Life, Love & the Blues

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Life, Love & the Blues
Studio album by Etta James

Publication
(s)

1998

Label (s) Private music

Format (s)

CD

Genre (s)

Blues, rhythm and blues

Title (number)

12

running time

59min 30 sec

occupation
  • Etta James (vocals)
  • Josh Sklair (guitar, Dobro)
  • Jimmy "Z" (saxophone, harmonica)
  • Lee Thornburg (trumpet, trombone)
  • Tom Poole (trumpet)
  • Dave Mathews (keyboards)
  • Sametto James (bass)
  • Donto James (drums, percussion)

production

Etta James, Sametto James, Donto Metto James, John Sklair

Studio (s)

Fort Athens Studio, Riverside, California

chronology
Love's Been Rough on Me
1997 		Life, Love & the Blues 12 Songs of Christmas
1998

Life, Love & the Blues is an album Etta James released on Private Music in 1998. It contains covers of songs that James has always wanted to record. The album was reissued on Sony Music in 2009.

In 1998 Etta James' voice had lost some of the clarity in the highs, but none of its flexibility and strength. The album was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album and reached third place on Billboard's Top Blues Albums.

Track list

  1. Born Under a Bad Sign Bell, Jones 3:28
  2. I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby Watson 5:56
  3. Here I Am (Come and Take Me) Green , Hodges 4:55
  4. Running Out of Lies Jordan 5:03
  5. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Gaye , Nyx, Nyx 7:01
  6. Spoonful Dixon 4:09
  7. Life, Love & the Blues James, James, Sklair 5:17
  8. Hoochie Coochie Gal Dixon 4:24
  9. Cheatin 'in the Next Room Jackson, Miller 4:57
  10. If You Want Me to Stay Stewart 5:21
  11. The Love You Save (May Be Your Own) Tex 4:01
  12. I'll Take Care of You Benton 4:58

Criticism

  • Q (3/02, p. 134) - "... Contains plenty of her usual exuberance .... powerfully moving ..." (Contains a lot of her usual exuberance .. moving and powerful.)
  • All Music Guide Tim Sheridan - .... this package of covers comes off more like the work of a tight lounge band than the work of a blues master. (... this pack of cover versions sounds more like the work of a lounge band than that of a blues expert.)
  • Amazon Editorial Review Rickey Wright: -Etta James returns to her blues and soul repertoire, enlivening even the hoariest of tunes ("Spoonful," a gender-flopped "Hoochie Coochie Gal") (Etta James returns to her blues and soul repertoire and enlivens even the grayest songs - Spoonful and a gender-sensitive Hoochie Coochie Gal - with their growls.)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c CD Universe product information
  2. ↑ a b All Music Guide Review by Tim Sheridan
  3. ↑ Amazon.com
Etta James
Studio albums

At last! • The Second Time Around • Etta James Sings for Lovers • Etta James Top Ten • The Queen of Soul • Call My Name • Tell Mama • Etta James Sings Funk • Losers Weepers • Only a Fool • Come a Little Bit Closer • Etta Is Betta Than Evah • Deep in the Night • Changes • Seven Year Itch • Stickin 'to My Guns • The Right Time • Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday • Time After Time • Love's Been Rough on Me • Life, Love & the Blues • The Heart of a Woman • Matriarch of the Blues • Blue Gardenia • Let's Roll • Blues to the Bone • All the Way

Live albums

Etta James Rocks the House • Etta, Red-Hot & Live • Burnin 'Down the House: Live at the House of Blues

Compilation albums

Early Show, Vol. 1: Blues in the Night • My Greatest Songs • Her Best • 12 Songs of Christmas • 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection • Love Songs • The Definitive Collection • The Chess Box

Singles

The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry) • Hey Henry • Good Rockin 'Daddy • WOMAN • Number One • Shortin' • Bread Rock • Tough Lover • Good Lookin • The Pick-Up • Come What May • Sunshine of Love • I Hope You're Satisfied • If I Can't Have You • Spoonful • All I Could Do Was Cry • My Dearest Darling • At Last • Trust in Me • The Fool That I Am • Don't Cry Baby • Seven Day Fool • Something's Got a Hold on Me • Stop the Wedding • Fools Rush In • Would It Make Any Difference to You • Pushover • Pay Back • Two Sides (To Every Story) • Baby What You Want Me to Do • Loving You More Every Day • Breaking Point • Bobby Is His Name • Only Time Will Tell • I Prefer You • Don't Pick Me for Your Fool • Call My Name • Tell Mama • Security • I Got You Babe • You Got It • Almost Persuaded • Miss Pitiful • Tighten Up Your Own Thing • Sound of Love • Losers, Weepers (Part 1) • Nothing from Nothing Leaves Nothing • Take Out Some Insurance • I Found a Love • All the Way Down • You Can Leave Your Hat On • Out on the Street, Again • Jump Into Love • Piece of My Heart • Sugar on the Floor • Mean Mother