Etta vs Beyonce
 

LOS ANGELES - It’s a feud that spans a generation — music legend Etta James has put modern superstar Beyonce on blast for singing her signature song, “At Last,” at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball after Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration.

“I tell you, that woman he has singing for him, singing my song, she gonna get her ass whipped,” James told a crowd at a concert in Seattle on Jan. 28. “I can’t stand Beyonce, she had no business up there singing ... my song that I’ve been singing forever.”

But it seems the feud is one-sided. Beyonce recently portrayed the older singer in the film “Cadillac Records,” where she performed “At Last” among other songs, and the two had the chance to meet at the film’s L.A. premiere, where Beyonce sang her predecessor’s praises.




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I don't think she was happy with her performance....neither was I.

It's not like Etta owns the rights to the song, though. She wasn't even the first to perform it.

I'm not going to lie, though - her version is the best - it's just causing all this controversy over a song that you don't even own the rights to is a little pointless.

I can't believe she said that Obama wasn't her president.

Actually, people say all kinds of crazy things. Especially old people.

I just assumed that Etta James was dead and that's why Beyonce was singing it.

Well...Etta is certainly alive and kicking! I don't agree with everything she said, like the bit about Obama, but she said she was joking, so should it even be an issue anymore?

In any case, I thought Beyonce's version was 'aight.' She was out of tune for most of the song. It would have been nice to bring James, a living musical legend into the mix for the event. I mean everyone and their irrelevant mama was performing for the president. Will.I.Am...come on...

Etta may not own the rights to the song, but as far as I'm concerned, she "owns" that song, no questions asked. I don't want to hear anybody but her sing it, and when I do hear her sing it, I want my wife (whom, as you'll recall, alphagamzetagam, wins at life) really close by. Top of the romantic playlist, no contest. ;)

I would agree with that but at the same time, as much as it's "her" song, it's not! So really she's creating a big stink over something that she has no right to or control over.

Honestly - if Beyonce needs an ass whooping from her, she needs Glenn Miller to come back from the dead to whoop hers. Which, by the way, his version tops hers on the charts.

Oh, I get what you're saying. I'm just saying that, as far as I'm concerned, Etta James so rules with that song, she can get just as azycray about it as she wants to and she'll still get a pass from me. :D

Beyonce should get her ass kicked for singing any song.

I miss the Destiny's Child Beyonce, not this one. I can't stand her.

I agree.

She was balanced in Destiny's Child. Now there's nothing to balance her out.

A man after my own heart. :)

:) Ditto...but with my man and not your wife.

Glen Miller's original and Nat King Cole's remake are a a different vibe. Etta James made that into her signature to the point where you respect what came before it and dismiss what came after it (even Ben E. King's remake that came a year after). Dozens of singers have remade this song (some of them really good...others are oversung and undersoul like Beyonce's) and Beyonce is the first to really get a lot of attention and commercial success since Etta James.

I hate Beyonce's version and I did not enjoy listening to her sing it during inauguration ball so I turned down the volume. I have the Cadillac Records CDC and I always skip over Beyonce's At Last.

:( Really? Etta James is still performing.

I wanted to see her instead of Beyonce at the inaugration ball but Etta James was supposedly sick.

Ahahaha..I thought the exact same thing.

I blame B's other personality, Sasha Fierce with her robo hand and strange eyebrows.

I don't follow celebrities and concerts have gotten awefully expensive, so I don't go very much.

I own the Etta James At Last! album though! :) (and believe it or not, I only have around 40 of them.)

Exactly. I think she's got a huge ego. I also can't stand Jay Z (but enjoy his older music) so maybe that has something to do with it.

I do however enjoy her sister Solange. I heard one of her songs and though it's not a genre I frequently listen to, I thought it was pretty good. I also loved her in that Bring it On movie.


Beyonce's True Hollywood Story is on right now.

I am sure that this goes WAY beyond the singing of "At Last." Remember Cadillac Records? Be-a-bitch played Etta.

I think Etta does not like her -- period-- and knows she can outsing her. I don't think she liked the way she played her in the movie, either. Add insult to injury when B is asked to sing a song that Etta is famous for singing...

Etta could own Be-a-bitch by blinking her eyes. Seriously. Anyone who has any taste in music can hear the sheer talent that oozes out of Etta. No big productions on her albums. It's just that big old voice. Be-a-bitch is nothing but screechy overproduction on her songs.

I would love to see old girl kick B's ass.

Anyone ever listened to I'd Rather Go Blind, Finders Keepers, or All I Could Do Was Cry? Just wow. Etta rocks.

"All I could do was cry" is a song that words do no justice in describing.
Beyonce can't even begin to cover that song.

I saw Cadillac Records and I was okay with Beyonce until I heard her sing At Last. All of the actors sang their own songs but I really wanted Beyonce to just lip sync to Etta's At Last. :)

This is a fun Etta James and Chuck Berry performance. I assume that's the guitarist from Rolling Stones in the band. This is cute especially since I saw Cadillac Records: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z2wu...eature=related

I think Etta's anger is misplaced. I think she's pissed at the fact that, instead of getting to sing the song she made famous, a currently famous person got to sing it instead. She'd probably be heated no matter who was asked to sing it--especially a pretty young lady at the top of the career, not unlike Etta was when she first covered the song. That'd put a bad taste in anybody's mouth (and has many times before this).

Is it that serious:confused:

It is to you, apparently.

It's like Faye Dunaway beefing with Hilary Duff over Bonnie and Clyde talking about "could you have cast a 'real actress?'" LOL

Duff was like "I would feel like that, too, if I looked like that at her age." LOL


I agree with BOTH of them. :p


http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailym...ight_alert.php

No. Just asked a question. Thanks for caring though.:)

Apparently you aren't aware of that nickname given to her by interweb peeps much funnier than myself.

And, apparently you aren't aware of the fact that I'll snark on anyone in any given situation if I choose.

I don't see how making a snarky remark about someone means the situation is serious. :confused::confused::confused: Lollers.

Snark =/= serious

=/= = awesome

This is all I needed to know.

Given your choice of words, you seemed serious, hence me asking the question.

Apparently I wasn't aware of the nickname, hence me asking the question.

As far as making a snarky comment, do what the fuck you will, its your post.:D

Is it that serious:confused:

It is to you, apparently.:)

No. Just asked a question. Thanks for caring though.:)

No problem:cool:

I do not think there is any real issue here... James loves to cut up during her concerts, and she was just making the audience laugh... She appeared with Beyonce at the cadillac preimiere all friendly and gracious, and she immediately admitted that what was said was nothing serious...

Secondly, I am not a Beyonce fan, but her role in Cadillac, esp compared to her previous acting endeavors, was fairly good...

ANYWHO, someone on youtube did this well edited duet of James vs Beyonce singing the song... I think we are just use to the song having a much richer voice than B's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRCV7JGJOsk

Oh dear, Beyonce broke into At Last! on the Oscars - Etta's gonna beat her down!

I AM GONNA BEAT HER DOWN!!! :mad:

The musical interlude did not need her.

That musical interlude did not need to be in the Oscars.

Srsly.

I think this is the consensus. LOL.

I feel a little embarassed for the guy who did the interlude and for Hugh.

Etta better watch out - her version is now in a Hoover commercial!

I was thinking the Oscars were SO GOOD this year.... till Beyonce took the stage. Were any of her films nominated? No? Then she had no place being there.

But she is Beyonce.....we should all bow in her presence.... :mad:

As I was watching the dancing piece, I was like.... "Oh, girl....no, you didn't!"

That was such a slap in Etta's face.....it didn't belong there and it was just plain wrong...