Etta James (1938-2012) was a U.S. blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, and jazz … Read Full Bio ↴Etta James (1938-2012) was a U.S. blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, and jazz singer and songwriter. She is the winner of four Grammies, seventeen Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in 1993), the Blues Hall of Fame (in 2001), and the Grammy Hall of Fame (in both 1999 and 2008).
James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, on 25th January 1938, to an unmarried fourteen-year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins. According to Etta, her mother claimed that her father was the white Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, and that they received financial support from him on the condition that they keep his paternity a secret. This seems unlikely, though it has not been definitively disproved. Etta was born in Los Angeles in 1938. At the time, Wanderone was known to be managing a pool hall in Washington, D.C. and had not yet become known to be the cross-country traveller he later became.
She received her first professional vocal training at five years old from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at St Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Her family moved to San Francisco in 1950, and she teamed up with two other girls to form a doo-wop singing group. When the girls were fourteen, band leader Johnny Otis had them audition. They sang an answer to Hank Ballard's "Work with Me, Annie" called "Roll Wwth Me Henry". Otis particularly liked the song, and against her mother's wishes, James and the trio went to Los Angeles to record the song in 1954. The song was recorded on the label Modern Records. By this time, the trio renamed the song "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)" and released it in 1955. James named her vocal group The Peaches. Richard Berry, a Los Angeles doo-wop luminary, is featured on some of their records.
"The Wallflower" reached number two on the rhythm and blues charts in February 1955, but was undercut in the wider market by a rushed-out cover version by Georgia Gibbs on Mercury Records; in fact, the very first time Gibbs was recorded in studio, they used the first take recorded and it became number one on the top 100 songs nationally. The song's royalties were divided between Hank Ballard, Etta James, and Johnny Otis, and its huge success attracted the attention of the R&B world, resulting in James going on tour with Little Richard. On the tour, though, according to James, she witnessed and experienced situations to which minors are not usually privy, and she allegedly acquired a drug habit.
Soon after the success of "Wallflower", The Peaches and James parted company, but this did not halt her career. Shecontinued to record and release albums throughout much of the decade, and enjoyed more success. Her follow-up, "Good Rockin' Daddy", became another fifties hit. Other songs however, such as "Tough Lover" and "W-O-M-A-N" failed to gain any significant success. James toured with Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Otis Redding in the fifties, and has cited Watson as the most significant influence on her style..
In 1960, James signed a recording contract with Chess Records. She went on to have the biggest success of her career from this label, recording her biggest and most memorable hits. Chess went into high gear with James, releasing many duets with her then boyfriend, the married Harvey Fuqua, who was the lead singer of the Moonglows. One of her duets with Fuqua, "If I Can't Have You", became a hit on the R&B charts in 1960. As a solo artist however, she had more enduring success. One of her first singles released by Chess in 1960 was called "All I Could Do Was Cry"; this blues number became a big hit on the R&B charts in 1960. Leonard Chess, one of the founders of Chess Records, helped James along the way. He saw the potential for her to go in a more pop-oriented direction, and she started recording more pop tunes for the label.
The year 1961 became a year of great change for James. In 1961 came the release of one of her first pop-oriented tunes called "At Last". The song became a big hit in 1961, reaching number two on the R&B charts. The song even went as far as twenty-two on the pop charts that year. It became her signature song. Other songs, such as "Trust in Me", also became hits, and the 1962 tune "Something's Got a Hold On Me" showed more of James' gospel side, a genre she had sung since childhood.
She had other big hits in the 1960s, but mainly on the R&B charts: the song "Pushover" in 1963 and "Stop the Wedding", "Fool That I Am", and "Don't Cry Baby", were hits for her between 1961 and 1963. Her 1963 album Etta James Rocks the House, recorded at Nashville's "New Era" club, also gave her career a boost. James then became one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1960s, having many more top ten and top twenty hit singles. Performing in Memphis, Tennessee helped make her into a blues icon.
In 1967, James released her next hit single, "Tell Mama", and it became a top ten hit on the R&B charts. After a dry period of no hits for almost four years, the song once more made James a household name. The follow-up, "Security", was also a success, and proved that James had staying power on the charts again. Whilst less success came for James after this hit, she was still on the charts regularly and, despite the death of Leonard Chess, stayed with the Chess label into 1975. Towards the end of the Chess years though, she went into more rock-based songs. She recorded for many other labels, and continued to release albums, such as 1978's Deep In the Night on Atlantic Records.
