At Last
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At Last is a 1942 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren and first performed by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. The song was a minor hit for Miller, but was largely forgotten until it was covered by blues singer Etta James.
The song became James' signature song and was the third in a string of successful songs from her Chess Records debut album At Last!. Upon the song's release in April of 1961, it became her second #2 R&B hit and crossed over to pop radio, peaking at #47 there. Despite its rather low pop chart standing, the song is well-known and is still played regularly on oldies radio stations.
In the decades since its release it has been covered by a number of artists, including Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Lou Rawls, Christina Aguilera, and more recently Cyndi Lauper on her come-back album, At Last. The Etta James version remains the most famous, and is a favorite at weddings and wedding receptions due to its romantic lyrics and sweeping orchestration.
Chart performance
Etta James version
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Black Singles Chart | #2 |
| 1965 | Pop Singles Chart | #47 |
Cyndi Lauper version
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Adult Contemporary | #11 |
| 2003 | Billboard Hot 100 | #63 |
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