Natalie Cole - Sophisticated Lady

[imagofly9]

I remember my roomate an Orchesisi at Grambling State Veronda Lacour did a dance off of this song in a 70's outfit

[deansvision]

A singing SENSATION! One of the few female performers that can sing anything....and has. She is my favorite artist of ALLLLLLLLLLL time.

[therealraybaby]

LOVE ME SUM NATALIE!

[DaveWollenberg]

Stephanie Natalie hit #25 in Billboard, 8-7-76. God bless ya, for postin' it. Thanx! GOD bless ya, sister Stephanie Natalie!

[Azizip17]

Great song! & Yes, Natalie Cole is a Sophisticated lady.

I"m changing the subject a bit- I'm wondering does anyone remember the foot stomping cheer that girls did to a chant named after this song in the mid 1980s or so? (Foot stomps are chanted words performed by girls just having fun.It's a lot like "stepping").This cheer slowed down the tempo a little & had the beginning words "Sophiticated Lady sophisticated Lay Dee". Does anybody remember that? I'd love to know what your version was.

[lusschisone]

@Azizip17 yes i do,omg how that brought back memories!!! i cant remember exactly how it went but if you give me 24 hours i betcha i'll figure it out,lol.

[laarbe]

Natalie Cole has always been a sophisitcated lady. She is Elegant, Classy, Sophisticated, Beautiful and Talented. She can sing jazz, pop, rnb, gospel and country. What can't she sing? She won her third Grammy for this song. Best RNB Performance by a Female Artist. The Jackson Five Presented her with the Grammy. Natalie is still relevant today.

[mikel3363]

All these ladies at the time were uniquely great; had their own special voices and

gifts to offer...

Natalie Cole; Aretha Franklin; Diana Ross; Gladys Knight; Barbra Streisand; Linda Ronstadt; Chaka Khan; Patti LaBelle; Candi Staton; Roberta Flack; Dionne Warwick; Donna Summer; etc., etc., etc... (Let's give up the contest)

[llehcin]

@mikel3363 If I may piggyback - they all had their own unique sound. You could tell who was singing in the first line of the song. Nowadays I can't tell Rihanna from Beyonce from Kesia from Nikki Minaj from... There's only a handful today who are unique in sound.

[MoondogMayne]

@llehcin So right Mike.  I can't tell one from the other either.

[JeffFresh2Def1]

@mikel3363 Absolutely! S/o to Olivia Newton-John too.

[msbeesho44]

Like, No love this sophisticated lady............Big up D.

[DaveWollenberg]

Hit #1 soul, #25 pop in Billboard. God bless, sister Natalie!

[missjtrep]

yea she down on this funky ass beat!!.....

[katfrmwi]

I had this album when I was younger and I remember it at a much slower pace-I too think it's too fast. I show her perform live too and again the band was not playing like this!

[wikiriwhi]

glad she did this. Coulda snubbed it as a teeny bopper song.

Guess it suited the era though.

[Bigchae]

This is the shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hmorganman]

Great performance but there is something missing. The band is playing way too fast and thtrowing off the synchronicity of a live performance. This usually happens when musicians are not listening as they play. Natalie has to rush through the song to keep up with them. They are playing like they have to be off stage in time to go catch a flight to another gig.

[championcole]

@hmorganman I'm sorry but I beg to differ. This is exactly how this arrangement is and was meant to be. The band is kicking....She would NEVER work with a band that wasn't jammin'.......Trust me! She's not at all rushing...They are in the pocket just like she wanted them......

[hmorganman]

Ive been on somewhat of a crusade. I am 43 yrs old and I recently woke up and realized that for the past generation R&B has been deliberately taken over by what I call The Synthetic. That is singers & bands that are music video actors. We have people who have had successful careers who no one has ever seen perform live. I always heard that there were a lot of Millie Vanillis out there.

[MoondogMayne]

Well said.

[closetsanger]

@hmorganman I agree 100%. They pre-record their tracks and rely heavily on choreography and costumes to compensate for their vocal shortcomings. Now, there are still some good singers around; however, they never reach superstar status because they refuse to sing crappy songs, and they could care less about winning MTV's MVA for video of the year. If we want good music, we just have to keep supporting GOOD singers and live music.

[vlomond]

Wow. Must been hard being Aretha in 76 when the new hot thing is singing like this.

[higgybaby1]

It was for Aretha. Right On Magazine stated Natalie Cole is the New Queen of Soul. And some beef between the two started. Judging from recent events, I think it was Aretha who started it.

[uncledou]

@higgybaby1: Thats too funny! Didn't they call Chaka lil Aretha. If i was Aretha i would be flattered by the compliment.