Despite a dry period during the early to mid 1980s, James got back on track and began to record music again. She received accolades for her 1981 rendition of Randy Newman's "God's Song". Her 1988 album Seven Year Itch proved this comeback capability; the album showed more of her soul side. In 1989, she recorded the song "Avenue D" with David A. Stewart of Eurythmics. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the Robert Wise film Rooftops. She also performed with the Grateful Dead for two shows in 1982. In the 1990s she continued to record and perform. Her albums widely varied in styles and genres. Her 1992 album, The Right Time, was another soul album that was released by Elektra Records. She also began to record more jazz, which became the style for many of her 1990s albums.
Drug-related and romantic problems interfered with her career, but James managed to maintain a career throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. Later in life, she struggled with obesity, experiencing mobility and knee problems. In 2003, she underwent gastric bypass surgery.
In 2011, a vocal sample from Etta's "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was used in "Levels" by Avicii. "Levels" became a monster EDM hit, making Etta's "sometimes I get a good feeling" one of the most recognizable samples in 21st century music.
She died on 20th January 2012.
James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, on 25th January 1938, to an unmarried fourteen-year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins. According to Etta, her mother claimed that her father was the white Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, and that they received financial support from him on the condition that they keep his paternity a secret. This seems unlikely, though it has not been definitively disproved. Etta was born in Los Angeles in 1938. At the time, Wanderone was known to be managing a pool hall in Washington, D.C. and had not yet become known to be the cross-country traveller he later became.
She received her first professional vocal training at five years old from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at St Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Her family moved to San Francisco in 1950, and she teamed up with two other girls to form a doo-wop singing group. When the girls were fourteen, band leader Johnny Otis had them audition. They sang an answer to Hank Ballard's "Work with Me, Annie" called "Roll Wwth Me Henry". Otis particularly liked the song, and against her mother's wishes, James and the trio went to Los Angeles to record the song in 1954. The song was recorded on the label Modern Records. By this time, the trio renamed the song "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)" and released it in 1955. James named her vocal group The Peaches. Richard Berry, a Los Angeles doo-wop luminary, is featured on some of their records.
"The Wallflower" reached number two on the rhythm and blues charts in February 1955, but was undercut in the wider market by a rushed-out cover version by Georgia Gibbs on Mercury Records; in fact, the very first time Gibbs was recorded in studio, they used the first take recorded and it became number one on the top 100 songs nationally. The song's royalties were divided between Hank Ballard, Etta James, and Johnny Otis, and its huge success attracted the attention of the R&B world, resulting in James going on tour with Little Richard. On the tour, though, according to James, she witnessed and experienced situations to which minors are not usually privy, and she allegedly acquired a drug habit.
Soon after the success of "Wallflower", The Peaches and James parted company, but this did not halt her career. Shecontinued to record and release albums throughout much of the decade, and enjoyed more success. Her follow-up, "Good Rockin' Daddy", became another fifties hit. Other songs however, such as "Tough Lover" and "W-O-M-A-N" failed to gain any significant success. James toured with Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Otis Redding in the fifties, and has cited Watson as the most significant influence on her style..
In 1960, James signed a recording contract with Chess Records. She went on to have the biggest success of her career from this label, recording her biggest and most memorable hits. Chess went into high gear with James, releasing many duets with her then boyfriend, the married Harvey Fuqua, who was the lead singer of the Moonglows. One of her duets with Fuqua, "If I Can't Have You", became a hit on the R&B charts in 1960. As a solo artist however, she had more enduring success. One of her first singles released by Chess in 1960 was called "All I Could Do Was Cry"; this blues number became a big hit on the R&B charts in 1960. Leonard Chess, one of the founders of Chess Records, helped James along the way. He saw the potential for her to go in a more pop-oriented direction, and she started recording more pop tunes for the label.
The year 1961 became a year of great change for James. In 1961 came the release of one of her first pop-oriented tunes called "At Last". The song became a big hit in 1961, reaching number two on the R&B charts. The song even went as far as twenty-two on the pop charts that year. It became her signature song. Other songs, such as "Trust in Me", also became hits, and the 1962 tune "Something's Got a Hold On Me" showed more of James' gospel side, a genre she had sung since childhood.
