It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of honoring original artists rather than competing with them.
Etta James expresses a sentiment that when she performs songs originally created by other artists, her intention is not to overshadow them or engage in rivalry, but to pay homage and show respect for their artistry. This reflects a deep appreciation for the creative contributions of others and highlights the collaborative spirit of music as an art form.
In practice
This is a great quote to use when discussing the importance of musical influence during a lecture.
Jazz took too much discipline. You have to come in at the right place, which is different than me singing the blues, where I can sing, 'Oh, baby,' if there's a pause in the melody. With jazz, you better leave that space open, or put in something real cool.
I figured I could do "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World" because I believe it's the truth.
I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.
The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.
When I'm singing the blues, I'm singing life.
People always say 'Etta, you know what your problem is? You're neither fish nor fowl. There is no place to rack you.' When I would go in a record shop, you might find one or two records by me in different stacks.
It's the group sound that's important, even when you're playing a solo.
It was stumbling on to really the bible of the blues, you know, and a very powerful drug to be introduced to us and I absorbed it totally, and it changed my complete outlook on music.
When the band plays fast, you play slow; when the band plays slow, you play fast.
No one has any respect for someone who can play a million notes per minute but can't put together a decent tune that someone can sing to or feel some sort of emotion from.
Few rappers realize the genre sprang from West African griots through Delta slave songs to jazz poetry and the comedic trash talk of 'the dozens.'
Remember the first time you went to a show and saw your favorite band. You wore their shirt, and sang every word. You didn't know anything about scene politics, haircuts, or what was cool. All you knew was that this music made you feel different from anyone you shared a locker with. Someone finally understood you. This is what music is about.
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