Posted on 09/06/2009 8:04:10 PM PDT by kingattax
Beyoncé's rendition of "At Last" at the presidential inauguration hit a sour note with at least one person - the woman who made the song famous.
At a concert last week in Seattle, legendary crooner Etta James slammed Beyoncé for serenading President Obama with her signature song.
"I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song, she gonna get her ass whupped," James told an audience at the Paramount Theatre, sarcastically calling her "The great Beyoncé."
James didn't finish there.
"I can't stand Beyoncé," she spit out on an audio clip posted on Allhiphop.com, adding that Beyoncé "had no business ... singing my song that I been singing forever."
On inauguration night, Beyoncé kicked off the Neighborhood Ball with an emotional performance of "At Last."
As Beyoncé fought back tears, Obama and his wife, Michelle, swayed cheek-to-cheek in their first dance of the night, creating one of the lasting images of the evening.
Two weeks ago, James' son told the Daily News his mom, who has suffered health setbacks after gastric bypass surgery, was moved by the performance.
And the pair didn't seem to have a problem with each other last year when they posed together at the premiere of "Cadillac Records," in which the younger singer portrayed James.
The audio clip also reveals that the 71-year-old James apparently isn't very fond of Obama, either.
"You know your President, right? You know the one with the big ears?" she asked the audience. "He ain't my President."
A spokeswoman for Beyoncé said she had no comment.
Remember the next day Etta apologized for saying all that!
First impression was the correct one!
Etta James, “At Last” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVI254QGSQ4
” Um, “At Last” was first recorded by Glenn Miller in 1942.”
Yes, it was. And, Um, it sucked. Etta James made it, Um, one of the great moments of pop vocal history. I love Glenn Miller. But he and the male singer who did the recording didn’t get the song. The ring and soulful expression of Etta’s voice (it comes from her TOES, man) turned a ho-hum chart into a classic.
” I KNEW there was a reason I liked Etta Jones. “
It’s James.
Etta James.
Etta James.
Right you are. A few posts after I wrote mine, I corrected myself. "At Last" was the tune my Daughter-In-Law picked for her first dance with my son at their wedding.
I know! I was sitting cracking up watching that video thinking of ZERO watching Beyonce doing EGO and seeing Michelle’s face and getting ready to clobber him. I am still laughing as I write this.
For someone who chose the handle Humble Servant, you don’t sound particularly humble. I think you have condescending nailed, though. Just an observation...
Night.
Etta's obviously a racist.
Do you have a link, PKM?
GO
GI-I-R-R-L!
I was pissed when I heard the big B was singing your song to zero. Tasteless for all on ALL accounts. You tell 'em Etta!
Wish I could have been there at the Paramount listening to this fantastic lady!
lol
I didn’t say I sounded better than Miller’s recording, I said Etta did. How does that impinge on my humility? As for condescension, my tone was derived from, and targeted at, the, Um, condescending tone of YOUR original message.
Geez, I didn’t question Miller’s patriotism, incredible contributions to the American music scene, or virility. For crying out loud, I just said the truth, which is that Etta James’ recording of “At Last” beast the living snot out of Miller’s. For the record, my mother likes Miller’s recording better, and doesn’t get Etta’s version at all. I haven’t disinvited her to Thanksgiving over it, I just make sure i play it whenever she comes over. She has a right to be wrong and ignorant, and so do you.
Gonna go find that CD.
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