Nobody knew Etta James was still alive. Of course they would have invited her.

Feel free to try, Etta. It's not yours. It belongs to the composer and lyricist.

A bowl of dicks. Eat one.

Etta told the audience, "You know, YOUR President, the one with the big ears-he ain't my President"

Wow. Considering Etta made no secret of how you feet about OUR President Obama, I can't BEGIN to imagine why she wasn't invited to sing the song at OUR President's inauguration.

Benevolent Misanthrope: A bowl of dicks. Eat one.

Eat that dick labeled "Diva", Etta.

Just reading that 'article' is amusing, I kept expecting some "OH SNAPS" and "OH NOES YOU DEH ENT" commentary.

Washed-up-hags-hating-on-current-stars trifecta in play

Nobody sings that song as well as Etta, she OWNS that song. Some songs are so perfect, you just. don't. cover. them.

it was a biatchy diva thing to say but it is kind of like covering Stairway to Heaven or My Way (unless you are Paul Anka because he wrote it for Frank). Unless you can make the song yours i.e. Cash singing Hurt or Rusty Cage you don't highlight it. If you want to add it to your set in Cleveland fine. If you are going to sing a song at one of the most historical events to happen to a country find your own song or at least get permission from the woman that made it famous.

/penis

Benevolent Misanthrope: Feel free to try, Etta. It's not yours.

I was surprised to hear it on a Glenn Miller compilation I have, I didn't realize the song went back that far. Wikipedia says 1941, written for a film, and that Nat King Cole did a version in 1957 (Etta's was 1960).

But, everyone treats "My Way" like it was Frank Sinatra's song, too.

Etta James is also pretty much insane.

titwrench: My Way (unless you are Paul Anka because he wrote it for Frank).

I was unfamiliar with that story until I just read up on it now, I thought Anka had just written it on his own for himself, and Frank (and Elvis, Sid Vicious, et al) were just cover versions.

I don't wanna piss off Frank. Not even from the grave.

/saw Sinatra sing the national anthem once

I'd like to volunteer to be the one to whip Beyonce's ass. I have really big hands.

Who?

titwrench: it was a biatchy diva thing to say but it is kind of like covering Stairway to Heaven or My Way (unless you are Paul Anka because he wrote it for Frank). Unless you can make the song yours i.e. Cash singing Hurt or Rusty Cage you don't highlight it. If you want to add it to your set in Cleveland fine. If you are going to sing a song at one of the most historical events to happen to a country find your own song or at least get permission from the woman that made it famous.

/penis

All these songs are called "standards" for a reason. just because you are familiar with a particular version does not make it anybody's

"At Last" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was first performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, vocal by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday.
============================

It's not your song Etta.

Hell, I'd rather listen to Terry Fator imitate you singing it.

/Go away.

I really had no idea that Etta James was still alive. Wow

I swear I thought Etta James had been dead for 40 years.

i'm SHOCKED she's alive as well. Next, you're gonna tell me Billie Holiday is opening up for Ella Fitzgerald.

Oh come on, certain singers "own" certain songs even if they didn't write them or weren't the first to record them.

Tony Bennett can sing "Rags to Riches," but the Big Ragu owns it.

Etta James is better.

This doesn't sound right. Wasn't she thrilled last week? I could have sworn I read that. Are we sure Etta wasn't just having a bit of fun?

Gangway Fathead: Etta James is also pretty much insane.

THIS, old news really but she isn't entirely, ah how to put this mildly, entirely with it.

All2morrowsparTs: just because you are familiar with a particular version does not make it anybody's

Just like Crazy isn't Patsy Cline's. Indeed if it's anyone's it's Willie Nelson's, seeing as he wrote it. Though his recordings are just awesome.

Manfred J. Hattan: Are we sure Etta wasn't just having a bit of fun?

This. I saw Etta in concert several months ago and her shtick is raunchy stream-of-consciousness.

Is it bad that I read that as Elton John?

Don't take it personal, Etta, it was all about the TV ratings.

titwrench: Unless you can make the song yours i.e. Cash singing Hurt or Rusty Cage

I haven't heard Cash's version of Rusty Cage, but I can't help but giggle like a moron at the thought of Johnny Cash attempting to sing it just like Chris Cornell. Which I'm sure he didn't.

No one sings "At Last" like Etta. I'm listening to her 1960 Chess Records recording of it right now and she is owning it. Go find an MP3 of this somewhere on the internet and listen. simply amazing.

I saw Etta James open for the Rolling Stones in the 1970s and she blew the house down.

Cyndi Lauper recorded "At Last" better than Beyonce, too.

But then again, nobody was going to ask her, either, right?

/Just sayin'.
//Don't even get me started on Celine Dion's version.

me_the_farker: I really had no idea that Etta James was still alive. Wow

DamnYankees: I swear I thought Etta James had been dead for 40 years.

These. And then some.

