Etta James - At Last! - Wayne Federman

·1 hr 9 min·5 clips

Josh Adam Meyers describes pulling into his street to find the building across from his on fire.

The episode begins with host Josh Adam Meyers promoting listener surveys and upcoming live shows, then introduces guest Wayne Federman. Meyers mentions his hurry to catch a flight to Tampa and Cozumel to avoid a New York snowstorm. The conversation starts with casual banter about previous episodes, the Epstein scandal, and a comedy group called Straight Jacket Comedy. They transition to Etta James, with Federman noting his recent discovery of her song 'Don't Go to Strangers', later covered by Amy Winehouse. Meyers shares a story about visiting a London bar associated with Winehouse. The hosts discuss the album 'At Last!', focusing on the title track's placement as the second song on side B and its status as a wedding staple. They debate whether overplay diminishes a song's quality, with Meyers defending 'At Last'. Federman provides background on Etta James's life, including her mother being 14 at her birth, her heroin addiction, and her signing with Chess Records' subsidiary Argo. They explain how Chess aimed to crossover her from blues to pop with lush string arrangements. The episode touches on the song 'I Just Want to Make Love to You', written by Willie Dixon and covered by multiple artists. Meyers and Federman highlight tracks like 'Anything to Say You're Mine' and 'A Sunday Kind of Love'. They discuss the music era of the early 1960s, between rock and roll's birth and the British Invasion. The conversation reveals Etta James's feud with Beyoncé over the performance of 'At Last' at the Obama inaugural ball and Beyoncé's portrayal of her in 'Cadillac Records'. The hosts wrap up with favorite songs, Federman recommending the album for fans of vocal standards, and Meyers teasing the next episode on Kanye West.

As heard by us

A lively, loose discussion of Etta James, crossover polish and a Barry Gordy writing credit.

Etta James sits at the center of a loose, curious conversation about how such a formidable singer might have been presented to a wider audience.

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Why you'd press play

You'll hear the hosts wonder how Etta James was being positioned, then follow a Barry Gordy songwriting connection toward Motown and some gloriously tangled movie detours.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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