Beyond 'At Last'

If you've ever been to a wedding reception, a bachelorette party, or just watched some of the festivities from Barack Obama's inauguration, chances are you can sing the next line: "My looove has come along."

The song is "At Last," and it made Etta James a crossover star almost 50 years ago. Turns out she's grown rather protective of it, too, judging from her recent bitter remarks about Beyonce singing "my song" as the Obamas danced to it back in January.

It's become a standard in both the pop and jazz canons, and I agree that James's rendition is definitive. But most casual music fans' knowledge of her catalog doesn't go beyond that song. In an informal office poll, no one could name three other Etta James classics. (You can cheat: "All I Could Do Was Cry," "A Sunday Kind of Love," and "Tell Mama.")

When James, 71, takes the stage at the House of Blues for a sold-out show tonight, you're going to hear a lot more than "At Last." Here, then, is a purely subjective appraisal of her other finer moments on record.

"Trust in Me" (from "At Last!," 1960) Copping the prom-night vibe of "At Last," James toes the line between sweet pop singer and tawdry R&B shouter.

"Seven Day Fool" (from "Etta James Rocks the House," 1964) Some of James's most electrifying performances are her live ones, and this entire album is a classic both for James's energy and the crowd's raucous response to her.

"You Can Leave Your Hat On" (from "Etta James," 1973) Long before Joe Cocker made it a hit, James got down and dirty on this early-'70s funk number that sounds like a precursor to Chaka Khan and Rufus's "Tell Me Something Good."

"Lovin' Arms" (from "Come a Little Closer," 1974) James isn't especially known for keeping her thunderous voice in check, but when she does, like on this slow-burner, she can turn a ballad inside out.

"Take It to the Limit" (from "Deep in the Night," 1978) Yes, a cover of the Eagles hit. In James's hands, though, it's less a pop song than a desperate plea with a brassy horn section and soaring choir.

"I'd Rather Go Blind" (from "I'd Rather Go Blind," 1992) Available on various compilations, this live version of her standard has a twangy, after-hours feel. James admits in her introduction that she always fantasized about being a "country and western singer."

"In the Basement, Pt. 1"(from "The Essential Etta James," 1993) With Sugar Pie DeSanto backing her, James makes a convincing case that the rowdiest party of all is the one you can throw in your basement.

"I'll Be Seeing You" (from "Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday," 1994) Having mastered R&B, soul, pop, and rock, James turns her attention back to jazz. Her spare take on Holiday is a master class in sophistication.

"Losers Weepers" (from "Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest," 1997) Warning another woman to step away from her man, James certainly isn't going to play the loser on this irrepressible winner from her Chess Records years.

"I Got You Babe" (from "Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions," 2001) Recorded in 1967 and taken from an album every Etta James fan should own, her version rocks the boat much harder than Sonny and Cher's anthem ever did.

"The Sky Is Crying" (from "Blues to the Bone," 2004) Feeding off an electric guitar, James's performance is lean and resolute on this cover of an Elmore James blues staple.

"Purple Rain" (from "All the Way," 2006) A bit gimmicky, sure, but James covering Prince is sort of ingenious. She sounds at ease here, even worked up, as her voice scales the kind of bombastic chorus she was made to sing.