simply read "I am a Man": [Excerpt: Stevie Wonder, "Blowing in the Wind"] The Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the NAACP had been involved in organising support for the strikes from an early stage, and King visited Memphis many times. Much of the time he spent visiting there was spent negotiating with a group of more militant activists, who called themselves The Invaders and weren't completely convinced by King's nonviolent approach -- they believed that violence and rioting got more attention than non-violent protests. King explained to them that while he had been persuaded by Gandhi's writings of the moral case for nonviolent protest, he was also persuaded that it was pragmatically necessary -- asking the young men "how many guns do we have and how many guns do they have?", and pointing out as he often did that when it comes to violence a minority can't win against an armed majority. Rev Franklin went down to Memphis on the twenty-eighth of March to speak at a rally Dr. King was holding, but as it turned out the rally was cancelled -- the pre-rally march had got out of hand, with some people smashing windows, and Memphis police had, like the police in Detroit the previous year, violently overreacted, clubbing and gassing protestors and shooting and killing one unarmed teenage boy, Larry Payne. The day after Payne's funeral, Dr King was back in Memphis, though this time Rev Franklin was not with him. On April the third, he gave a speech which became known as the "Mountaintop Speech", in which he talked about the threats that had been made to his life: [Excerpt: Martin Luther King, "Mountaintop Speech": “And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."] The next day, Martin Luther King was shot dead. James Earl Ray, a white supremacist, pled guilty to the murder, and the evidence against him seems overwhelming from what I've read, but the King family have always claimed that the murder was part of a larger conspiracy and that Ray was not the gunman. Aretha was obviously distraught, and she attended the funeral, as did almost every other prominent Black public figure. James Baldwin wrote of the funeral: "In the pew directly before me sat Marlon Brando, Sammy Davis, Eartha Kitt—covered in black, looking like a lost, ten-year-old girl—and Sidney Poitier, in the same pew, or nearby. Marlon saw me, and nodded. The atmosphere was black, with a tension indescribable—as though something, perhaps the heavens, perhaps the earth, might crack. Everyone sat very still. The actual service sort of washed over me, in waves. It wasn't that it seemed unreal; it was the most real church service I've ever sat through in my life, or ever hope to sit through; but I have a childhood hangover thing about not weeping in public, and I was concentrating on holding myself together. I did not want to weep for Martin, tears seemed futile. But I may also have been afraid, and I could not have been the only one, that if I began to weep I would not be able to stop. There was more than enough to weep for, if one was to weep—so many of us, cut down, so soon. Medgar, Malcolm, Martin: and their widows, and their children. Reverend Ralph David Abernathy asked a certain sister to sing a song which Martin had loved—“Once more,” said Ralph David, “for Martin and for me,” and he sat down." Many articles and books on Aretha Franklin say that she sang at King's funeral. In fact she didn't, but there's a simple reason for the confusion. King's favourite song was the Thomas Dorsey gospel song "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", and indeed almost his last words were to ask a trumpet player, Ben Branch, if he would play the song at the rally he was going to be speaking at on the day of his death. At his request, Mahalia Jackson, his old friend, sang the song at his private funeral, which was not filmed, unlike the public part of the funeral that Baldwin described. Four months later, though, there was another public memorial for King, and Franklin did sing "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" at that service, in front of King's weeping widow and children, and that performance *was* filmed, and gets conflated in people's memories with Jackson's unfilmed earlier performance: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord (at Martin Luther King Memorial)"] Four years later, she would sing that at Mahalia Jackson's funeral. Through all this, Franklin had been working on her next album, Aretha Now, the sessions for which started more or less as soon as the sessions for Lady Soul had finished. The album was, in fact, bookended by deaths that affected Aretha. Just as King died at the end of the sessions, the beginning came around the time of the death of Otis Redding -- the sessions were cancelled for a day while Wexler travelled to Georgia for Redding's funeral, which Franklin was too devastated to attend, and Wexler would later say that the extra emotion in her performances on the album came from her emotional pain at Redding's death. The lead single on the album, "Think", was written by Franklin and -- according to the credits anyway -- her husband Ted White, and is very much in the same style as "Respect", and became another of her most-loved hits: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "Think"] But probably the song on Aretha Now that now resonates the most is one that Jerry Wexler tried to persuade her not to record, and was only released as a B-side. Indeed, "I Say a Little Prayer" was a song that had already once been a hit after being a reject.  Hal David, unlike Burt Bacharach, was a fairly political person and inspired by the protest song movement, and had been starting to incorporate his concerns about the political situation and the Vietnam War into his lyrics -- though as with many such writers, he did it in much less specific ways than a Phil Ochs or a Bob Dylan. This had started with "What the World Needs Now is Love", a song Bacharach and David had written for Jackie DeShannon in 1965: [Excerpt: Jackie DeShannon, "What the "World Needs Now is Love"] But he'd become much more overtly political for "The Windows of the World", a song they wrote for Dionne Warwick. Warwick has often said it's her favourite of her singles, but it wasn't a big hit -- Bacharach blamed himself for that, saying "Dionne recorded it as a single and I really blew it. I wrote a bad arrangement and the tempo was too fast, and I really regret making it the way I did because it's a good song." [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "The Windows of the World"] For that album, Bacharach and David had written another track, "I Say a Little Prayer", which was not as explicitly political, but was intended by David to have an implicit anti-war message, much like other songs of the period like "Last Train to Clarksville". David had sons who were the