[higgybaby1]

Yes we did call Chaka Lil Aretha at that time. The Queen of Soul has a very large and big ego. And she takes that title seriously. Just ask Tina and Beyonce', and Gladys.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 How do you know! You are still talking about that shit that happen 2 years ago. Get over it, and Aretha really didn't say anything overly harsh, it was the media that took her words and made it more than what it needed to be. And you can't even talk about Aretha having a big ego without talking about Tina. She has a big ego. And Aretha doesn't take anything seriously, she is the Queen and ll she does is state the facts.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha She shouldn't have said anything period. This is my opinion on the divas. I love and respect them all. The 7 Prime Divas of Soul are: Gladys, Aretha, Diana, Patti, Dionne, Roberta and Tina, All come from the 60's up to now. And they all have their share of issues, but Aretha just has the biggest issues, You know Aretha is not pleased with Gladys being crowned The EMPRESS OF SOUL, Now Aretha wants to be Empress of All Music. What a f**king tude.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 What about Gladys, lying about Aretha having a drinking problem. Gladys straight up lied and Aretha sued her ass. Gladys had no right saying what she said. Now whether or not you felt she should have said what she said, she did and it has be over two years. Get over it. Don't make Aretha out to having the biggest issue because her issues are no bigger than any of the woman you called out.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Aretha only has problems with Gladys, she never had any beef with Tina nor was her comments directed to her. Aretha is friends or respect al of the woman you named. What does Gladys being crowned the Empress of Soul have anything to do with Aretha. Come on now how many being even know that Gladys is the empress!

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 I mean i am not trying to be petty but it is clear to you that you do, but really tiltle of Queen of Soul is known all over the woman, it is probably the most famous title in music along with Ella being the First Lady of Song. I doesn't matter what title Gladys is because her title doesn;t have an ounce of the impact as The Queen of Soul or Lady Soul. So say what you want be Aretha being the Queen of Soul is a title that no one will ever doubt, Gladys can't say that.

[TheQueenAretha]

@TheQueenAretha I meant that the title of Queen of Soul is known all over the world.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha You have lost your mind, you absolutely don't know nothing bout Aretha, and damn sho don't know shit about THE EMPRESS OF SOUL GLADYS KNIGHT, but I will hip yo ass to real soul. You only know bits and pieces, baby it's on now.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 You don't know anything about Aretha as well, Aretha Franklin is soul, Gladys seem like a great woman but what Aretha has done for the genre of soul and music for that matter is uncomparable by Gladys, Aretha owns every single letter of her tilte, there is no doubts about Aretha being The Queen of Soul, so Gladys can be The Empress of Soul but the world know Aretha as The Queen.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha You know there is not enough room to get all this out here I will be visiting your channel and we can go soul 2 soul there, I love a challenge. 1st Aretha Franklin is SOUL!! She was brought up from where soul began in the CHURCH!!. Gladys was too, but she has the deep rooted Southern-soul the REAL DEAL!! I know you can see the difference when Empress Gladys sings you can feel that emotion. Aretha performs, she used to feel it, but she lost it somewhere.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Sweetheart Aretha is the Real Deal soul, she took off where Ray Charles started in a sense an added elements to the genre, Aretha has more to do with the innovation of that genre more than any other singer. I don't know who the hell are you talking about but you can't be talking about

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Aretha Franklin because she might have lost a lot of her range but one thing she always had was her gift of making people feel everything she does. No one has more soul than Aretha, she still has more passion and feeling than anyother singer.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 And if anyone can say that they are the Empress of Music it would be between Ella and Aretha they are the most important female musical figures of the 20 century. No other woman in music has more respect and has contributed more than Aretha and Ella.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 And tell me this because this is funny, why would Aretha and Diana hate on Gladys, they were both the 2/3 of the top selling women of there generation, Barbra Streisand being 3rd.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Goes to show you don't know what you are talking about. First of all you don't know Aretha well enough to judge her or try to make her out to be a bad person as you often do. And no Natalie actually sparked the fire, i read a 1976 issue of Jet which had Aretha,Natalie and Diana Ross on the cover, Natalie said some cocky comments about Aretha and Diana, Aretha responded with Natalie is just a beginner.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha Yes, I do know Aretha well enough, I know Gladys well enough, hell I know them all well enough, not to judge, but tell the truth. Not only does Aretha hate on Gladys, Diana Ross hated on Gladys over at Motown. She slept with the owner and had a child for him, need I say more. Aretha loves that diva thing, the queen thing and it shows.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 You don't know the first thing about Aretha. All we know is Aretha the star and we know Gladys the star but we don't know these people personally. The thing about Aretha is people are jealous of her status and try to make her into something she isn't. Just because she stays to herself.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Aretha doesn't have a reason to hate on Gladys, those two have had bad blood since they were kids. You can't talk about Aretha hating on Gladys, when Gladys lied about Aretha saying that Aretha was drinking herself to death and Aretha sued Gladys for millions and won. You want to bring up Aretha at the grammys but that was uncalled for and petty on Gladys' account.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Gladys also was jealous of Diana because Diana was the star of Motown Records. Aretha doesn't love to be a Diva, she has stated that it is a name she doesn't want to go by, i am not saying that Aretha doesn't have an ego but Gladys has one aswell. As a matter of fact we all do. Aretha doesn't make herself out to be better than anyone. Aretha is simply being herself.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha How in the hell could Gladys be jealous of Diana. Look back at some of the Motown videos and look at them both. Gladys was fine as hell, Diana was sticks, Gladys has that southern beauty, Diana was cute, however, she sang nasally, Gladys is the best singer ever on Motown Records, says the Funk Brothers, The Temptations, Mary Wilson and founder Berry Gordy. Can't nobody agure about that.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 The Supremes were the top selling female group of the 60's they were huge and Berry used up all his time on Ross. Diana and Gladys were both beautiful woman.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 Also whether or not you like Diana or not she had one of the most uniques voice of that time, she is not a better vocalist but she is a great singer.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 And her beef with Gladys has been going on since they were teen and Gladys is just as to blame as Aretha.

