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.
W-O-M-A-N
Etta James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking about you, a man
Always ready to go
When it come to movin' daddy
Baby, you're almost gold
Oh, oh, oh
A woman
A woman
You ain't got nothin' in your pocket
To keep no girl alive
But she got somethin' for all you men
Somethin' to make you cry
Ha, ow, ow, ow
I'm a W.O.M.A.N.
A woman, yeah
A woman
Now Davy Crockett
He was the king of the wild frontier
I'd take him down
If he had his old dead self here
Now Jesse James and Frank James
Baddest men in the land
We got some women, who'd make 'em eat now
Out of your hand
Now John Dillinger
The woman in red got him
Now teach all you hardies about a W.O.M.A.N.
Ow, ow, ow
I'm a W O M one A and a N
A woman
A woman
I'm a woman child
And I ain't lyin'
For sure I'm a woman, yeah
And I ain't hardly died yet
Woman
One little rib tickle
From the side of bed, yeah, yeah
They call us woman
Oh, yeah
Oh, oh yeah
The song "W-O-M-A-N" by Etta James is a powerful statement about womanhood and the power of women. James paints a picture of a confident and self-assured woman who is in control of her own life and her own sexuality. In the opening lines, James sings about a man who is always ready to go and is almost like gold when it comes to moving. She contrasts this with the idea of a woman who is able to wield her power and make men cry. James proclaims herself to be a woman, emphasizing the power and confidence that this word connotes.
In the later verses, James namechecks famous men like Davy Crockett, Jesse James, and John Dillinger, who were known for their violence and aggression. But she also points out that there are women who are just as powerful and who can make these men eat out of their hands. The song ends with James proclaiming herself to be a woman and saying that one little rib tickle is all it takes to call her that.
Overall, the song is a celebration of womanhood and a rejection of the idea that women are somehow weaker or less capable than men. It is a powerful statement of female empowerment and a call to arms for women everywhere.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, oh, oh yeah, oh
Expressing enthusiasm, eagerness and excitement to talk about womanhood.
Talking about you, a man
Referring to men generally and their characteristics.
Always ready to go
Men are sexually motivated and always want to engage women in intimate acts.
When it comes to movin' daddy
As far as sex is concerned.
Baby, you're almost gold
Men's sexual prowess is not all that impressive. It's comparable to brass but not quite gold.
I'm a W.O.M.A.N.
Proudly declaring her femininity, her strength and capabilities as a woman.
A woman
Emphasizing her gender identity.
You ain't got nothin' in your pocket
Men are not materially wealthy or financially secure.
To keep no girl alive
Men are unreliable and not suitable to provide long-term security to women.
But she got somethin' for all you men
Women are not just sexual objects or materialistic entities - they have their value too.
Somethin' to make you cry
Women can be emotional too and their presence can make men emotional as well.
I'm a W.O.M.A.N.
Reiterating her pride in being a woman.
A woman, yeah
Emphasizing her gender identity once again.
Now Davy Crockett
Referencing historical figures, suggesting that women can rule over men in any era.
He was the king of the wild frontier
Describing how the traditional outlook of men as kings and women as not capable was changing.
I'd take him down
Asserting her dominance over men.
If he had his old dead self here
She's claiming she could take on a man, even if he were alive and at his peak. He's no match for her.
Now Jesse James and Frank James
Another historical reference to describe notorious men and how they met their match in women.
Baddest men in the land
Acknowledging the men's reputations as tough and dangerous.
We got some women, who'd make 'em eat now
Women are equally tough and fierce and can hold their ground against such men.
Out of your hand
Describing the ease with which women can lead men.
Now John Dillinger
Referencing another historical figure who was notorious and powerful.
The woman in red got him
Explaining how women have the power to attract men and control their actions.
Now teach all you hardies about a W.O.M.A.N.
Challenging men to accept that women are capable and strong, and they deserve respect and recognition.
Ow, ow, ow
Expressing the pain of men who have been underestimating and belittling women, but now have to accept their strength.
I'm a W O M one A and a N
Spelling out the word 'woman' to emphasize each letter and what it represents - power, capability and strength.
A woman
Reiterating and emphasizing the importance of gender identity.
I'm a woman child
Acknowledging that femininity is not something that fades away with age; it's an essential part of one's identity.
And I ain't lyin'
There's no pretense or exaggeration about her assertion of being a woman. It's the truth.
For sure I'm a woman, yeah
Stating firmly and confidently that being a woman is what she is - there's no doubt about it.
And I ain't hardly died yet
Declaring her strength and vitality as a woman. She's not giving in to patriarchal norms that expect women to be submissive and weak.
Woman
Summing up the whole song and asserting the importance of the word 'woman.' It's a powerful word that deserves respect, recognition and empowerment.
One little rib tickle
Men are weak and vulnerable when their rib is touched. It's a metaphor for showing how women have the power to hurt and control men.
From the side of the bed, yeah, yeah
Even when men are in their most vulnerable state, women can still take control.
They call us woman
Reiterating the significance and power of the word 'woman.'
Oh, yeah
Concluding the song with another expression of enthusiasm and excitement about being a woman.
Oh, oh yeah
Reiterating the opening line and expressing the same sentiment, but with a greater degree of intensity and empowerment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ABBY MALLORY, DOROTHY HAWKINS, JEAN MITCHELL, ETTA JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@solaidback21
The Queen of the Blues, Soul,Jazz, Standards, Gospel, Country, Funk and anything else under the sun... She has sung it all and done it better than just about everybody else. ETTA
@staysee75
Etta James is one of the 'Funk Soul Sisters'....her music is DEEP I am only 37....but it is something about her music
@Daniellechard
Etta you move me. You send me to place that is so sweet. Your powerful voice is breathtaking!!. Be free lovely lady!!!
@MissyIfeeloved
Every time I hear At Last it moves me to tears... R.I.P Etta... the spirit of you will live on forever through your music. X
@SusanAngeletti
This song Woman sung by Etta James is soo fantastic,she is tearing it up, singing so great with that huge soulful voice!! Love that vocal intro!! Etta got the chops to beat baby!! This one really make you wanna move!! Yeah baby!!!
@raygrey5281
Lovely. If only there was such a thing as "God" and "heaven" :)
@DeboraGauziski
RIP, amazing Etta! We love you, and your voice will last forever on Earth.
@reneematte8426
Merci daktaris via Etta James 🎼💜🌺🙋🎼
@spammie29
Etta.... R.I.P. :( Thank goodness the music still prevails! :) Can't do that without putting allot of feeling into your music.
@michaelmcaullife2386
Hi happy mother's day grandma love orianthi and blues