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Etta James — At Last
Album: The Best Of Etta James
Avg rating:
8.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2101









Released: 1974
Length: 2:55
Plays (last 30 days): 0
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song

Oh yeah yeah
At last

The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you

I found a dream, that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known

Oh yeah yeah
You smiled, you smiled
Oh and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine...

At Last
Comments (123)add comment
Stunning.
will always remind me of Northern Exposure!!
Etta James version released in 1960. 
It occurred to me that there is a paucity smooth, sultry and dulcet toned singers it seems in the 21st century. I invite suggestions to follow up.
 markybx wrote:
I'm sure this is an excellent piece of music, unfortunately I'm not old enough to appreciate it. I grew up with this kind of music, it's what my parents listened to. Then I discovered the antidote: Led Zep, Floyd, Crimson, ELP...  {#Roflol}

Why do you say you're too old?  Do you like Mozart?  Beethoven?  Tommy Dorsey?  Jimmy Dorsey?  Johnny Cash?  Beatles?  Alt-J?

Good music lasts, and will continue to please new listeners.
10!
 lizardking wrote:

Sing it, Jamesetta!  I remember fondly the hours of listening to this (and the rest of) your Greatest Hits CD while doing my solo-cross country drive (Phila to Seattle, via Las Vegas) - I didn't have many disks to listen to, and many miles of radio-less road.  Something about the rich quality of your voice made me feel un-alone, and I thank you for that.  PEACE




I fell in love with "Hank Wilson's Back." by  Leon Russell while riding in the back of an over crowded VW.

 Edweirdo wrote:


What if one doesn't like it?


Then you skip it. But .. I expect that you are wrong. ;)
 markybx wrote:
I'm sure this is an excellent piece of music, unfortunately I'm not old enough to appreciate it. I grew up with this kind of music, it's what my parents listened to. Then I discovered the antidote: Led Zep, Floyd, Crimson, ELP...  {#Roflol}

Funny that you consider yourself "not old enough" to appreciate this, when according to your profile you're old enough to be my parent, and I appreciate it just fine.  No accounting for taste, I suppose.
 Edweirdo wrote:


What if one doesn't like it?

me, responding to this comment on basically any other song: "That's fine! Different people like different things!"

me, responding to this comment on At Last: [quietly begins unpacking exorcism supplies from backpack]
One of the greatest singers singing one of the greatest songs!!! 10
Sheer vocal perfection and perfect emotion
 niseywee wrote:

Had the pleasure of seeing Etta James with Houston Persons at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO in 1998. It was one of the most memorable performances I have seen.




Must have been a GREAT SHOW!!!!!!!!!
 talexb wrote:

This can only be a 10. Perfection.




Agreed! ICONIC!!!!!!!!!
 talexb wrote:

This can only be a 10. Perfection.



What if one doesn't like it?
This can only be a 10. Perfection.
Thanks RP.
Funny thing... when this started, I thought it was Demon Days by Gorillaz... similar openings. Now I'm getting Demon Days following this!
Had the pleasure of seeing Etta James with Houston Persons at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO in 1998. It was one of the most memorable performances I have seen.
Raise your hand if you danced to this at your wedding......of course because we were 40 years old........
When we married in 2013, we played this song in the church. 



Always a 10!
An absolute knockout. Even the slightly off key strings at the end are perfectly judged. 
Terrific voice ❤️
Tried to bump this up, but long ago ranked it 10.
Always fantastic.
 coloradojohn wrote:
GOOD LORD! Here we hear what they all wanted to be, tried to be, died to be... Here is a song that can both stop and start your heart!
 
I give this amazing song a strong 10 and this comment a strong 8. My sentiments exactly. 
 sunflowerbee wrote:
 

Silk...
10....10....10   
 jvalatka wrote:
This is currently the only track credited to a woman that appears on the Radio Paradise Classic Top 60 (excluding tracks that feature female vocalists, such as Clare Torry in Pink Floyd's "Great Gig in the Sky").

Feel free to explain yourselves.
 

 
Patsy Cline and Nina Simone have snuck in since your post, but a big part of it is that almost half the slots are hogged by 4 artists - Pink Floyd, The Beatles (I'm including John's Imagine in their count), Jimi Hedrix, and Led Zeppelin. Make of that what you will.
Great, great, great!!!!

Sing it, Jamesetta!  I remember fondly the hours of listening to this (and the rest of) your Greatest Hits CD while doing my solo-cross country drive (Phila to Seattle, via Las Vegas) - I didn't have many disks to listen to, and many miles of radio-less road.  Something about the rich quality of your voice made me feel un-alone, and I thank you for that.  PEACE


Nice curve on the stats. Contrast it with that for the song before, or after.

