Etta's Pique at Obama Comes With The Turf

Soul singing icon Etta James has never been one to bite her tongue over a real or perceived insult. But Etta outdid herself this go round with her name call at a part of the president's anatomy (his ears), and then cavalierly blew him off with the he's not my president line. The really surprising thing about what otherwise would be laughed off as nothing more than the petulant loose lipped pique of an icon actually got some news legs.

This has less to do with her insulting jibe at Obama than that a noted African-American, a legend if you will, would have the temerity to take a shot at Obama. Two weeks ago that would have been unthinkable. James of all people should if anything fall down on her knees and shout Hallelujah to Obama. The slow dance he and Michelle did to Etta's enshrined standard "at last" brought a warm glow to millions and much praise and adulation, and probably more jingles to cash registers for the CDs of the song. That fattened James's reputation and bank account.

And there is no record that James objected to pop megastar Beyonce serenading Obama with her standard. In fact the report is that she applauded the song and the president and the first lady's dance duet to it at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on January 20.

But that was two weeks ago. In that time Obama has suffered through the embarrassment of three tax cheating nominees, the prolonged legislative arm wrestle with Republicans to get his stimulus package through, and some low intensity carping and picking at his decision to keep Bush's Faith based initiative intact complete with the odious provision that essentially permit church groups that receive federal cash to discriminate against any and everyone but their own in hiring. The slight dull on Obama's glow was topped by a double digit drop in his popularity rating.

This was inevitable. The honeymoon for all presidents, even historic presidents, doesn't last. The reality of governance and the hard knocks that come with it come with the White House turf. The sad thing about that is that some of the knocks and the ones who do the knocking can get personal, even ugly.

James could have just as easily chided Obama for not inviting her to sing her trademark song, at the inauguration festivities, without the personal dig and then the blow off. But that wouldn't have made headlines, got the tongues wagging, and surprisingly gotten more than a few heads nodded in agreement with her.

Obama wisely let it pass. A crack from a pop singer, even a legendary one, pales in importance to the titanic fight to rescue the economy, cut a deal with the Russians on its nukes, and figuring out the next move in Afghanistan. There simply will never be an at last to the verbal hits on whoever sits in the White House, no matter what the size of his or her ears.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is How Obama Won (Middle Passage Press, January 2009). http://www.learnhowobamawon.blogspot.com

Comments

[gracie99]

Etta James' comments were funny and intended to be a jesting way of expressing being a bit miffed at not being invited to sing her standard (which she probably would have done a lot better than Beyonce although maybe not so danceably).

The guy with big ears could have made a little crack back -- certainly Etta James is worth responding to -- in the spirit of fun...if he weren't such a dull, policy wonk.

Thanks to Hutchinson for grousing briefly about Obama's hands off approach to the faith-based initiatives. Those hurt people who desperately needed help but, with government programs shrunk to near-nothing, could only get it from government-funded religious huckster groups -- and many people will choose to go hungry and homeless rather than endure help tied to pressure to convert. It's disgusting to force people who need help to take it wrapped in sermons.

It stinks that Obama is unable to see that his moves to win 2012 votes from the religious right hurts some of the most vulnerable and needy in our society. His program for America seems to be leaving most of the needy under Bush disenfranchised as he focuses on sucking up to the middle class and the god-worshipers.

I'm with James: He's just some guy with ears that stick out comically until I see him do something substantial for the poor and suffering. A $10/month withholding tax cut for malnourished and even homeless working poor doesn't count.

[Paciano65]

I thought Etta James died decades ago.

[monmouth]

I had always been a fan of Etta's, unfortunately for me, this nasty slam at Beyonce (she was serious, she doesn't mock) will be her legacy. This is how she will be remembered, and her ungracious remarks about the POTUS was over the top. I'm sure she was drunk but still no excuse....­.

[Nommo]

That may be how you wish to remember her, but if you are really a long time fan as you claim, you'll pay no attention to that at all. She is not a function of your needs or fantasies. She is an artist and artists have always been outrageous. Outrageously talented, innovative, or whatever, its how they got your attention in the first place.

You should be reminded that she is simply exercising the same freedom that you have done so here. Speech.

[mmgbizgirl]

Joke or not, it was in bad taste.

[moodygirl]

So who is Etta James' president? I don't think we should worry about Obama's ears, it's what's between them that's important.

[Kiabell04]

Um, I hate to tell you, but just because one is African-American doesn't mean they will or HAVE sang praises to Obama's name. I know of a few and they're in my family.

[mcole]

i still think she was joking.

[MsTLynne]

A very stupid, tasteless joke.

[pottery]

i AGREE. Poorly as it was stated, it was a joke. Some people simple cannot rise to a level of graciousness that might have been expected of such a star. She wanted to sing it. It is hear song.

And, Beyonce ain't all that in the end. She's equally a marketing phenom and talented singer. I'm sure Ms James resents that more than anything.

[DinkSinger]

Since my friend, Ann Hampton Callaway, just released her new album "At Last" featuring this song, all this "controversy" is great. As she explained to the Daily News yesterday, Etta James was joking. Mock anger is pretty typical of the banter performers, especially "divas", use between numbers.

The song was already a standard when Ms. James recorded it in 1961. The original Glenn Miller release reached number 14 on the pop charts. Etta's version reached number 47 (number 2, R&B), but it is her signature song. By the way, Ms. Callaway, released an album of signature songs, titled "Signature", a few years back.

[benjaminblue]

The song "At Last" does not belong to Etta James!

Written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren specifically for Glenn Miller & His Orchestra's appearance in the 1941 movie "Sun Valley Serenade," the song was performed first by Glenn, with guest vocalists John Payne and Lorraine Elliot, during the shoot, but it was cut before the film's release. In 1942, the Miller band made a studio recording of the song (with a vocal by its usual ballad singer, Ray Eberle) and performed the song again in the movie "Orchestra Wives" (with an additional vocal by Pat Friday).

"At Last" has also been performed to great effect by Doris Day as well as by Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, the Gene Harris/Scott Hamilton Quintet and Cyndi Lauper, among others.

Ms. James may have had a "hit version" of the song nearly two decades after it was written, but she was simply riding on Glenn Miller's coattails. He brought it to the public's attention and made it a beloved classic.

Today's know-nothing pundits have taken the easy route, crediting Ms. James with the song and perpetuating the myth that she originated it, but the song was -- and always will be -- Glenn Miller & His Orchestra's initial creation that resonates most.

[TheBrainsBehindPa]

"...resona­tes most" with you maybe (which is just fine, don't get me wrong) but for most of the rest of us it was Etta James' signature interpretation of "At Last" that makes it the enduring classic it is. As long as she is alive and continues to perform it, that song belongs to her and nobody else.

[Nommo]

Besides, you don't want to get into talk about Miller's thieving ways.

[larry278]

Etta James is a world legend. We whites are in the habit of stealing good things from Afro/Americans; we stole her but the world took Etta for everybody since Etta is a great. Since Etta is a diva she's allowed to behave like a diva.

[FaceYourFears]

: )

[pottery]

A very good take on it. I haven't been to a cabaret, small theater performance in a while, and this sort of resonates with me. Just between her, and the audience she was entertaining at the moment. :D