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.
Got My Mojo Working
Etta James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you
I wanna love you so bad 'till I don't know what to do
I'm going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand
going go to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand
I'm gonna have all you men right here at my command
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you
Got gypsy fellow, giving me advice
Got a gypsy fellow, giving me advice
I got a whole lot of tricks, keeping you on ice
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working
Got my mojo working, but it, uh-uh, just won't work on you
The song "Got My Mojo Working" by Etta James is a blues classic, originally written by Preston Foster. The lyrics discuss a woman who has her mojo working, or has a certain kind of charm, but it just won't work on the man she desires. She wants to love him so badly, but can't seem to get through to him. The woman decides to go down to Louisiana to get a mojo hand, which is believed to bring luck, love, and protection. She believes that with the help of a mojo hand, she will have all the men at her command.
The repeated chorus "Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you" highlights the woman's frustration and determination. She knows she has something special, but can't seem to use it to win over the man she desires. The mention of a gypsy fellow giving her advice and tricks to keep the man on ice adds to the theme of searching for outside help to gain power over a lover.
The song is a quintessential blues number, with Etta James delivering strong vocals and the band providing a steady beat and blues riffs. The use of the term "mojo" has become synonymous with the blues and is often used in reference to love, luck, or a special charm. Overall, the song is a powerful expression of desire, frustration, and the search for control.
Line by Line Meaning
Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you
Despite my strong attraction to you, I am unable to seduce you or make you fall in love with me.
I wanna love you so bad 'till I don't know what to do
My desire to be with you is so intense that it overwhelms me and causes me to lose control.
I'm going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand
I am traveling to Louisiana to obtain a magical talisman that will enhance my powers of seduction and help me win your love.
I'm gonna have all you men right here at my command
With my newfound powers, I will be able to attract and control any man I desire, including you.
Got a gypsy fellow, giving me advice
I am seeking guidance from a spiritual adviser who is knowledgeable about the use of magical charms and talismans.
I got a whole lot of tricks, keeping you on ice
I have many clever tactics and strategies that will make you desire me, but I am purposely holding back to maintain my cool and increase my allure.
Got my mojo working
I have successfully activated my powers of attraction and seduction.
Got my mojo working
I am confident in my ability to charm and enchant those around me.
Got my mojo working
My powers of persuasion and influence are fully activated and at my disposal.
Got my mojo working
I feel powerful and in control of my romantic destiny.
Got my mojo working, but it, uh-uh, just won't work on you
Despite my best efforts, my powers of attraction and seduction are ineffective when it comes to winning your heart.
Lyrics © DARE MUSIC, INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Preston Foster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.