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.
If You Want Me to Stay
Etta James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you want me to stay, I'll be around today
Available for you to see
I'm about to go and then you'll know
For me to stay, I got to be me
You'll never be in doubt, that's what it's all about
Count the days I'm gone, forget reachin' me by phone
'Cause I promise I'll be gone for a while
And when you see me again, I hope that you have been
The kind of person you really are now
You got to get it straight, how could I ever be late
When you're my man takin' up my time
How could I ever allow? I guess I wonder how
Could you get out a pocket for fun
When you know that you're number two
Number one gonna be number one
I'll be good to you, I wish I could
I get this message over to you now, oh baby
When you see me again, I hope that you have been
The kind of person you really are now
I'll be so good, I wish, I could
Get the message over to you now
And if you want me to stay, baby, if you want me to stay
If you want me to stay, I'll be around today
Available for you to see
I'm about to go and then you'll know
For me to stay, I got to be me
You'll never be in doubt, that's what it's all about
You can't take me for granted and smile
If you want me to stay
If you want me to stay, hey babe
If you need me to stay
If you want me to stay, baby
Count the days I'm gone, baby
Count the days I'm gone, baby
Count the days I'm gone, yeah
Yeah, baby, I'll stay around if you want me, oh baby
If you want me, I'll be around
The lyrics of Etta James’s song “If You Want Me to Stay” talk about the importance of personal freedom, self-respect, and being true to oneself in a romantic relationship. The singer states that she is willing to stay with her lover, but only if she can be herself and not be taken for granted. She warns that if her lover wants her to stay, he needs to respect her independence and boundaries. She encourages him to use her absence to reflect on his behavior and be true to himself, and promises that she will be there for him if he does.
The song’s repetition of the phrase “If you want me to stay” creates a powerful sense of longing and vulnerability. The use of the first-person perspective gives the lyrics a personal touch and makes the message even more relatable. The singer’s strong, soulful voice adds to the emotion of the lyrics, making it a classic song that has been covered and sampled many times over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want me to stay, I'll be around today
I am here for you, but only if you truly want me to be and are willing to accept me for who I am.
Available for you to see
I am here and present for you to notice when you are ready.
I'm about to go and then you'll know
If you do not want me to stay, I will leave, and you will realize what you had once I am gone.
For me to stay, I got to be me
I will only stay if I can be true to myself, and I refuse to compromise my identity for anyone else.
You'll never be in doubt, that's what it's all about
I want you to be certain of my feelings and intentions, and that is what truly matters in this relationship.
You can't take me for granted and smile
Don't assume you can use or manipulate me and expect me to just accept it with a smile.
Count the days I'm gone, forget reachin' me by phone
If I leave, don't try to contact me. It's better for both of us to have distance and time to reflect.
'Cause I promise I'll be gone for a while
I need an extended break to decide if I want to stay in this relationship or not, and I am committed to that decision.
And when you see me again, I hope that you have been
If we reunite in the future, I hope that you have become a better person who respects me and my boundaries.
The kind of person you really are now
I hope you have learned from our past interactions and have become a kinder, more understanding partner.
You got to get it straight, how could I ever be late
You need to understand that I will always prioritize my own needs and desires, and I will not tolerate being made to wait around for you.
When you're my man takin' up my time
If we are in a relationship, it's important to remember that my time is valuable and I need to balance it between you and my own interests.
How could I ever allow? I guess I wonder how
I am questioning how you could betray my trust and put me in a position to second-guess our relationship.
Could you get out a pocket for fun
Did you cheat on me? Did you use me for your own enjoyment without caring about my feelings?
When you know that you're number two
You need to acknowledge that I deserve to be treated as a top priority in your life, not just an afterthought or backup option.
Number one gonna be number one
I refuse to settle for second place in your life or your heart. If you want to be with me, you need to commit to making me your top priority.
I'll be good to you, I wish I could
I want to treat you well and be a loving partner, but it's up to you to earn my trust and respect in order for that to happen.
I get this message over to you now, oh baby
I'm trying to communicate my needs and boundaries to you clearly and explicitly, so that there is no confusion or misunderstanding about how I feel.
If you need me to stay
If you truly need me in your life and are willing to be an understanding, loving partner, then I will consider staying.
Count the days I'm gone, baby
If I choose to leave for a period of time, you need to respect that and give me the space to figure things out.
Yeah, baby, I'll stay around if you want me, oh baby
I am willing to stay with you and work on our relationship, but only if you truly want to make things work and are willing to respect my needs.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
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.