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Does Etta James have a right to be mad?

Posted by Lifeposter • 2/06/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: beyonce, obama

I think Etta James has gone too far personally attacking Beyonce for singing her song at the inaugural ball for President Obama and First lady Michelle Obama's first dance.

Do you think Etta has a right to be so mad at Beyonce and at the President for not inviting her to sing the song?

I think she has a right to be upset as it is the song which made her famous but the personal attacks are unnecessary.

User Comments

2/06/09

busylizzy

Everyone has a right to their feelings. How we handle our feelings is a different story...

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2/06/09

Lifeposter

@busylizzy. Yes everyone has a right to their feelings but the question was do you think Etta has a right to be so mad at the President for not inviting her to sing her song and at Beyonce for singing the song which made Etta so famous.
I was just listening to reporters talking about it on CNN.

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2/06/09

legbamel

I think she has a right to have hurt feelings, yes. But getting mad about it publicly only makes those feelings look like jealousy. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

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2/06/09

jafabrit

I think professionally speaking Beyonce singing it was a slap in the face and I can see why Etta James is annoyed. When you depend on your work professionally it isn't kosher for someone else to use it at the expense of the original artist. Having said that, I don't go along with the personal attacks.

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2/06/09

CoyoteRose

I think Etta James needs to get over herself. Yes, the song made her famous but its not even her song. Glen Miller sung it first, and Etta didn't even write the song. The rights to the song are either controlled by the songwriters or the record company. I'm sure that Beyonce or her manager cleared the rights to the song before singing it. Etta is just mad that the president didn't pick her.

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2/06/09

Shiley

I'm with CoyoteRose. The rights to the song go to Glen Miller. Beyonce sung the song at the Academy for Dream Girls in which she praised Etta.

Etta James' son stated she was emotional during the singing at the inauguration. Who even knows if these reports are factual sounds like yellow journalism to me and I have not seen video coverage of Etta James statement. I've only seen quoted text and for me It doesn't prove that Etta James said anything.

Has anyone seen video coverage of her actually stating anger?

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2/06/09

Lifeposter

@Shiley, check out the CNN website, they have the live audio tape of her saying unpleasant things about both Beyonce and President Obama. I think this is immature behaviour from a grown woman.

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2/06/09

iriegal

Etta has a right to be mad, but not a right to "abuse" anyone. That is the difference. Did she feel snubbed? yes Was she snubbed, (according to her point of view she was).

I think the best thing for Beyonce to do is ignore her old butt!

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2/06/09

did

Knowing how far we've come as a nation, the divisiveness does not help. True she IS a pioneer, but how exactly did it help either her or Beyonce besides putting them at odds. I think she had reasons for being mad, but tactless in handling it publicly. Let build each other up not break each other down.

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