Phenomenal woman lyrics6/30/2023 It is silky smooth and features equally well in country blues, vintage soul, and everywhere in between. This evolution is a happy circumstance because it fits her voice beautifully. I understand that this recording represents a bit of a departure for her stylistically. (For the record, you will notice that track 9 is entitled "Phenomenal Woman", so the title of the CD does have contextual relevance.) I approached it with the attitude, "Show me just how phenomenal you are." Well, she did! I was quickly and fully captivated. What was she thinking referring to herself as "phenomenal"? Wasn't she inviting some major cynicism? Curious, I finally listened to the clips available online. The title, "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster", amused me somewhat. I was not familiar with Ruthie Foster prior to happening upon this CD. Tracks: Cuz I'm Here / Heal Yourself / Fruits Of My Labor / People Grinnin' In Your Face / Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Air) / Harder Than The Fall / Beaver Creek Blues / Mama Said / Phenomenal Woman / A Friend Like You / I Don't Know What To Do With My Heart. The big shoes just fit so much so, that calling this particular record by this particular woman at this particular time in her life and career anything but "phenomenal" would be akin to false advertising. As for how they came up with it, well just give it a listen, and you'll understand. She admits to initially having "quite a few reservations" about calling her fifth album The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, crediting both her producer, noted Austin-based "swamp music" guitarist Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne, and her label, Houston's Blue Corn Records, for making that particular gutsy call. "Those are some big shoes!" laughs Ruthie Foster, who, just for the record, is really one of the most humble and down-to-earth artists you could ever meet, phenomenal or otherwise. So if you're going to stick a word like "phenomenal" in front of your name on a record cover, you damn well better have the goods to back it up. Superlatives are rare in album titles, and for good reason: unless you're a living legend or a legend-in-the-making like the Man in Black (1958's The Fabulous Johnny *) or the Queen of Soul (1962's The Electrifying Aretha Franklin), you're all but begging for a crash course in humility.
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