| "At Last" | |
|---|---|
 1942 sheet music cover | |
| Single byGlenn Miller and his Orchestra | |
| A-side | "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo" |
| Released | 1942 (1942) |
| Genre | Pop,jazz |
| Label | RCA |
| Songwriter(s) | |
"At Last" is a song written byMack Gordon andHarry Warren for themusical filmSun Valley Serenade (1941).Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded the tune several times, with a 1942 version reaching number two on the USBillboardpop music chart.[1]
In 1960,rhythm and blues singerEtta James recorded an arrangement by Riley Hampton that improvised on Warren's original melody. Etta James's rendition was the title track on her debut albumAt Last! (1960) and was eventually inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame in 1999.[2] Most recently,Celine Dion andBeyoncé have also had chart successes with the song.
Prior to release ofSun Valley Serenade, "At Last" was performed in the film byGlenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals byJohn Payne andLynn Bari, dubbed byPat Friday. Studio headDarryl Zanuck reportedly said: "There are too many big ones in this. Let's save one for the next." The "At Last" vocal by Payne and Bari was thus deleted from the film, although instrumental versions remained, including in the Black Ice Ballet finale. The vocal version was included in the movieOrchestra Wives(1942), which also featured the Glenn Miller orchestra. It was sung byRay Eberle and Bari, again dubbed by Friday.
Unreleased recordings of the song were made in 1941 by Glenn Miller. A new version was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in Hollywood on May 20, 1942, and released by RCA Victor Records as a 78 single,[3] backed with the A-side "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo". The song entered theUSBillboard pop music chart (called "Songs with the Most Radio Plugs" at the time) on August 1, 1942, at number 17[4] and peaked at number two on August 29, 1942.[1] It spent a total of 17 weeks on the chart[5] and later became a musicalstandard.
The personnel on the 1942 studio recording of "At Last":Ray Eberle (vocals),[6]Billy May, John Best, Steve Lipkins, R.D. McMickle (trumpet), Glenn Miller, Jim Priddy, Paul Tanner, Frank D'Annolfo (trombone),Lloyd "Skip" Martin, Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet, alto saxophone),Tex Beneke,Al Klink (tenor saxophone), Ernie Caceres (baritone saxophone),Chummy MacGregor (piano),Bobby Hackett (guitar), Edward "Doc" Goldberg (string bass), andMaurice Purtill (drums).[7] The arrangement was byJerry Gray andBill Finegan.
When RCA Victor issued two 10-inch LP soundtracks toSun Valley Serenade[8] andOrchestra Wives[9] in 1954, to coincide with the theatrical reissue of the two films, the outtake version of "At Last" from "Sun Valley Serenade" was included, heard for the first time, but the version inOrchestra Wives was not. This latter rendition was eventually on LP in 1958, in the 20th-Fox double-disc (TCF-100-2) Glenn MillerCompilation of His Original Film Soundtracks.
The 1942 RCA Victor studio recording of "At Last" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra featuringRay Eberle on vocals was released as a U.S. ArmyV-Disc or Victory Disc by theU.S. War Department during World War II in October 1943 as No. 12A.[10] V-Discs were sent to American soldiers and military personnel overseas.
"At Last" has been recorded by many other artists since its original 1940's renditions. Former Glenn Miller Orchestra trumpeterRay Anthony had the highest charting recording of the song in the U.S. on the pop charts in 1952, peaking at number two on theBillboard pop singles chart and number 20 on theCashbox chart.[11] A recording byGene Watson peaked at number 61 on theBillboardHot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1991.[12]
In 2012,Christina Aguilera was invited by Etta James' family to sing "At Last" at James' funeral.[13] At the funeral, Aguilera stated that James was her idol and inspiration, and that in honour of James, she performs "At Last" at every concert.[14][15] Aguilera also recorded a studio version of the song, and it is registered withAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), but the cover remains unreleased.[16]
| "At Last" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 American single label | ||||
| Single byEtta James | ||||
| from the albumAt Last! | ||||
| B-side | "I Just Want to Make Love to You" | |||
| Released | November 15, 1960 (1960-11-15) | |||
| Recorded | 1960 | |||
| Genre | Rhythm and blues[17] | |||
| Length | 3:00 | |||
| Label | Argo | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Etta James singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio video | ||||
| "At Last" onYouTube | ||||
"At Last" became R&B singerEtta James'ssignature song and was the third in a string of successful songs from herArgo Records debut albumAt Last!. In April 1961, it became her second number two R&B hit single and crossed over to pop radio, reaching number 47 on theBillboard Hot 100. Despite its modest pop chart standing, the song is well-known and is still played regularly onoldies radio stations and has become a musicalstandard. James's recording also reached number 30 inCashbox magazine.[18][better source needed]
James's version, with its passionate vocal and sweeping orchestration, is often used for weddings and wedding receptions.[19]
After one of James's other singles, "Something's Got a Hold on Me", was sampled in two hit singles in 2011 (Avicii's "Levels" andFlo Rida's "Good Feeling"),[20] "At Last" charted in the United Kingdom for the first time at number 69. Following James's death in 2012, the song again rose in the charts and even reached the top 40.[21]
In 2009, James's version was inducted to theLibrary of Congress'National Recording Registry.[22]
In 2021, it was ranked at No. 115 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[7]
| Chart (1961) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Hot 100[23] | 47 |
| USCash Box Top 100[24] | 30 |
| USBillboard Hot R&B Sides[25] | 2 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] | 69 |
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
| Australia (ARIA)[27] | 72 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 33 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[21] | 39 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[29] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[30] | Platinum | 100,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[31] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[32] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[33] | Gold | 500,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "At Last" | |
|---|---|
 Epicwhite label promo release | |
| Promotional single byCeline Dion | |
| from the albumA New Day Has Come | |
| Released | November 2002 (2002-11) |
| Studio | |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:16 |
| Label | Epic |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Audio video | |
| "At Last" onYouTube | |
"At Last" was covered by Canadian singerCeline Dion and included on her eighteenth studio album,A New Day Has Come (2002). Dion's version was produced byHumberto Gatica and Guy Roche and released as a promotional single in the United States in November 2002.[34] There was no associated music video, and it was the last single released fromA New Day Has Come.
