Etta James Quotes

I was a sloppy kid, wanted to be just wild.

I took back my life.

I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to do was let them hear what I had in mind.

I really turned into, you know, the real street kid. I was kind of like a runaway, but I had a mother, you know what I mean, and I had a place to stay.

I like to shop, but I don't like to go out to dances.

I figured I could do 'It's A Man's Man's Man's World', because I believe it's the truth.

I don't care who's playing. Even if it's my favorite artist, I'm probably not gonna go and see him.

Even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude.

Country music has the great stories.

Bobby Womack is always very real, both with his music and as a person.

All the things I used to like - cookies, ice cream, gumbo - I don't like anymore.

A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.

When I sing for myself, I probably sing for anyone who has any kind of hurt, any kind of bad feelings, good feelings, ups and downs, highs and lows, that kind of thing.

My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that.

I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.

I sing the songs that people need to hear.

I am so happy that I am alive and can walk.

But even so, I still get nervous before I go onstage.

And as I started reaching deeper I realized that most of the blues of that day was done by men. Women just didn't have the nerve.

What happens is, when I perform, I'm somewhere else. I go back in time and get in touch with who I really am. I forget my troubles, my worries.

They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

My mother always wanted me to be glamorous. When I thought about that, it really fired me up, and once I lost all those pounds, I started to feel really good about myself.

Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about. I don't.

You can't fake this music. You might be a great singer or a great musician but, in the need, that's got nothing to do with it. It's how you connect to the songs and to the history behind them.

When I look out at the people and they look at me and they're smiling, then I know that I'm loved. That is the time when I have no worries, no problems.