| "Something's Got a Hold on Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of side-A labels of the US single | ||||
| Single byEtta James | ||||
| from the albumEtta James | ||||
| B-side | "Waiting for Charlie to Come Home" | |||
| Released | 1962 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:48 | |||
| Label | Argo | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producers | ||||
| Etta James singles chronology | ||||
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| Live video | ||||
| "Something's Got a Hold on Me" onYouTube | ||||
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a song by American singerEtta James. The song was written by James,Leroy Kirkland and Pearl Woods, while production was handled byLeonard andPhil Chess. It was released in 1962 as the thirdsingle from her1962 self-titled album as a7" vinyl disc. Musically, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is anR&B track with elements ofsoul,blues andgospel. Upon its release, the single was an R&B hit, peaking at number four on theBillboard Hot R&B Sides chart.[1]
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" has beencovered andsampled by various contemporary artists. Australian singerJessica Mauboy also covered "Something's Got a Hold on Me" in 2013 and released it as a single. The song plays in the opening scene of theBest Picture winning filmCODA (2021).
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" was written byEtta James,Leroy Kirkland and Pearl Woods, while it was produced by two founders of theChess Records,Leonard andPhil Chess.[2] The song was released as the thirdsingle from James' 1962self-titled studio album.[2] It was served as a7" vinyl disc with the other song, "Waiting for Charlie to Come Home", as theB-side in the United States.[3] Later, the track was included on the singer's 1963 compilation albumEtta James Top Ten.[4] The live version of "Something's Got a Hold on Me" also appeared on Etta James' firstlive album,Etta James Rocks the House (1964).[5] In 1992, the song was a part of her greatest hits album,My Greatest Songs.[6]
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" is anR&B[7] &gospel[8] track with elements ofsoul andblues.[9][10] The song lasts for a duration of2:48 (two minutes and 48 seconds).[3] According to the sheet music published byEMI Music Publishing, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was composed in the key ofD♭ major.[9] James' vocals in the song span on nearly twooctaves, from the low-note of E3 to the high-note of D♭5.
On September 27, 1963, Etta James first performed "Something's Got a Hold on Me" at the New Era Club inNashville, Tennessee; later the performance was recorded and was included on her first live albumEtta James Rocks the House.[5] During a "King-led all-star concert" which was held at the Ebony Theater,Los Angeles, California in 1987, James performed the song again with American blues musicianB.B. King.[11] There, the singer sang the track with backing guitar played by King.[11] That performance was released as aCD and home video entitled "A Night of Blistering Blues".[11]
Jay Lustig ofNew Jersey On-Line called "Something's Got a Hold on Me" a "scintillating" track.[11] Upon its release, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was an R&B hit, peaking at number four on theHot R&B Sides chart, a music chart which was published by American music magazineBillboard and now is theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[7] The single also charted on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 37.[12]
| Charts (1962–1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Hot 100[12] | 37 |
| USHot R&B Sides (Billboard)[7] | 4 |
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" has been covered on numerous occasions. In 1973, it was covered by the choir of the infamousPeople's Temple cult underJim Jones.[13] The song also appears on the Belgian bandVaya Con Dios' second studio album,Night Owls, released in 1990. The album achieved great international success, selling around 2 million copies worldwide. On March 30, 2004,Natalie Cole performed "Something's Got a Hold on Me" at theApollo Theater inNew York City.[14] In 2010, American singer-songwriterChristina Aguilera also covered it for the soundtrack albumBurlesque.[15] The version by Aguilera met with favorable reviews from critics; a writer fromBlogcritics wrote that "[the song] really digs in and makes them show stoppers" and "[it] suits her voice perfectly",[16] whileStephen Thomas Erlewine fromAllmusic picked "Something's Got a Hold on Me" as one of the three best songs from the soundtrack.[17]Jools Holland, withPaloma Faith, recorded a version for his 2012 album, The Golden Age of Song. Australian R&B singerJessica Mauboy recorded a cover version of the track and released it as a single exclusively in Australia in 2013.[18]Blues vocalistBeth Hart and guitaristJoe Bonamassa included the track on their 2011 album of blues and soul covers,Don't Explain.[19] They also released a live version recorded at theRoyal Theater Carré in 2013 on theirLive in Amsterdam DVD.[20]
Doi-Oing was the first artist to sample "Something's Got a Hold on Me" in his 1991 song "Good Feeling".[21] In 2006, electronic music artistPretty Lights sampled the song again in his track "Finally Moving" from the albumTaking Up Your Precious Time.[22] In 2011, two smash hits sampled "Something's Got a Hold on Me": "Levels" by Swedish DJAvicii andFlo Rida's "Good Feeling".[12][23]
| "Something's Got a Hold on Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byJessica Mauboy | ||||
| Released | February 27, 2013 (2013-02-27) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:26 | |||
| Label | Sony | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Jessica Mauboy singles chronology | ||||
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"Something's Got a Hold on Me" was covered by AustralianR&B singerJessica Mauboy. It was released as adigital download single on 27 February 2013.[18]
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" by Jessica Mauboy received mainly positive reviews frommusic critics. Brad Stern ofMTV Buzzworthy Brad Stern called Mauboy's version a "power-pop anthem".[24] Daisy Dumas ofThe Age was positive toward the track, noted it as a "sassy, pop-heavy spin on the Etta James classic".[25] Simone Ubaldi ofBeat magazine described the cover as "grotesque dance pop bastardisation",[26] while a writer for radio station96.5 Wave FM thought that it sounds impressive.[27] A writer forTake 40 Australia called it energetic,[28] whileFox Sports' Anthony Costa wrote that the song does not feel like "a potential rugby league anthem" but "it suits Mauboy's vocal talents".[29] "Something's Got a Hold on Me" won Single Release of the Year at the 2013Deadly Awards.[30] The song entered the AustralianARIA Singles Chart at number 26 on March 11, 2013.[31] The following week, it fell down to number 50.[31]
On 27 February 2013, theAustralian Rugby League Commission released a television advertisement, which features Mauboy singing her version of "Something's Got a Hold on Me", as well as highlights from previous rugby league matches and fans playing rugby league in backyards, on beaches and running down streets.[32][33][34] That same day, Mauboy performed the song during the official launch for the 2013 NRL season, held atThe Star Casino inSydney.[33][35] NRL director of marketing and commercial operations Paul Kind said her version "is very contemporary" and "has a really broad appeal".[32][36] Mauboy is the second female artist (the first beingTina Turner) to be featured in a NRL theme song.[37] "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is also the first theme song in major Australian sport to feature anIndigenous Australian artist.[37]
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart[31] | 26 |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)...Etta James' gospel classic "Something's Got a Hold on Me"...
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)| Studio albums and singles |
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