In January 2003, "At Last" peaked at number 16 onBillboard'sAdult Contemporary chart[35] and number 13 onRadio & Records's Adult Contemporary chart.[36] A live version of this song was included on theA New Day... Live in Las Vegas album in 2004, as Dion performed it for four years during herA New Day... show inLas Vegas.
Dion's rendition was critically acclaimed. Frédéric Garat ofRFI wrote that the song is "a lovely exercise which reveals the layer of blues hiding underneath the slightly prim and proper petticoats of the 'international star'."[37]Barnes & Noble's Editorial review commented, "Her solid rendition ofEtta James's 'At Last' should satisfy her lovelorn fans."[38] Sal Cinquemani ofSlant Magazine called it "a soulful rendition."[39]Chuck Taylor ofBillboard said that this "standard" serves her grown-up fans. However, Rob Sheffield ofRolling Stone commented that "she doesn't have the pipes for material defined by Etta James."[40] Ken Tucker ofEntertainment Weekly agreed, calling it a "pallid cover".[41]
| Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USAdult Contemporary (Billboard)[35] | 16 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[36] | 13 |
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[42] | 49 |
| "At Last" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) | ||||
| Single byBeyoncé | ||||
| from the albumCadillac Records: Music from the Motion Picture | ||||
| Released | November 3, 2008 (2008-11-3) | |||
| Genre | Soul blues | |||
| Length | 2:58 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Beyoncé singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio video | ||||
| "At Last" onYouTube | ||||
"At Last" was also covered byBeyoncé and included on thesoundtrack album of the filmCadillac Records (2008).[43] It was released on the soundtrack album on December 2, 2008, throughColumbia Records.[43] In the film, Beyoncé actually portrays Etta James. Beyoncé won critical acclaim for her roleCadillac Records and has performed "At Last" several times since the movie was released, including in front of James herself.[44] Beyonce toldMTV News: "[Etta James is] one of my heroes, and I always loved her voice, but now knowing what she's been through, she's one of my heroes. I'm not sure if she thought [I would be good] as her. I'm very, very nervous ... I actually spoke with her and she told me, 'I loved you from the first time you sung.'"[45] Beyoncé also later toldBillboard: "I realized that Etta James was so unapologetic, bold and strong that playing her was a big risk for me. It gave me the confidence and the push to challenge myself a little more with my music."[43]
John Kehe ofThe Christian Science Monitor wrote: "No one can channel Etta – she's a singular talent – but Beyoncé does it her own way and conjurs enough emotion and grit to make it work in the context of the movie."[46] A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times added that Beyoncé's interpretation of "At Last" was "downright revelatory" and described Beyoncé as "a real soul diva of the old school."[47] A writer ofEntertainment Weekly wrote that "when she belts out 'At Last,' it all makes sense."[48]
By contrast, Thom Jurek ofAllmusic wrote that on "At Last",
Beyoncé possesses little of the legendary singer's power or edgy finesse. She's entirely too polished and restrained. Her phrasing doesn't come close in terms of inventiveness or inspiration, and her emotional conviction is lacking, to say the least.[49]
This was somewhat echoed by Robert Fontenot ofAbout.com who thought that Beyoncé
sings Etta like a diva – technically proficient, but overemoted and lacking every bit of Etta's sly subtext and hard-won earthiness. Beyoncé knows how to sing the blues, in other words; she just doesn't know how to have them.[50]
Margeaux Watson ofEntertainment Weekly also gave a mixed review for the song, writing,
The only major drawback to her performance is that she lacks the pained vocal chops to convincingly pull off James's songs or make them her own... Each time she covers classics like "At Last" and "Trust in Me," you hear Beyoncé, not Etta.[51]
Beyoncé's version of "At Last" won theGrammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance at the52nd Annual Grammy Awards.[52] OnThe Village Voice's 2008 year-endPazz & Jop singles list, Beyoncé's version of "At Last" was ranked at number 443.[53]
