Etta James - Heart & Soul: A Retrospective (2011)

Because of her blues-based comeback in the '90s, Etta James is usually thought of by the general public as a blues singer, but there's a good deal more to the picture than that, and this well-chosen and stunningly varied four-disc anthology, the first extensive survey of her entire career from 1955 to 2008, makes clear that Etta James has long been one of the best singers of her generation -- in any style. In many ways James resembles a female Ray Charles in her unerring ability to tackle (and sometimes combine) all of the strands of American popular music, from rock & roll to R&B, blues, country, gospel, jazz, and pure pop and soul, while still maintaining a distinct feel and sound that is all her own, and she has done this throughout a five-decade career that is astounding for its consistency. There’s so much to marvel at here, beginning with 1955's "The Wallflower" (an answer song to Hank Ballard's "Roll with Me Annie") and ending with a previously unreleased version of Rodney Crowell's “Ashes by Now” from 2008. In between, this set shows off the range of this impressive artist, who tackles everything from orchestral pop (her signature "At Last" from 1960), torch songs ("Don't Cry Baby" from 1961), gospel ("Something's Got a Hold on Me" from 1962), and heart-wrenching soul ("Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind," both from 1967) to the unclassifiable (Randy Newman's gothic and lusty "Let's Burn Down the Cornfield" from 1974). It’s all here, drawn from James' incredible recording career on the Modern, Argo, Chess, Warner Bros., Fantasy, Island, Private Music, and RCA Victor imprints. Yeah, Etta James can sing the blues. She can sing anything she wants to, and there’s plenty of proof of that in this welcome (and long overdue) retrospective.

Tracklist:
1 01. Etta James - The Wallflower (AKA Roll With Me Henry) (Single Version) (03:04)
1 02. Etta James - Good Rockin' Daddy (Single Version) (02:25)
1 03. Etta James - Crazy Feeling (Single Version) (03:16)
1 04. Etta James - W.O.M.A.N. (Single Version) (02:44)
1 05. Etta James - Tough Lover (02:08)
1 06. Etta James - The Pick Up (Single Version) (02:20)
1 07. Etta James - Every Night (a.k.a. Baby Baby Every Night) (Single Version) (02:22)
1 08. Etta James - Sunshine Of Love (Single Version) (02:24)
1 09. Etta James - Strange Things Happening Every Day (Album Version) (02:29)
1 10. Etta James - All I Could Do Was Cry (02:55)
1 11. Etta James - My Dearest Darling (03:02)
1 12. Etta James - If I Can't Have You (02:50)
1 13. Etta James - I Just Want To Make Love To You (Single Version) (03:06)
1 14. Etta James - My Heart Cries (Single Version) (02:34)
1 15. Etta James - Spoonful (Single Version) (02:48)
1 16. Etta James - A Sunday Kind Of Love (03:16)
1 17. Etta James - At Last (02:59)
1 18. Etta James - Stormy Weather (03:07)
1 19. Etta James - Trust In Me (02:58)
1 20. Etta James - Don't Cry Baby (02:25)
1 21. Etta James - Fool That I Am (02:56)
1 22. Etta James - Waiting For Charlie (To Come Home) (02:05)
1 23. Etta James - Next Door To The Blues (02:48)
1 24. Etta James - Something's Got A Hold On Me (02:49)
1 25. Etta James - These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) (03:59)
2 26. Etta James - Stop The Wedding (02:50)
2 27. Etta James - Pushover (02:55)
2 28. Etta James - Would It Make Any Difference To You (02:39)
2 29. Etta James - Pay Back (02:39)
2 30. Etta James - Two Sides (To Every Story) (03:01)
2 31. Etta James - Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Live At The New Era Club,1963) (04:16)
2 32. Etta James - Lovin' You More Every Day (03:20)
2 33. Etta James - I Wish Someone Would Care (02:36)
2 34. Etta James - Breaking Point (Single Version) (02:25)
2 35. Etta James - Only Time Will Tell (03:21)
2 36. Etta James - It's Here For You (03:03)
2 37. Sugar Pie DeSanto - Do I Make Myself Clear (02:59)
2 38. Etta James - Lover Man (Oh Where Can He Be?) (03:52)
2 39. Etta James - In The Basement (Pt. 1) (02:21)
2 40. Etta James - I Prefer You (03:03)
2 41. Etta James - It Must Be Your Love (02:58)
2 42. Etta James - 842-3089 (Call My Name) (02:59)
2 43. Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind (02:33)
2 44. Etta James - Tell Mama (02:21)
2 45. Etta James - Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (02:58)
2 46. Etta James - The Same Rope (02:38)
2 47. Etta James - Security (02:28)
2 48. Etta James - Almost Persuaded (03:20)
2 49. Etta James - You Got It (02:24)
2 50. Etta James - The Soul Of A Man (03:13)
3 51. Etta James - Miss Pitiful (02:24)
3 52. Etta James - Losers Weepers (Pt. 1) (03:00)
3 53. Etta James - I Found A Love (Single Version) (03:28)
3 54. Etta James - Never My Love (03:52)
3 55. Etta James - Sail Away (Album Version) (03:59)
3 56. Etta James - Down So Low (Album Version) (03:42)
3 57. Etta James - All The Way Down (05:36)
3 58. Etta James - God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (03:39)
3 59. Etta James - Feelin' Uneasy (02:46)
3 60. Etta James - St. Louis Blues (Album Version) (04:31)
3 61. Etta James - Let's Burn Down The Cornfield (03:43)
3 62. Etta James - Lovin' Arms (03:50)
3 63. Etta James - How Strong Is A Woman (Album Version) (03:25)
3 64. Etta James - Damn Your Eyes (04:10)
3 65. Etta James - Higher Ground (03:54)
3 66. Etta James - What's Wrong (04:03)
3 67. Etta James - I've Got Dreams To Remember (04:28)
3 68. Etta James - Whatever Gets You Through The Night (03:48)
3 69. Etta James - Out Of The Rain (Album Version) (04:34)
3 70. Etta James - A Lover Is Forever (Album Version) (03:18)
3 71. Etta James - There's Something On Your Mind (Album Version) (05:59)