Writing Analytically: Chapter 6, Assignment 4

Two versions of the same song by different artists: Stormy Weather, Ethel Waters and Etta James

Ethel Waters and Etta James versions’ of Stormy Weather use of volume and beat varies. Waters’ cabaret-like rendition stays away from climactic points of vibrato and sonority and instead utilizes a steady beat and low, muffled volume. Although this emphasizes the misery and sorrow she feels since she and her man “ain’t together,” the heavy consistency suggests a restrained rage. This rage is fully present in James’ performance, where she freely highlights her intense feelings of fury and distress through a variation in volume and moments of strong vibrato. However, although the vocals highlight and seem to reflect this fury as Etta’s sole emotion, the wailing, weary sounds of the background instrumentals (violin and cymbals) call attention to her equal degree of heartache and mourning. Emotional pain is therefore present in both versions, echoed through the steady background beat of the piano. This common thread suggests that, although James’ adaptation is complicated by sporadic waves of emotion, sorrow is as dominant as it is in Waters' rendition.