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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Mca
Salesrank: 16951
Released: April 6, 1999 |
| Our Price: $6.87 |
| Used Price: $2.44 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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20th Century Masters: The Best Of Etta James (Millennium Collection) Track Listing:
1. At Last
2. Something's Got a Hold on Me
3. All I Could Do Was Cry
4. Stop the Wedding
5. Pushover
6. Don't Cry Baby
7. Trust in Me
8. My Dearest Darling
9. Tell Mama
10. Almost Persuaded
11. I'd Rather Go Blind
Editorial Review:
The 20th Century Masters series is the best-selling single-artist line in music history and is being re-released by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) in its ground-breaking, environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable, continuing the company's long-standing commitment to being "green."
To further reduce the amount of paper in the Eco-Pack, the CD booklet will no longer be offered. Official liner notes are easily accessible on the Internet at http://www.ilovethatsong.com/green.UMe is the first North American music company to replace the traditional jewel case with recycled paperboard sleeves and the plastic tray with trays made from PaperFoam®, a new packaging technology from Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, that is paper-recyclable and biodegradable. Shorewood Packaging is the first North American packaging supplier to produce disc trays from PaperFoam®.Description of 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Etta James (Millennium Collection):
Few vocalists can muster the power and sass of Etta James when she's rocking the mike on classic R&B tunes like "Tell Mama" or "Something's Got a Hold on Me." But James also had a way with a ballad, and her sensitive readings of songs such as "At Last" and "All I Could Do Was Cry" made her a fan favorite in the early '60s. Had she not been sidelined for a while by an addiction to heroin, today we might think of James, not Aretha, as the Queen of Soul. Because this set offers only 11 cuts, it's generally inferior to Her Best: The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection, which boasts 20 tunes. Still, it's a satisfying intro to the delightful "Miss Peaches" nonetheless. --Daniel Durchholz
20th Century Masters: The Best Of Etta James (Millennium Collection) Reviews:
Look Elsewhere for the Blues 
2008-12-01 - The reviewers who pointed out that this disc is short on blues (mostly pop-influenced string arrangements)and short on music (less than 32 minutes playing time) wre absolutely right. If you want a single disc , go for "Her Best" (Chess, 1997), containing 20 of her best blues sides. The double disc "The Essential Etta James" (Chess, 1993) expands that to 44 cuts. Other excellent choices are "Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions" (MCA/Chess,2001) and her live masterpiece "Etta James Rocks the House" (MCA/Chess, 1964).
A living legend 
2007-07-25 - Etta James has gone over a long, long and kaleidoscopic road around the most different rhythms and categories; soul, blues, country and ballads appear beautifully phrased and remarkably sung, thanks to her prestigious and refined voice and enviable charisma.
More than a successful singer, she has become a real icon of the pop throughout these years.
THERE ARE BETTER SELECTIONS, BUT THIS I DO LOVE
2007-01-31 - for those who prefer etta's early material, this is essential. though there are better selctions out there, this one will surely satisfy. i wish that they put IN THE BASEMENT on here, but hey, a lot of the etta i dig is included here.
her early stuff 
2006-11-11 - I enjoy listening to Etta James' early recordings a lot more than what she has been doing for the past few years. Her voice was a lot sharper and crisper then, now it is more gravelly. Plus the productions and arrangments of the recordings were a bit better. Having said that, I am giving this CD 4 stars, not five, because there are only 11 songs on it, and I can think of many more songs by Etta James that would have to be included on a "Best Of" release, but for a budget CD, it's a greatlisten.
A fiery and passionate Ms. Etta James delivers!
2006-05-22 - Etta James was and continues to be one of the greatest female vocalists of her time. Her voice is rich, vibrant and capable of conveying every emotion there is on the planet. This CD is a great choice if you are looking for a budget priced introduction to Etta's work.
Etta could--and can--sing just about any type of song. Whether it's about the joy and fulfillment of a new found true love ("At Last,") the angst of being left behind for a new lover ("Stop The Wedding," "I'd Rather Go Blind,)" or the frustration of getting caught up and used by other people who are just playing games ("Pushover,"), Etta delivers an incendiary and unforgettable performance. Her heart is completely committed to each song on this CD; and my only complaint (which costs it one star) is that it doesn't have as much material as it should have. I agree with other reviewers who write that the CD entitled Her Best : The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection is a better choice if you don't mind spending the three extra bucks.
Right from the start, Etta possessed the capacity to smoothly handle many different types of music and this built for her a sizable repertoire. She could do a passionate, traditional style ballad ("At Last,") a song influenced by gospel ("Something's Got A Hold On Me," "All I Could Do Was Cry,") or really rock when she recorded the song "Tell Mama." Awesome!
The quality of the sound is great; Erick Labson at MCA Music Studios did a superb job of digitally remastering this song set. The liner notes boast a lengthy essay about Etta written by Joseph F. Laredo. You get the song credits and recording dates for each song--a nice plus! There are a few really nice photos of Etta taken in the 1960's as well.
All in all, this is not a bad CD--IF you want just a starter and you prefer to stick within a budget. If you really want a more comprehensive view of Etta's talent then try the CD entitled Her Best : The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection. Either way you go, however, one thing is clear: Etta's talent is abundantly clear on either CD and we are better off because of her fine contributions to the arts!