She had other big hits in the 1960s, but mainly on the R&B charts: the song "Pushover" in 1963 and "Stop the Wedding", "Fool That I Am", and "Don't Cry Baby", were hits for her between 1961 and 1963. Her 1963 album Etta James Rocks the House, recorded at Nashville's "New Era" club, also gave her career a boost. James then became one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1960s, having many more top ten and top twenty hit singles. Performing in Memphis, Tennessee helped make her into a blues icon.
In 1967, James released her next hit single, "Tell Mama", and it became a top ten hit on the R&B charts. After a dry period of no hits for almost four years, the song once more made James a household name. The follow-up, "Security", was also a success, and proved that James had staying power on the charts again. Whilst less success came for James after this hit, she was still on the charts regularly and, despite the death of Leonard Chess, stayed with the Chess label into 1975. Towards the end of the Chess years though, she went into more rock-based songs. She recorded for many other labels, and continued to release albums, such as 1978's Deep In the Night on Atlantic Records.
Despite a dry period during the early to mid 1980s, James got back on track and began to record music again. She received accolades for her 1981 rendition of Randy Newman's "God's Song". Her 1988 album Seven Year Itch proved this comeback capability; the album showed more of her soul side. In 1989, she recorded the song "Avenue D" with David A. Stewart of Eurythmics. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the Robert Wise film Rooftops. She also performed with the Grateful Dead for two shows in 1982. In the 1990s she continued to record and perform. Her albums widely varied in styles and genres. Her 1992 album, The Right Time, was another soul album that was released by Elektra Records. She also began to record more jazz, which became the style for many of her 1990s albums.
Drug-related and romantic problems interfered with her career, but James managed to maintain a career throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. Later in life, she struggled with obesity, experiencing mobility and knee problems. In 2003, she underwent gastric bypass surgery.
In 2011, a vocal sample from Etta's "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was used in "Levels" by Avicii. "Levels" became a monster EDM hit, making Etta's "sometimes I get a good feeling" one of the most recognizable samples in 21st century music.
She died on 20th January 2012.
Cheating in the Next Room
Etta James Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Cheating in the Next Room' by these artists:
We have lyrics for these tracks by Etta James:
"Baby Baby" Every Night Aooooh aooooh aouuuh I′m gonna please you (every night) Hold…
- W.O.M.A.N. Oh, oh, oh yeah, oh Talking about you, a man Always ready…
05 Two Sides To Every Story There's always two sides to every story Ah, he told me I…
6.Seven Day Fool And on a Monday, I'm gonna love ya And on a…
A Lover Is Forever I think, I understand The reason you won't stay with me Yo…
A Sunday Kind of Love I want a Sunday kind of love A love to last…
Again This couldn't happen again This is that once in a lifetime …
Ain't That a Shame Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
All I Can Do Is Cry I heard church bells ringing, I heard a choir singing. I saw…
All That Jazz Now come here baby, get ready to go 'Cause I'm in…
All The Way When somebody loves you It's no good unless he loves you…
All The Way Down Out on the street The summer heat Boys playing games Changin…
Almost Persuaded Last night all alone in a barroom Met a girl with…
Amen / This Little Light Of Mine Wella, oh yeah Wella, oh yeah Oh yeah Oh yeah Do you k…
Anything to Say You Ohh Ohh I'm so blue Cause I'm worried over you I, I somet…
Anything to Say You're Mine Ohh Ohh I'm so blue Cause I'm worried over you I, I sometime…
Anything To Say You're Mine - Single Version Oh, oh, I'm so blue 'Cause I'm worried over you Oh I,…
Anything To Say Youre Mine Ohh Ohh I'm so blue Cause I'm worried over you I, I sometime…
Anything to Say You’re Mine Oh, oh, I'm so blue 'Cause I'm worried over you Oh I,…
Anything Toy Say You're Mine Ohh Ohh I'm so blue Cause I'm worried over you I, I sometime…
At Last At last My love has come along My lonely days are…
At Last (Remastered) At last My love has come along My lonely days are over And…
At last - At last my love has come along My lonely days are…
Baby Baby Every Night Aooooh aooooh aouuuh I′m gonna please you (every night) Hold…
Baby I Love You I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
