Understanding the ‘feud’ between Etta James and Beyoncé
Beyoncé has consistently shown immense admiration for the vocal icon Etta James, honouring her legacy on various occasions throughout her career, most notably in the 2008 Darnell Martin film Cadillac Records. However, a particular incident involving Barack and Michelle Obama and a rendition of ‘At Last’ left James feeling discontented.
James first established her unmatched musical presence with her captivating debut album, At Last. Released by Argo Records in 1960, the record soared to number 12 on the Billboard Top Catalogue Album chart. Among its ten tracks, four were released as singles, with the title song standing out as a particularly powerful and truly standout single.
The origin of ‘At Last’ dates back to the 1941 musical Sun Valley Serenade, where the song was initially composed by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon for John Payne and Sonja Henie. Despite being recorded by Glenn Miller and his orchestra several times, ‘At Last’ wasn’t fully utilised in the film due to studio decisions. The vocals by Payne and Henie were eventually erased, leaving instrumental versions in the movie.
This decision proved beneficial, as the 1942 version, performed by the same duo in the film Orchestra Wives starring Anne Rutherford and George Montgomery, became immensely popular. Once again orchestrated by Miller, this version surpassed its predecessor in popularity. Additionally, a Ray Eberle and Miller rendition was distributed by RCA Victor as a US Army V-disc in 1943 during World War II, sent overseas to soldiers and military personnel.
Since 1942, numerous artists have embraced the song as a beloved classic. Beyond Miller’s numerous renditions, artists like Ray Anthony, Gene Watson, Celine Dion, and Beyoncé have all offered stunning interpretations of the track. However, James’ rendition stands out as exceptional — true to the nature of a great artist, she transformed the song into something uniquely her own.
In 2009, however, James was not delighted after Beyoncé’s rendition of the song was used by Barack and Michelle Obama for their first dance at their inaugural White House Ball. “I can’t stand Beyoncé,” James snarled at the time. “You know your president, the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain’t my president. I tell you, that woman he had singing for him, singing my song, she gonna get her ass whopped.”
However, James later admitted that her words came from a place of jealousy and that it all appeared to be a joke blown out of proportion. “I didn’t really mean anything,” she insisted. “Even as a little child, I’ve always had that comedian kind of attitude. That’s probably what went into it”.
“I was feeling left out of something that was basically mine,” she reportedly said, “That I had done every time you look around.” However, James also said could have performed the song better herself.
“That’s a shame to say that,” she added, “I always thought [Obama] was handsome and he was cool. I still had my joke about him. That might be horrible. The President might not ever like me in life. He’s got other stuff [to worry about] besides Etta James.”
