AVID R&B continues with its Five Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Etta James complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details (where available)
“Miss Etta James”; “At Last!”; “Second Time Around”; “Etta James” and “Sings For Lovers”
Etta James had a tough life! Born to a 14 year old mother and with no father in sight she was farmed out to foster parents where she suffered both physical and mental abuse. Later in life, perhaps unsurprisingly, she followed the all too familiar route of drug and alcohol dependency which led to ill health and many visits to rehab centres and psychiatric hospitals. However, way back as a 14 year old her singing talents had been noticed while singing in a doo wop group. At this point she ran into Johnny Otis who took her under his wing, changed her name from Jamesetta Hawkins to Etta James and the name of the group to The Peaches and got them signed to Modern Records. While attempting to write a reply song to the Hank Ballard hit “Work With Me, Annie” he and Etta came up with “Dance With Me, Henry” which would go on to be a Number 1 smash in the R&B charts and would set Etta James on her way to solo success.
CD1
1-10: ‘Miss Etta James’
1. Dance With Me, Henry
2. Do Something Crazy
3. W-O-M-A-N
4. My One And Only
5. I Hope You’re Satisfied
6. Good Rockin’ Daddy
7. Hey, Henry
8. Strange Things
9. That’s All
10. How Big A Fool
11-20: ‘At Last!’
11. Anything To Say You’re Mine
12. My Dearest Darling
13. Trust In Me
14. Sunday Kind Of Love
15. Tough Mary
16. I Just Want To Make Love To You
17. At Last
18. All I Could Do Was Cry
19. Stormy Weather
20. Girl Of My Dreams (As Boy Of My Dreams)
21-25: ‘Second Time Around’
21. Don’t Cry Baby
22. Fool That I Am
23. One For My Baby
24. In My Diary
25. Seven Day Fool
CD2
1-5: ‘Second Time Around’
1. It’s Too Soon To Know
2. Dream
3. I’ll Dry My Tears
4. Plum Nuts
5. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
6-15: ‘Etta James’
6. Waiting For Charlie To Come Home
7. Guess Again
8. A Lover’s Mourn
9. You Can Count On Me
10. If I Can’t Have You
11. Something’s Got A Hold On Me
12. My Dear
13. Nobody But You
14. Let Me Know
15. Spoonful
16-25: ‘Sings For Lovers’
16. Don’t Take Your Love From Me
17. How Do You Speak To An Angel
18. Fools Rush In
19. Don’t Blame Me
20. Someone To Watch Over Me
21. Again
22. I Want To Be Loved
23. It Could Happen To You
24. These Foolish Things
25. Prisoner Of Love