"At Last" was performed live for the first time by Beyoncé during the 2008Fashion Rocks on September 5, 2008, as a tribute to James.[19][54] The live version of the song at the show was later released in 2008.[55] Beyoncé performed the song live atBarack Obama's first dance with his wifeMichelle during the Neighbourhood Ball on the night ofhis inauguration asPresident of the United States. She toldEntertainment Tonight: "To sing 'At Last' while they have their first dance is a dream come true. I could not be more honoured and excited that they have asked me to be part of this moment in history."[56] Jen Chaney ofThe Washington Post wrote,
she sang it, tearfully, another high-profile time. On that night, the song's expression of a romantic promise fulfilled clearly spoke to the hope that political promises would be fulfilled, not to mention the notion that, at last, an African-American had assumed this nation's highest honor.[19]
Etta James, who was not happy at all, remarked to the audience at a concert from the stage of Seattle's Paramount Theatre a week later:
You guys know your president, right? You know the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain't my president. He might be yours; he ain't my president. But I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song — she's going to get her ass whupped.[57][58]
A week later, she continued savaging Beyoncé's performance by adding
The great Beyoncé. Like I said, she ain't mine. [...] I can't stand Beyoncé. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol' president day, gonna be singing my song that I've been singing forever.[58]
However, she later told the New YorkDaily News she meant no harm when poked fun at the president and she ripped Beyoncé for her performance of "At Last" during the inauguration; James acknowledged being miffed she was not invited to perform her signature song for Obama's first dance with his wife on inauguration night.[59] The event was telecast live on multiple broadcast and cable television networks. At each of the balls, the Obamas' dance song remained "At Last".
"At Last" was included in the set list of Beyoncé's third concert tourI Am... World Tour (2009–2010). It was performed in the penultimate section of the concert when Beyoncé appeared on stage wearing a long gold sparkly gown with lights at her from all around the arena. During the performance, footage of her performing the song at Obama's inauguration, video images ofcivil rights era footage, and snippets from her performance of the song in the movieCadillac Records were all shown on the screens behind her.[60][61][62][63] A writer ofSouth Florida Times praised the video montage saying that it was "beautifully" edited and added that Beyoncé made a "perfect melding" of past and present with the performance of the song.[61]Rolling Stone's Caryn Ganz commented that the performance of the song showed a "torchy ... display of vocal gymnastics".[62] Jay Lustig ofNew Jersey On-Line commented that the performances of "At Last" were "as riveting as anything that had come before" during the concert and noted that "Few pop or R&B divas could be as compelling with all the visual hoopla stripped away."[64] Barbara Ellen ofThe Observer wrote that there was an interesting segment during the performance of "At Last" on the tour.[65] Alice Jones ofThe Independent wrote that the live rendition of the song was one of the "big-hitters" during the night.[66] A writer ofEvening Chronicle wrote that he was "blown away" by the performance[67] while Mike Ross of the websiteJam! added that Beyoncé proved she could singtraditional R&B if she wanted with the cover of "At Last".[68] Jay Hanna ofThe Sunday Times described the performance of the song as truly inspired with Beyoncé simply standing and delivering the song.[69] Jim Farber of theDaily News gave a mixed performance for the song, noting that "Her run at 'At Last' still lacks the terrific sense of relief Etta James manages effortlessly."[70]
Beyoncé also performed "At Last" live at her historic headliningGlastonbury Festival Performance on June 26, 2011.[71] During theITV specialA Night With Beyoncé which aired on December 4, 2011, in the United Kingdom, Beyoncé performed "At Last" to a selected crowd of fans.[72] During The Sound of Change Live charity concert held at Twickenham Stadium in London on June 1, 2013, Beyoncé also performed "At Last".[73] Alice Vincent ofThe Daily Telegraph noted that the cover reflected the event's purpose and proved Beyoncé can "own a big ballad".[74]
On theBillboard Jazz Songs chart, Beyonce's "At Last" peaked at number 9, becoming her only song to ever appear on that chart.[75] For the week ending December 17, 2011, Beyoncé's version of "At Last" peaked at number 37 on theUK R&B Chart.[76]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States[55][80][81] | November 3, 2008 | Smooth jazz radio | Music World,Columbia |
| November 18, 2008 | Digital download | ||
| October 27, 2009 | Urban contemporary radio |