[higgybaby1]

@TheQueenAretha First of all you already know the kind of person Aretha has become over the years. With all the stuff she's been through has made her seem a little bitter, weight, losing her father, sisters, brother, friends and I can understand that, but when she wrote that note to the Grammy people about Beyonce' calling Tina the Queen, that was just way above having a big ego.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 You don't know shit and neither does i! She isn't some bitter old lady that is made at everybody. I am so sick of people thinking they know how Aretha is when in truth they don't know shit! Aretha is not the horrible person that they are making her out to be. You are still stuck on her comment at the grammys, number one she didn't say a thing about Tina and at the end she said give her love to Beyonce.

[TheQueenAretha]

@higgybaby1 If you should be mad at anything be mad about her speaking her mind, and whether or not you think it was called for or not, she did it.

[islezeus]

I heard she only recorded in the studio with a live band - no retakes and such

[Fhsfs]

that's how music is meant to b, man....long live good ol times

[dudevoc]

you go girl!!!

[21sttnmemphis]

This is my favorite song by Natalie. Great lyrics with a funky soulful sound. I love me a sophisicated lady around me period (friends, dating). I love them because they're not loud and just leave things to the imagination. It takes a classy lady like Natalie to sing this

[kamiseve]

Una de sus mejores canciones!!

[WineRedX]

1977. .. she is wonderful singer .

[brutalblkmassta]

sexy Natalie, just brilliant as always , would love to hear her do a str8 ahead jazz fusion/funk cd, one of the best

[richlove404]

what happend to the volume of this song. Does this song has a longer version or even a album version to it. I know it was the mid seventies during that time. But I need to know if it has a longer version or an album version of the song. She is one of my favorite singers too. And I loved her music also.

[monrayday]

shes on of ur favorites and u dont know sophistcated lady. lol. yea its from her 1976 album natalie, also it was on her live album.

[richlove404]

monraydayI was not born then I was born in 1984 alright so do not take it personally. I do not know why people like you have to take it out of porportion why though. It does not make any sense. Is it something that I said or what. I just asked what happend to the volume of the song that's all. If she is one of my favorite female musician that fine with me so what are going to do about it.

[monrayday]

calm down, lol. it was a joke. and actually im 7 years younger than u alright. i was born 91. anyway. those are those albums it was on. and i expect that fact this was recorded over 25 years ago, has something to do with the volume.

[richlove404]

monrayday You should have told me that when you replied back to me. And I understand thanks.

[dwtslvr]

This is an era when you could hear the singer instead of all the other "busy" stuff around the song. Backup singers were just that, backup. They didn't crowd the song.

[Dotson525]

She had some of the best singers. Unfornuately she fails to list them. Natalie gives credit to some backup singers, and forgets to name the rest.

[dwtslvr]

My comment was meant as a compliment to the performance. Today's songs or singers have so much other "loud" accompaniments you can't really enjoy the song. I know she had great singers who knew how to sound just right. Nothing that's out there today can compare to this wonderful era.

[Sandor123]

The backup singer on Natalie's right is Yasmin "Sissy" Peoples, the backup singer on the left is Anita Anderson

[carterboy66]

Natalie Cole was butiful then and is still one of the finest women in the business. BLack really don't crack. The older she gets the more beautiful she becomes. I wish someone would post the Posner Commercials that she did back in the 70's. They used to run during Soul Train. "Ponser, positivly beautiful." Go Miss Natalie Cole.

[Mshoney720]

Yeah she is!!!! Always been my girl!!! :)

[gomezmiguel]

If I could ever get NATALIE COLE LIVE! on vhs or dvd, I would die a happy man.

[carterboy66]

check Ebay for the Natalie Cole Live on CD. The '77 concert. I got mine about 4 years ago and I keep it under lock and key. I have seen it a couple of times after I purchased mine on Ebay. I also have Thankful the entire album on CD. That is in a safty deposit box LOL.

[TweekyProductions]

One of the greatest funk songs of all time! :-D

[monrayday]

damn i wish u had the rest of this show, i wish somebody did, this is the prettiest i ever seen natalie look, beautiful lady, and a great song

[504Diva]

she is beautiful. this is the era when women knew HOW to wear make up.

[crompyompy]

Thank you!!!;)

[getyourkicks]

well thank you thank you keep it coming ....this is real SOUL from the heart

[vocaled]

I love this! thanks MoondogMayne keep them coming. Natalie in her Funky Soul Diva mode.

[nataliesson]

I love this mom....

U are great

SMILE

[ynotbefree]

Now that's a great video! I love it! Thank you so much for that!

[ElAye]

Thanks MoondogMayne!

Sang!Nat'lay!Sang!

[relireal]

love you Natalie..