Who is Sasha Fierce?

titwrench: it was a biatchy diva thing to say but it is kind of like covering Stairway to Heaven or My Way (unless you are Paul Anka because he wrote it for Frank). Unless you can make the song yours i.e. Cash singing Hurt or Rusty Cage you don't highlight it. If you want to add it to your set in Cleveland fine. If you are going to sing a song at one of the most historical events to happen to a country find your own song or at least get permission from the woman that made it famous.

One of the things I like about jazz is there's the the whole idea of a "standard" tune. I enjoy hearing lots of artists playing the same song because of how they make it their own. I guess this carries over into when I listen to other genres because I really like cover songs.

titwrench
Check out Peter Murphy's verion of "Hurt" as well - brilliant.
/yeah, I know he's slowly turning into Neil Diamond

Once a song is used in a cat food commercial, it's anybody's song.

spellacopter: titwrench
Check out Peter Murphy's version of "Hurt" as well - brilliant.
/yeah, I know he's slowly turning into Neil Diamond

Will do. For some reason I have had a mental/musical block on Peter Murphy you just brought him back. It's been a while

Also, I'd like to add, I'm glad I missed Beyonce singing this. I can't even imagine how bad it might have been. She doesn't sing so much as caterwaul.

In other news, Etta James is still alive.

"At Last" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was first performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, vocal by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday.


Etta.. fark off. You don't own jack.

titwrench
Excellent. I'd love to hear what you think.
Here's a link:
pete

No one sings "At Last" like Etta. I'm listening to her 1960 Chess Records recording of it right now and she is owning it. Go find an MP3 of this somewhere on the internet and listen. simply amazing.

I saw Etta James open for the Rolling Stones in the 1970s and she blew the house down.

I would bet that Etta doesn't sing it like 1960 Etta, so WTF cares? I am sure Beyonce sang it just fine.

spellacopter: titwrench
Check out Peter Murphy's verion of "Hurt" as well - brilliant.
/yeah, I know he's slowly turning into Neil Diamond

Its' not bad; but even Trent Reznor freely admits that Hurt is now Johnny's Song. Not because of any acoustical brilliance on Cash's part, his voice was shot all to hell when he recorded it; but because Cash had the biography; he turned that song from the whine of an angst-ridden man-child into something that sounded like a passage from Ecclesiastes or Tennyson's Ulysses...The dirge of great hero who has outlived his glory and sees only emptiness. You hear a song sung by Johnny Cash the man (who is mourning the loss of the love of his life) not JOHNNY CASH the legend

spellacopter: titwrench
Excellent. I'd love to hear what you think.
Here's a link:
pete

I actually jumped to the live in Barcelona version and it was good. I think I would have liked to be there. Nice pull, thanks.

*been there* oops

Atomic Spunk: I'd like to volunteer to be the one to whip Beyonce's ass. I have really big hands.

Will there be photographic evidence to this? Because that would be hot.

/Make sure she's bound and gagged, too. Not because she deserves it, she just looks like a firecracker...she already rocked the ballet boots!

titwrench:
many years ago I was in a bar and Cash's cover of Rusty Cage came on. Next to me at the bar were two dreadlocked hippies. One said, "Man, only Johnny Cash can right like this." His friend nodded in agreement. I got up, looked at the two idiots on my way out and said loudly, "It's a Soundgarden cover you farking filty hippy" and left.

/yep, I hate hippies.
//except for Ben and Jerry and their Cherry Garcia
///just for kicks

who gives a shiat?

Am I getting this wrong....or was Beyonce asked to perform at the Obama's request....and she sang "At Last" at THEIR request?? If Etta really is pissed, then I think she's pissed at the wrong person.

didn't hear Beyonce sing it, but nobody can sing it like Etta.

Sorta shiatty of Etta after she was personally honored by Beyonce for her song and legacy last year:
Link (at end of clip)

Who the hell is bee-yonce?

Magorn
spellacopter: titwrench
Check out Peter Murphy's verion of "Hurt" as well - brilliant.
/yeah, I know he's slowly turning into Neil Diamond

Its' not bad; but even Trent Reznor freely admits that Hurt is now Johnny's Song. Not because of any acoustical brilliance on Cash's part, his voice was shot all to hell when he recorded it; but because Cash had the biography; he turned that song from the whine of an angst-ridden man-child into something that sounded like a passage from Ecclesiastes or Tennyson's Ulysses...The dirge of great hero who has outlived his glory and sees only emptiness. You hear a song sung by Johnny Cash the man (who is mourning the loss of the love of his life) not JOHNNY CASH the legend

I agree. Johnny Cash officially owns that song. It's him personally in too many ways.

titwrench
Glad you liked it :)

Control_this: Nobody knew Etta James was still alive. Of course they would have invited her.

My thoughts exactly. Be happy you are alive, woman.

DeathByGeekSquad: Just reading that 'article' is amusing, I kept expecting some "OH SNAPS" and "OH NOES YOU DEH ENT" commentary.

Jesus, it is dih-int. Racist.