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.
Only Time Will Tell
Etta James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the bottle was empty
And the nights grew cold
In my hour of darkness
In my time of need
You were my angel of mercy
And helped me to believe
When I was lonely
You held me up
When I couldn't fly
There's no words could explain
How I feel inside
And this I tell you
In a world full of anger
In times gone strange
You held me close
You held me close to you
Lay my head on your shoulder
I finally let it all out
It felt good for a moment
Not living in a shadow of doubt
But everybody needs a little something
To pull them through
I gave one for the other
And God knows that the other was you
Now only time will tell
Only time will tell
If our love is scratched in sand
Or if it's etched in stone
Only time will tell
Only time will tell
If our love will stand
Or walk the road alone
My angel of mercy
Pulled me through somehow
I just hope you know
I need you now
You're the one
That touched my very soul
The one who held on tight
God knows you never let go
Now only time will tell
Only time will tell
If our love is scratched in sand
Or if it's etched in stone
Only time will tell
Only time will tell
If our love will stand
Or walk the road alone
Only time will
Only time will
(Can you bring my hands to yours)
Only time will tell
(Can you teach my soul to fly)
Only time will
Only time will
(Can you save me)
Only time will tell
Angel of mercy
It's time we closed the door
Put out the lights
And burn the fire
Burn the fire inside
Angel of mercy
You pulled me through
And this I tell to you
Lord know I'd tell it to you
The song "Only Time Will Tell" by Etta James talks about a person who relied on another when they were at their lowest. The singer states that they needed someone to hold them when they were alone and the nights were cold, and that person was their angel of mercy who helped them believe when they needed it most. The lyrics suggest that this person who helped them through the tough times had touched their soul and held them up when they couldn't fly. The singer expresses their gratitude towards this person and how they hope their love will stand the test of time.
The lyrics create a sense of vulnerability and the need for emotional support during difficult times. The singer expresses that everybody needs someone to pull them through, and that at the moment of despair, it felt good to not live in the shadow of doubt. The feeling of being held close to someone and being able to let everything out is strengthened by the lines "Lay my head on your shoulder, I finally let it all out." The lyrics express a deep emotional connection between the two people and their hope that their love will stand the test of time, and their doubts about its strength.
Line by Line Meaning
I just needed someone, somebody to hold
I was feeling lonely and needed someone to be with me
When the bottle was empty
I turned to alcohol to try and fill the void
And the nights grew cold
I was feeling lost and alone during dark times
In my hour of darkness
During the lowest point in my life
In my time of need
When I was in a difficult situation
You were my angel of mercy
You were the one who helped me in my time of need
And helped me to believe
You gave me hope and helped me see the light
You touched my soul
You reached me on a deep emotional level
When I was lonely
During a time of isolation and sadness
You held me up
You were a support system and gave me strength
When I couldn't fly
During a time of feeling stuck or stagnant
There's no words could explain
It's hard to put into words
How I feel inside
The emotions are too intense to describe
And this I tell you
I want to express something important to you
In a world full of anger
There is so much negativity surrounding us
In times gone strange
During a time of uncertainty and confusion
You held me close
You provided comfort and closeness
You held me close to you
You offered physical and emotional closeness
Lay my head on your shoulder
Resting my head on you felt comforting and safe
I finally let it all out
I was able to express everything that had been bottled up
It felt good for a moment
I experienced temporary relief and release
Not living in a shadow of doubt
No longer living in a state of uncertainty and confusion
But everybody needs a little something
Everyone needs help from time to time
To pull them through
To help them during a difficult time
I gave one for the other
I gave you love in return for your support
And God knows that the other was you
I am grateful for the support you gave me
Now only time will tell
Only the future can reveal what will happen
If our love is scratched in sand
If our love is fragile and easily lost
Or if it's etched in stone
If our love is strong and lasting
If our love will stand
If our love can survive challenges
Or walk the road alone
Or whether we will have to face difficulties alone
Can you bring my hands to yours
Can we connect and be close
Can you teach my soul to fly
Can you help me find freedom and happiness
Can you save me
Can you help me during a difficult time
Angel of mercy
A caring and compassionate presence
It's time we closed the door
It's time to move on from the past
Put out the lights
Put an end to the difficult times
And burn the fire
Let go of the pain and struggle
You pulled me through
You helped me overcome difficulties
And this I tell to you
I want to express my gratitude to you
Lord know I'd tell it to you
I want you to know how much you mean to me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MAURICE MCALISTER, TERRY VAIL
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.