There is a new feud brewing on the horizon between legendary blues singer, Etta James and Beyoncê (who incidentally recently immortalized Ms. James on film in “Cadillac Records”). Etta, the originator of the classic love song “At Last,” has lashed out at Beyoncê for singing the tune during the first dance of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at last month’s Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. According to reports, Ms. James allegedly quipped at a Seattle concert, “You guys know your president, right? You know the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain’t my president, he might be yours, he ain’t my president. You know that woman he had singing for him, singing my song–she’s going to get her ass whipped. The great Beyoncê. I can’t stand Beyoncê,” she spat. “She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol’ president day, singing my song that I’ve been singing forever.”Oh, oh, it seems that Bey has stepped on yet another legendary divas’ toes. Remember last year when she referred to Tina Turner as the “Queen of Soul”, which prompted Aretha Franklin to fire off a scathing email chastising the up and coming singer. Is Ms. James being sensitive or did Beyoncê over step her boundaries by performing the song at the Inauguration Ball? Or is this all just some sort of attention seeking publicity stunt?
10 comments:
The song was written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon in 1941 and performed first Glenn Miller in 1942 sone 20 years earlier.
So it wasnt even her song.
Besides she has since apologised and said she was joking with her.
Beyonce did not refer to Tina Turner as "The Queen of Soul"!
Why do people write articles about things that they apparently have no knowledge (or second hand knowledge) of.
The video of Beyonce's introduction is on Youtube. She Simply Referred to Tina Turner as "The Queen"... period.
And Tina Turner has been referred to as "The Queen of Rock and Roll" for at least 30 years.
Hey clnmike, even though she did not write the song it is her signature song and is most identified with her. Aretha Franklin did not write, nor was she the first to record the song "Respect", yet it is clearly her song.
Peter, I stand corrected and misspoke. She did refer to Ms. Turner as simply the "Queen". My Bad!
pjazzypar,
True she definitely owns that song, lol.
But her reaction to Beyonce singing it was over done and came off as a jealous has been upset that the new kid on the block got all the light.
Originally I thought she was joking about it, but now I think she may have been drinking.
Yeah, you know Ms. Etta had been getting her sip on (LOL). But I'm not mad at her. She's earned the right to have a hissy fit or two.
As for the Queen controvesry . . . Well, some folks certainly will allow their drawers to get in a big ole twist over the littlest things, won't they? (wink, wink)
Hold it. Do we know that Etta actually said this?
X., she apologized for it later, so yes she said it. She claimed she was only kidding. I saw Etta back in 2003 and that certainly sounded like her.
Well, all I can say about the whole thing is as long as Etta keeps singing I don't really care what she has to say.
Man, between the Christian Bale tirade, the Joaquin Phoenix interview on Letterman and all this sniping between everyone you might think it's the "end of the world as we know it" in LaLaLand, lol.
I don't think Bey stepped on Etta's toes by singing the song. She was invited to sing it by whoever planned that part of the inauguration. But, I do think that the planners dissed Etta on this as she should have been the one singing to the Obamas.
Greaat share
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