In November 1960, Etta James released her signature song “At Last”. The standard was originally written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren in 1941, and successfully recorded by Glen Miller and his Orchestra. Etta James’ version, however, is arguably the most famous rendition of the song and became a standard in its own right. In this article, we will dive into the story behind “At Last”, particularly Etta James’ version.
Etta James’ Background
In the 1950s, when Etta James was still a teenager, she formed the girl group the Creolettes (later renamed the Peaches). The group was discovered by Johnny Otis, who helped them sign a deal with Modern Records. In 1955, Etta James and the Peaches had a hit with “The Wallflower” (also known as “Roll with Me, Henry”).
But by 1960, the Peaches had broken up and Etta James desired a musical change. And when her contract with Modern Records expired, James decided to sign a deal with Chess Records.
“I saw the switch from Modern to Chess as an upgrade,” Etta James wrote in her biography. “I was tired of doing quickie teenage rockin’, humping, and bumping ditties. Besides, I was no longer a teenager. I was twenty-two and sophisticated. Or at least I wanted to be sophisticated.”
“So when Harvey [James’ partner at the time] got out his Book of One Hundred Standards and began playing through old songs, I got excited. I saw in that music the mysterious life that my mother had led when I was a little girl, the life I secretly dreamed of living myself.”
At Last
One of those old songs was, of course, “At Last”. The song was originally written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the 1941 musical film Sun Valley Serenade. An instrumental, recorded by big band conductor Glenn Miller, was used in the film. A year later, a vocal version of “At Last” was used in the film Orchestra Wives. Glenn Miller later released another version of the song as a single, which became a hit.
Chess Records’ owner Leonard Chess was excited about James’ idea to cover old songs. “When he heard what me and Harvey were up to, he rushed me into the studio.” Leonard Chess instructed Chess Records’ house band leader Riley Hampton to make a string arrangement for “At Last”, as he felt Etta James’ voice had pop potential.
The recording of “At Last”, together with 9 other (mostly cover) songs, eventually made up the track listing of Etta James’ debut album “At Last!”. The title song was released as a single and reached number two on the US R&B hit charts. “At Last” peaked at number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The Song’s Legacy
Despite its relatively poor chart performance, Etta James’ version of “At Last” grew out to be an absolute classic. “Thirty-five years later, they’re still asking for it,” Etta James stated in her 1995 biography. “Because of the way I phrased, some people started calling me a jazz singer. Others were saying I was the new Dinah Washington. I was flattered by the comparison.”
Over the years, many other artists released their interpretation of “At Last”, including Cyndi Lauper, Gladys Knight, and Joan Osborne. Musical giants like Celine Dion and Beyonce even had success with their rendition of the song. But none come close to Etta James’ version of “At Last”, which Rolling Stone ranked number 115 on their list of the Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
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