Baby What You Want You got me runnin', you got me hidin' You got me…
Baby What You Want Me To Do ) You got me runnin', you got me hidin' You got me…
Baby, What You Want Me to Do You got me runnin', got me hidin' Run, hide, hide runnin' An…
Ball and Chain Yeah! Alright! Sittin' down by my window, Honey, lookin' ou…
Be Mine Be my love Be my heart Be my own So we never, ever…
Beware Didn't I make you feel like you were the only…
Blowin' in the Wind How many roads must a man walk down Before you call…
Blue Gardenia Blue gardenia Now I'm alone with you And I am, oh, so…
Body And Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Boondocks I feel no shame, I'm proud from where I came I…
Born Blue Another day Has come and gone In a world Where I don′t belon…
Born Under a Bad Sign Born under a bad sign I've been down since I began…
Boy of My Dreams Dear, it seems years since we parted, Years full of tears…
Breakin' Up Somebody's Home Lying 'round home alone On a rainy night like this Starvin…
Breaking Up Somebody's Home Lying 'round home alone On a rainy night like this Starving …
By the Light of the Silvery Moon Place park, scene dark, silvery moon is shining through the…
Can't Turn You Loose Huh I cant turn you loose now If I do I'm…
Champagne %26 Wine Sitting here thinking 'bout the times I roamed Different gu…
Cigarettes & Coffee It's early in the morning, hmm About a quarter, quarter to…
Come Back Baby Oh, come back, baby Oh, mama, please, don't go, yeah 'Caus…
Come Rain or Come Shine I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you, Come rain…
Come To Mama If the sun Goes behind a cloud And you feel It's gonna rain …
Come What May Wish I was your child Hold me in your heart We…
Crawlin' King Snake You know I'm a crawlin' king snake, baby, and I…
Cry Like a Rainy Day How many tears now darling Must a girl let fall How many…
Cry Me a River Now you say you're lonely You cried the whole night through …
Damn Your Eyes I can do what I want I'm in complete control That's what…
Dance With Me Hey, baby, what do I have to do To make you…
Dance with Me Henry (Hey, baby, what do I have to do) (To make a…
Dance With Me, Henry Hey Baby, What do I have to do,) (To make you…
Do I Make Myself Clear I don't wanna believe The bad things about you, oh, no,…
Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me Do nothin' till you hear from me Pay no attention to…
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me Do nothin' till you hear from me Pay no attention to…
Do Right Take me to heart and I'll always love you And nobody…
Do Right Woman Take me to heart and I'll always love you And nobody…
Do Right Woman Do Right Man Take me to heart and I'll always love you And nobody…
Don Don't worry 'bout me I'll get along Just forget about me Be …
Don't Blame Me Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Cry Baby Don't cry, don't cry baby Don't cry baby Dry your eyes, and…
Don't Cry Baby [Single Version] Dont Cry, Baby Dont Cry Baby Dry Your Eyes Lets Be Sweethear…
Don't Explain Hush now don't explain I know you raise Cain I'm glad you're…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Don't Go To Strangers Build your dreams to the stars above But when you need…
Don't Let My Baby Ride Don't let my baby ride Oh no don't, don't let my…
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying Don't let the sun catch you cryin' Cryin' at my front…
Don't Lose Your Good Thing If you keep on playin' around You gonna lose me, oh…
Don't Start Me To Talking Don′t Start Me to Talking Etta James Written by Sonny Boy …
Don't Take Your Love from Me Tear a star from out the sky and the sky…
Don't Touch Me Your hand is like a torch Each time you touch me,…
Don't Worry 'Bout Me Don't worry 'bout me I'll get along Forget about me Just be …
Don't You Remember You don't know what love is 'Til you've learned the meaning…
Dont Cry Baby Don't cry, don't cry baby Don't cry baby Dry your eyes, and…
Don´t Blame Me Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Down by the Riverside I'm gonna lay down my heavy load Down by the riverside Down…
Down Home Blues You say, your party's jumpin', everybody's havin' a good tim…
Down So Low When you went away, I cried for so long. I wanted…
Dream Dream when you're feeling blue Dream that's the thing to do …
Dreamer Dreamer, dreamer Like a foul I thought That it could be D…
Drown in My Own Tears It brings a tear into my eyes When I begin to…
Embraceable You Dozens of guys would storm up; I had to lock my…
Etta James-I'd Rather Go Blind Something told me it was over When I saw you and…
Ev'rybody's Somebody's Fool Everybody's somebody's fool The world is the biggest school …