right age to be drafted, and while it's never stated, "I Say a Little Prayer" was written from the perspective of a woman whose partner is away fighting in the war, but is still in her thoughts: [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "I Say a Little Prayer"] The recording of Dionne Warwick's version was marked by stress. Bacharach had a particular way of writing music to tell the musicians the kind of feel he wanted for the part -- he'd write nonsense words above the stave, and tell the musicians to play the parts as if they were singing those words. The trumpet player hired for the session, Ernie Royal, got into a row with Bacharach about this unorthodox way of communicating musical feeling, and the track ended up taking ten takes (as opposed to the normal three for a Bacharach session), with Royal being replaced half-way through the session. Bacharach was never happy with the track even after all the work it had taken, and he fought to keep it from being released at all, saying the track was taken at too fast a tempo. It eventually came out as an album track nearly eighteen months after it was recorded -- an eternity in 1960s musical timescales -- and DJs started playing it almost as soon as it came out. Scepter records rushed out a single, over Bacharach's objections, but as he later said "One thing I love about the record business is how wrong I was. Disc jockeys all across the country started playing the track, and the song went to number four on the charts and then became the biggest hit Hal and I had ever written for Dionne." [Excerpt: Dionne Warwick, "I Say a Little Prayer"] Oddly, the B-side for Warwick's single, "Theme From the Valley of the Dolls" did even better, reaching number two. Almost as soon as the song was released as a single, Franklin started playing around with the song backstage, and in April 1968, right around the time of Dr. King's death, she recorded a version. Much as Burt Bacharach had been against releasing Dionne Warwick's version, Jerry Wexler was against Aretha even recording the song, saying later “I advised Aretha not to record it. I opposed it for two reasons. First, to cover a song only twelve weeks after the original reached the top of the charts was not smart business. You revisit such a hit eight months to a year later. That's standard practice. But more than that, Bacharach's melody, though lovely, was peculiarly suited to a lithe instrument like Dionne Warwick's—a light voice without the dark corners or emotional depths that define Aretha. Also, Hal David's lyric was also somewhat girlish and lacked the gravitas that Aretha required. “Aretha usually listened to me in the studio, but not this time. She had written a vocal arrangement for the Sweet Inspirations that was undoubtedly strong. Cissy Houston, Dionne's cousin, told me that Aretha was on the right track—she was seeing this song in a new way and had come up with a new groove. Cissy was on Aretha's side. Tommy Dowd and Arif were on Aretha's side. So I had no choice but to cave." It's quite possible that Wexler's objections made Franklin more, rather than less, determined to record the song. She regarded Warwick as a hated rival, as she did almost every prominent female singer of her generation and younger ones, and would undoubtedly have taken the implication that there was something that Warwick was simply better at than her to heart. [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "I Say a Little Prayer"] Wexler realised as soon as he heard it in the studio that Franklin's version was great, and Bacharach agreed, telling Franklin's biographer David Ritz “As much as I like the original recording by Dionne, there's no doubt that Aretha's is a better record. She imbued the song with heavy soul and took it to a far deeper place. Hers is the definitive version.” -- which is surprising because Franklin's version simplifies some of Bacharach's more unusual chord voicings, something he often found extremely upsetting. Wexler still though thought there was no way the song would be a hit, and it's understandable that he thought that way. Not only had it only just been on the charts a few months earlier, but it was the kind of song that wouldn't normally be a hit at all, and certainly not in the kind of rhythmic soul music for which Franklin was known. Almost everything she ever recorded is in simple time signatures -- 4/4, waltz time, or 6/8 -- but this is a Bacharach song so it's staggeringly metrically irregular. Normally even with semi-complex things I'm usually good at figuring out how to break it down into bars, but here I actually had to purchase a copy of the sheet music in order to be sure I was right about what's going on. I'm going to count beats along with the record here so you can see what I mean. The verse has three bars of 4/4, one bar of 2/4, and three more bars of 4/4, all repeated: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "I Say a Little Prayer" with me counting bars over verse] While the chorus has a bar of 4/4, a bar of 3/4 but with a chord change half way through so it sounds like it's in two if you're paying attention to the harmonic changes, two bars of 4/4, another waltz-time bar sounding like it's in two, two bars of four, another bar of three sounding in two, a bar of four, then three more bars of four but the first of those is *written* as four but played as if it's in six-eight time (but you can keep the four/four pulse going if you're counting): [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "I Say a Little Prayer" with me counting bars over verse] I don't expect you to have necessarily followed that in great detail, but the point should be clear -- this was not some straightforward dance song. Incidentally, that bar played as if it's six/eight was something Aretha introduced to make the song even more irregular than how Bacharach wrote it. And on top of *that* of course the lyrics mixed the secular and the sacred, something that was still taboo in popular music at that time -- this is only a couple of years after Capitol records had been genuinely unsure about putting out the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", and Franklin's gospel-inflected vocals made the religious connection even more obvious. But Franklin was insistent that the record go out as a single, and eventually it was released as the B-side to the far less impressive "The House That Jack Built". It became a double-sided hit, with the A-side making number two on the R&B chart and number seven on the Hot One Hundred, while "I Say a Little Prayer" made number three on the R&B chart and number ten overall. In the UK, "I Say a Little Prayer" made number four and became her biggest ever solo UK hit. It's now one of her most-remembered songs, while the A-side is largely forgotten: [Excerpt: Aretha Franklin, "I Say a Little Prayer"] For much of the