As pithy as it gets: this one is highly rated because people like it–or that is the inference I draw from the high correlation between rating this song highly and the strength of the drive of the same people to focus their attention on the song when it is being played (or even when they are consciously seeking out that song, from any of a number of available sources, in order to listen to it, for any number of reasons, none of them negative).
 {#Shhh} {#Shhh}
                                       
GOOD LORD! Here we hear what they all wanted to be, tried to be, died to be... Here is a song that can both stop and start your heart!
Never tire of this one. A big 10 for me.
 markybx wrote:
I'm sure this is an excellent piece of music, unfortunately I'm not old enough to appreciate it. I grew up with this kind of music, it's what my parents listened to. Then I discovered the antidote: Led Zep, Floyd, Crimson, ELP...  {#Roflol}

 
Let me correct you, This is an excellent piece of music...
 markybx wrote:
I'm sure this is an excellent piece of music, unfortunately I'm not old enough to appreciate it. I grew up with this kind of music, it's what my parents listened to. Then I discovered the antidote: Led Zep, Floyd, Crimson, ELP...  {#Roflol}
 
How strange. . . is this more a self conditioning aspect of disregarding what your parents listened to rather than appreciating the music for what it is? 

Are you saying that if your parents listened to a piece of music that you can't appreciated it because they did? 

Oh dear. . . 

 
I'm sure this is an excellent piece of music, unfortunately I'm not old enough to appreciate it. I grew up with this kind of music, it's what my parents listened to. Then I discovered the antidote: Led Zep, Floyd, Crimson, ELP...  {#Roflol}
Any better? How? A godlike 10.
This is currently the only track credited to a woman that appears on the Radio Paradise Classic Top 60 (excluding tracks that feature female vocalists, such as Clare Torry in Pink Floyd's "Great Gig in the Sky").

Feel free to explain yourselves.
 
Walked down the aisle to this song  <3  :)
 splendiferous .. {#Music}
Ahhhhhhhh.......
Queen of the blues..
No one sings it like Etta!
 hugogdt wrote:
Everytime I listen to this pearl in RP I want to ckick for a 10 rating and discover I have already done it ... of course!! {#Hearteyes}

 
Oh yeah!!
Everytime I listen to this pearl in RP I want to ckick for a 10 rating and discover I have already done it ... of course!! {#Hearteyes}
 oldfart48 wrote:
{#Sunny} just doesn't get any better than this...........

 
Truth!!!
Awful!
 rdo wrote:
If music was all about voice, then songs like this would surely deserve its high rating.  Alas, that is not what music is about.  Never was, never will be.  I gave this a 4. 

 
Rdo:

No offense but that's just about the most asinine comment I've read here on RP.  Come over here for a second and let me....
 
 burdell wrote:
I don;t care how wonderful her voice is, I don't want to hear this at 9am when trying to get my day started.

 
LOL!  Yeah...well...for some of us it's the proper time of day to hear this....
Hot and sexy and my, my, my . . . 
{#Fire} aaahhhhhh...............the goddess speaks............
{#Sunny} just doesn't get any better than this...........
Oh Man!
This is just beautiful.........................{#Heartkiss} 
 burdell wrote:
I don;t care how wonderful her voice is, I don't want to hear this at 9am when trying to get my day started.

 
It's 10 PM somewhere.
Just beautiful.
Really does it for me!!! 
 jmkate wrote:

      this song raises the hairs on your arm....



Webfoot wrote:


53 years later!

 

From before you were born, in my case.
When I hear this song, I think of my wife. And swoon… {#Heartkiss}
I think the ratings arch kind of somes it up...that girl could sing.
everything about this song is a gift, a perfectly crafted and wonderful moment musically and vocally    
again 100
"if i could sing like paul mccartney
or get funky like etta james"


bob welch, fleetwood mac
 
Etta had such control. Rhythm and pitch are perfect.
NEED A 20 OR 100 BUTTON{#Sunny}
 jmkate wrote:
this song raises the hairs on your arm....

 

53 years later!
this song raises the hairs on your arm....
I don;t care how wonderful her voice is, I don't want to hear this at 9am when trying to get my day started.
This gave me chills.
 d-don wrote:
A voice like  

 

better butter, no fat, just sustanance
 rdo wrote:
If music was all about voice, then songs like this would surely deserve its high rating.  Alas, that is not what music is about.  Never was, never will be.  I gave this a 4. 

 

gee a 4, not bad for someone who is obviously both tone deaf, and soul-less{#Clap}....judging from your usual noise......the only way this could be better? a duet with Ray Charles..........
{#Sunny}10s are not easy in my world, this be the kind......{#Notworthy}
Easiest 10 Ever.
Just had a moment....thank you....
Saw Etta at Newport Jazz Festival years back.We cruised there on the QE2. What a talent she was. Sadly they have both sailed into the sunset.
Splendor incarnate.
That stopped everything.  Beautiful.
 rdo wrote:
If music was all about voice, then songs like this would surely deserve its high rating.  Alas, that is not what music is about.  Never was, never will be.  I gave this a 4. 