Evening of Love How could she let a man as good as you Slip…
Every Little Bit Hurts Every little bit hurts Every little bit hurts Every night I …
Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home Lying 'round home alone On a rainy night like this Starving …
Fire Fire Fire Fire Im on fire Fire Fire Fire lord you set…
Fool That I Am Fool that I am, For falling in love with you. And a,…
Fools Rush In Fools rush in where angels fear to tread And so I…
Girl Of My Dreams Dear, it seems years since we parted, Years full of tears…
Give It Up Give it up, give it up, you know what's on…
God's Song Cain slew Abel, Seth knew not why For if the children…
Good Morning Heartache Good morning heartache, you old gloomy sight Good morning he…
Good Rockin Baby Well you can really go go go Jumpin' fast or rockin'…
Got My Mojo Working Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on…
Groove Me Uhh! Awww, sookie sookie now! Hey! Oww, uhh! Come on, baby! …
Happiness Love and happiness, something going wrong Someone's on the …
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be lig…
He's Funny That Way I'm not much to look at, nothing to see Just glad…
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands Oh happy day (oh happy day) Oh happy day (oh…
Here I Am I can't believe that it's real, The way that you…
Hey Henry You couldn't dance at all But now you're over ball The way…
Hey! Henry You couldn't dance at all But now you're over ball The way…
Hickory Dickory Dock Hickory dickory dock, hickory dickory dock I wanna turn back…
Hold Me Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah (Yeah) I…
Hold Me (Just a Little Longer Tonight) I've been lyin' here thinkin' over old times Old friends of…
Hold Me Sqeeze Me Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah (Yeah) I…
Hold Me Squeeze Me Hold me, hold me Squeeze me, don't leave me Tell me baby You…
Holding Back The Years Holding back the years Thinking of the fear I've had so…
Hound Dog You ain't nothin' but a hound dog Cryin' all the time You…
How Deep Is The Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How Do You Speak to an Angel How do you speak to an angel I'm completely in the…
I Call me a fool, send me away I've got to say,…
I Believe I Can Fly If I can see it and that's when I'm like…
I Can Give You Everything Silver and gold They tarnish when they get old Money and fam…
I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance I need your love so badly, I love you, oh,…
I Found A Love Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I found a love, I…
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
I Got The Will A boy I used to love, he up and left…
I Got You Babe People say that we don't know What love is, or how…
I Just Wanna Make Love to You I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
I Just Want to Make Love.. I don't want you to be no slave, I don't want…
I Laughed At love I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
I Never Meant To Love Him Baby, I know you've been hearing lots of stories from…
I Only Have Eyes for You My love must be a kind of blind love I can't…
I Prefer You Other guys may be rich and hansome baby but, I prefer…
I Saw the Light I heard church bells ringing I heard a choir singing I saw…
I Sing The Blues I'll do anything that you want me to do. There ain't…
I Want To Be Loved I want to be loved, I want to be loved I…
I Want to Ta Ta You Baby Thinkin' 'bout the first time I saw you baby We fell…
I Wish Someone Would Care Cry, cry Sitting home alone, thinkin' about my past Wonderin…
I Would Rather Go Blind Something told me it was over (yeah) When I saw you…
I'd Rather Go Blind.wmv Something told me it was over When I saw you and…
I'll Be Seeing You I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That…
I'll Drown In My Own Tears It brings a tear into my eyes When I begin to…
I'll Take Care of You I know you’ve been hurt by someone else I can tell…
I'm a Fool Oh, oh, yes Oh, oh, yes I'm a fool to love you,…
I'm Gonna Take What He's Got He beat on me He cheat on me He's mean to me Ooh,…
I've Been A Fool I've been lovin' you too long To stop now You were tired An…
I've Been Loving You Too Long I've been loving you too long to stop now There were…
I've Got a Woman I've got dreams, dreams to remember I've got dreams, dreams …
i’d rather go blind Something told me it was over (yeah) When I saw you…
If I Can I don't want nobody If I can't have you Oh, I can't…
and many more tracks by Etta James.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Erik brodland
on I Just Want to Make Love to You
Love this song so much, it makes me think of my son's Beautiful mommy jasmin and her amazing.voice.