Etta James - Don't Cry, Baby (Argo 5393)

Don't Cry Baby

It's funny how these things happen. I've been kind of ripping the house apart looking for Etta James 45s. I knew I had a couple more somewhere, and I really wanted to get one up here on The A Side. When I found Sunday Kind Of Love, I was kind of let down, because it's been seriously overplayed, probably second only to At Last. Not that there's anything wrong with that but hey, you know what I mean.

Anyway, I soon found out that this jazzy little R&B scorcher we have here was actually the plug side, climbing to #6 R&B in the Summer of 1961. It felt like some kind of message, and I truly believe it was. Etta James leaves behind an untouchable legacy that laid the groundwork for generations of women to follow. She literally invented  the kind of 'female swagger' that has enlivened the work of everyone from Aretha to Nicki Minaj. As Betty Lavette said over the weekend: "She was the bridge I came across on."

She died in her son Donto's arms... "I told her that I loved her. I said 'You were a wonderful mother, you did a wonderful job, your seven grandchildren love you, and they will be OK.' For sure, the world lost a legend today. I am very proud of her, and very thankful."

The world is a much better place because she lived in it. Don't Cry.