 
How edifying.
10

this woman is awesome 
If music was all about voice, then songs like this would surely deserve its high rating.  Alas, that is not what music is about.  Never was, never will be.  I gave this a 4. 
"I found a dream that I could speak to..."

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Love it.  Love it.
A voice like  
This post apparently contained an image that was dragged into the post editor. Sorry, but any text contained in the post after this point has been lost.
Fantastic voice!
 robbeek wrote:
Wait...Foo Fighters/Yo-Yo Ma with Allison Krauss/Coldplay/Blind Melon/Aimee Mann/Etta James...

Holy sh*t Bill, my mind is blown!!  You should put this on a cd, stamped like a business, so when people ask what you do, you just hand them this set.  

Thanks, you made my drive home in L.A. traffic pretty damn cool today!  {#Clap}
 
 



..same set today & totally agree..go ahead & play these monthly, RP!..kudos..
Wait...Foo Fighters/Yo-Yo Ma with Allison Krauss/Coldplay/Blind Melon/Aimee Mann/Etta James...

Holy sh*t Bill, my mind is blown!!  You should put this on a cd, stamped like a business, so when people ask what you do, you just hand them this set.  

Thanks, you made my drive home in L.A. traffic pretty damn cool today!  {#Clap}
 
 linzie wrote:
Help...did I hear this in a movie? Why am I thinking Jerry Maguire??
 
think it was Pleasntville, with Toby Maguire and Reese Witherspoon
You can't go wrong with this song. I think it is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Ah...radio paradise indeed !
 
Hope this song is the beginning of an associated hour of classical R&B. Fantastic!
 calypsus_1 wrote: 

As does Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPierre AKA Cher.
 Sleepytyme wrote:
 
 


My darling wife remained single for -  let's just say -  quite a bit longer than most of her friends.  So guess what song was played as this radiant creature walked down the aisle to meet me as chills went down my spine.
Doesn't get any better than this - a fabulous song 
 
Bill....many thanks for keeping it real all these years.  The breadth and quality of this programming is unmatched ANYWHERE on earth.

Thank You!
Mmmercy!!
 Ballzak wrote:
Oh yes, Etta....  DO IT to me, BABY!

—This is really sweet, you want really sexy?  Listen to her cover Randy N's "Leave Your Hat On."  Oh, that get's a rise out of me every time!—
 

Elegant, beautiful and from the heart. 
At Last...., but not for nearly long enough. You will be truly missed, Ms. James.

How brutal - after Aimee Mann  - who can't sing a pure note to save her life, you follow with Etta James at her best.. cruel...
Oh yes, Etta....  DO IT to me, BABY!

—This is really sweet, you want really sexy?  Listen to her cover Randy N's "Leave Your Hat On."  Oh, that get's a rise out of me every time!—


So good...
ah yes
oh yes
here's beyonce doing it at the inaugaration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-pzlZPRvx8
 mgoldman wrote:
Ella? er... you mean Etta?  {#Yes}

 

 

{#Yes}    {#Propeller}
 unclehud wrote:
I'm sure this song will garner a big share of negative comments, but to all ya'll:

Before you dismiss this song, especially, Ms. James' version, consider this.  Is this communicating a powerful emotion?  And does the singer's voice and phrasing underscore the complete devotion and appreciation reflected in the lyrics?

I'd like to hear a male vocalist try it.
 
Me thinks you need to readjust your finger on the pulse of the RP listeners. At 9.2 as of me typing. 
Ella? er... you mean Etta?  {#Yes}

 
Alexandra wrote:
Sing it, Ella! {#Notworthy}
 


Sing it, Etta! {#Notworthy}

Help...did I hear this in a movie? Why am I thinking Jerry Maguire??
 renostve999 wrote:
Absolutely awesome!
 
Absolutely.
Absolutely awesome!

I only give 10s to songs that I can't imagine a way in which they could be improved. This one gets a 10.
this one goes to 11
I'm sure this song will garner a big share of negative comments, but to all ya'll:

Before you dismiss this song, especially, Ms. James' version, consider this.  Is this communicating a powerful emotion?  And does the singer's voice and phrasing underscore the complete devotion and appreciation reflected in the lyrics?

I'd like to hear a male vocalist try it.
...delving deeply through the radio paradise library this afternoon; i like it!..
Oh, hell yes!
Finally!  I mean...  
dionysius wrote:
"At Last" indeed. TTTU.
indeed and you're welcome. now, to be played...