At Last
Joelle said at some point on October 30, 2007 while listening to Etta James - These Foolish Things
I decided to go out last night. Where? To my favorite dive, the Lamplighter, for karaoke, of course! I’m not a big goer-outer anymore, not since I started using a walker and eating dinner at 4:30. OK, seriously, I just got out of the habit. Back in the early 90’s, I sang at a little piano bar whenever I had the chance. Then, in the mid-90’s, I went out to karaoke with my friends about 5 nights a week, but then I moved to Dallas where karaoke wasn’t quite as big of a deal as it is here. Over the five years I lived there, I mellowed and got older and well… just stopped going out as much, especially during the week.
Well, last night Lyn convinced me I should come out for one song at least and since it’s right up the street, I really had no excuse. Mondays are normally dead, so I expected to find it empty, but there were quite a few people in there. Lyn showed up (with cupcakes!) and we settled in at “our end” of the bar for some chit chat. A couple songs and a couple cocktails later, she hit the road. I was going to go home, too, but I decided it was time I sang something I’d never done before. My voice had warmed up enough, I was feeling pretty good about it (though that could have been liquid courage), so I signed up for Etta James’ At Last.
WHY have I never sung this song before?!
It was like the planets had aligned. It’s right in my range, I was relaxed enough that I didn’t overthink it and the crowd was really into me last night for some reason, so yeah… I’ll be doing that again. I found myself wishing the song had been longer, just so I could have let that moment linger just a little bit. It’s been a long time since I felt that feeling when I sing — that feeling like everything makes sense and I’m doing something I was made to do. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I’m not sure how else to describe it.
If you think that song was originally done by Martina McBride (Glen Miller first recorded it in 1941) or you’ve never heard it before (you must live in another solar system), please allow me to share. 
Enjoy!
Etta James - At Last
(Please save to your desktops! Thanks!)
Moxie Design Studios™
Of COURSE you can sing that song! Have you heard you? Sheesh.
I’d be scared to try it myself, but maybe sometime in the future when I’m feeling warmed up and haven’t been talking over a crowd for 2 hours prior to giving it a go, you never know...(Although my dream is to try singing “Somethin’s Got a Hold of Me” by Etta. God I love that song...)
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@Faith: You should totally sing that. I ‘m listening to it right now…
Cocktail: Mudslide
I just LOVE this song! I’ve always like it and heard it again when I watched “The Other Sister”....they play that song at the end of the movie when the couple are riding off into the sunset after having just gotten married....
Thanks for the download!!
Cocktail: Mudslide
**kicks spellchecker**
um, that should have been “I’ve always LIKED it . . .”
from Michigan
I love Etta! Tell Mama is one of the greatest songs EVER. I love it. Much.
I totally want to hear you sing, Joelle! What’s a girl got to do? I mean, a girl who doesn’t live in San Diego....
from san diego • Cocktail: margarita
HA! I had dinner next door at Jimmy Carter’s!!
Great song, btw..
This was the song I walked down the aisle to at my wedding! I love it.
from SW Indiana
Etta Jame’s “Love’s Been Rough on Me”, is great, but “Time After Time” is the greatest of all time. You’ll love her rendition of “My Funny Valentine”. Got your book last week and can’t wait to read it. Happy early birthday by the way.
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@lasvegasles: You’re very welcome.
@Tina: well, you can either come visit or whenever I get around to recording, I’m sure I’ll have some available for listening.
@daniel: See, if you’d only walked 10 feet, you could have heard me sing… hehe! I’m going to try to start going on Mondays more if you ever feel like venturing out.
@Laura: Aw.
I’ve always loved it, too.
@Reeder: Yeah, her version of Funny Valentine is great. I love most versions of that song, though. I’m rather partial to it. Thanks for picking up the book… and for the birthday wishes.
from Houston • Cocktail: Mango Mojito
Dude, if someone thinks Martina McBride birthed that song, that someone should take a carp to the face.
That is my all time favorite song! I’m so jealous that you can actually sing it! I just get to listen, trust me, it’s better that way.
from SD CA (this week) • Cocktail: Red Headed Slut
trav and i missed that? bummer.
Record you singing it, get it converted to mp3, and let’s hear it!
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@Deltus: Um… no? I’m not just going to slap out a little tape recorder and do that. No way. lol. I’m going to do it properly or not do it at all.
from Houston, Texas
That’s one of my favorite songs ever. If I ever get married, that’s my first dance song.