Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Etta Jame performing "At Last"
CD Review
At Last, Etta James, MCA, 1999
The name Etta James is no stranger to this space. Whether it is in reference to the classic Chicago blues label Chess Records, Chicago blues as a genre, or just Etta rockin’ the house I have found time to place her in that rather small (unfortunately) number of great modern female blues singers. That said, this CD has plenty of that, but also showcases her other talents. Although this album started life as a Chess production (of some sort) there are ballads and other old time tunes here to show that in her prime there was nothing Etta couldn’t cover with gusto. Some of it like “Trust In Me” is just a little too sweet for me. I called it “bubblegum" music in the old days. But compare that to her covers of famous classic Lena Horne “Stormy Weather” or “Sunday Kind of Love” and you have an approximation of what the songs were that we listened to when thoughts of love were first bubbling up around 1960. And easy music to ask a girl or guy to slow dance too. Ah, well.
Stormy Weather lyrics
Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together, keeps raining all the time
Life is bare, gloom and misery everywhere, stormy weather
Just can't get my poor old self together
I'm weary all the time, the time
So weary all the time
When she went away the blues walked in and they met me
If she stays away, that old rocking chair's gonna get me
All I do is pray the Lord above will let me
Walk in the sun once more
Can't go on, everything I have is gone, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time
Keeps raining all the time
Can't go on, everything I have is gone, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time, the time
Keeps raining all the time
CD Review
At Last, Etta James, MCA, 1999
The name Etta James is no stranger to this space. Whether it is in reference to the classic Chicago blues label Chess Records, Chicago blues as a genre, or just Etta rockin’ the house I have found time to place her in that rather small (unfortunately) number of great modern female blues singers. That said, this CD has plenty of that, but also showcases her other talents. Although this album started life as a Chess production (of some sort) there are ballads and other old time tunes here to show that in her prime there was nothing Etta couldn’t cover with gusto. Some of it like “Trust In Me” is just a little too sweet for me. I called it “bubblegum" music in the old days. But compare that to her covers of famous classic Lena Horne “Stormy Weather” or “Sunday Kind of Love” and you have an approximation of what the songs were that we listened to when thoughts of love were first bubbling up around 1960. And easy music to ask a girl or guy to slow dance too. Ah, well.
Stormy Weather lyrics
Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together, keeps raining all the time
Life is bare, gloom and misery everywhere, stormy weather
Just can't get my poor old self together
I'm weary all the time, the time
So weary all the time
When she went away the blues walked in and they met me
If she stays away, that old rocking chair's gonna get me
All I do is pray the Lord above will let me
Walk in the sun once more
Can't go on, everything I have is gone, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time
Keeps raining all the time
Can't go on, everything I have is gone, stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time, the time
Keeps raining all the time
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