Collected - Etta James (2LP Vinyl)

Collected by Etta James.

Few voices in American music carry the weight, the ache, and the sheer defiance that Etta James poured into every performance, and this expansive four-sided collection gathers a remarkable sweep of her catalog into one place. Across these thirty-eight tracks, you get the full range of an artist who refused to be boxed in, moving from rowdy early rockers to devastating ballads and gritty blues without ever losing the unmistakable grain of her voice.

Side A alone is a survey of her essentials. It opens with "The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry)" and "Good Rockin' Daddy," the kind of early sides that announced a star, then deepens into signature performances like "All I Could Do Was Cry," "At Last," and "Trust In Me." Her take on "I Just Want To Make Love To You" smolders, while "Something's Got A Hold On Me," "Pushover," "Tell Mama," and "I'd Rather Go Blind" close the side with a run that few singers could match. This is the sound that made her a legend.

Side B leans harder into soul and grit. "Security," "Quick Reaction And Satisfaction," and "Losers Weepers - Part 1" show her at her most commanding, and "I Found A Love" keeps the fire going. The side stretches her reach with "All The Way Down," "Feelin' Uneasy," and "Groove Me," before an unexpected turn into "Only Women Bleed" that reminds you how freely she moved across material.

The third side is where the collection reveals its depth. "Damn Your Eyes" and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" sit alongside the standard "Embraceable You," proving her instincts as an interpreter, while "Born Under A Bad Sign" plants her firmly in the blues. "Say It Isn't So," "Miss You," "I Don't Want It," and "You Took It" round out a set that rewards close listening.

Side D carries that momentum to the finish. "You Got Me (Where You Want Me)," "The Blues Is Business," and the aching "Misty Blue" showcase her control, and "If It Ain't One Thing," "I Hope You're Satisfied," and "If I Can't Have You" keep the emotional stakes high. The closing stretch of "Spoonful," "In The Basement - Part 1," and "Give It Up" sends the collection out with the raw, joyful energy that ran through her whole career.

For anyone building a serious jazz and blues shelf, this is the kind of anthology that does the work of several records at once. It is a portrait of Etta James in full, and it belongs in any collection that takes her legacy seriously.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry)
A2. Good Rockin' Daddy
A3. All I Could Do Was Cry
A4. At Last
A5. Trust In Me
A6. I Just Want To Make Love To You
A7. Don't Cry Baby
A8. Something's Got A Hold On Me
A9. Pushover
A10. Tell Mama
A11. I'd Rather Go Blind
B1. Security
B2. Quick Reaction And Satisfaction
B3. Losers Weepers - Part 1
B4. I Found A Love
B5. All The Way Down
B6. Feelin' Uneasy
B7. Groove Me
B8. Only Women Bleed
C1. Damn Your Eyes
C2. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
C3. Embraceable You
C4. Born Under A Bad Sign
C5. Say It Isn't So
C6. Miss You
C7. I Don't Want It
C8. You Took It
D1. You Got Me (Where You Want Me)
D2. The Blues Is Business
D3. Misty Blue
D4. If It Ain't One Thing
D5. I Hope You're Satisfied
D6. If I Can't Have You
D7. Spoonful
D8. In The Basement - Part 1
D9. Give It Up

Artist: Etta James

Format: 2LP

Genre: Blues

Label: Universal Music

Catalog Number: MOVLP2520

Release Year: 2021

Country: Import

Condition: Sealed (New)