Etta James - Her Best: The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection (1997)

Whether she sings string-laden pop ballads, lively soul, or gritty electric blues, James's high-powered, enormously expressive voice displays a knack for passionate blues inflections. Emotionally charged ballads including "At Last" and "All I Could Do is Cry" find James blasting through the orchestra with unearthly wails and moans. "If I Can't Have You," a duet with Harvey Fuqua, drops the orchestra in favor of horn-driven R&B and "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is a gospel-flavored romp reminiscent of Ray Charles. A live version of Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" shows her raunchiest Chicago-blues style, and "In the Basement," with Sugar Pie DeSanto, is a funky workout. Also here are three classics from her soul-drenched 1967 Muscle Shoals sessions. –Marc Greilsamer

Tracklist:

01. At Last 03:01
02. All I Could Do Is Cry 02:55
03. If I Can't Have You (duet with Harvey Fuqua) 02:50
04. A Sunday Kind of Love 03:17
05. My Dearest Darling 02:59
06. Something's Got a Hold on Me 02:48
07. Trust in Me 02:59
08. Next Door to the Blues 02:47
09. Don't Cry Baby 02:25
10. Fool That I Am 02:57
11. Two Sides to Every Story 03:02
12. Pushover 02:54
13. Stop the Wedding 02:52
14. In the Basement, Part One (duet with Sugar Pie DeSanto) 02:20
15. Baby, What You Want Me to Do (live) 04:18
16. I'd Rather Go Blind 02:35
17. Security 02:29
18. Loser's Weepers, Part One 03:00
19. All the Way Down 05:35
20. Tell Mama 02:20