Cadillac Records (2008)

Image credit: Eric Liebowitz

Lady Sings the Blues: Beyonce channels Etta James on the Cadillac Records soundtrack

Jeffrey Wright sings Muddy Waters! Mos Def sings Chuck Berry! Beyoncé sings Etta James! Maybe no one asked to hear the sound of youngish Hollywood raiding the Chess Records vaults on the Cadillac Records soundtrack, but the actors nail just the right blend of reverence and vitality in their covers, which could have made for a fun EP. Instead, they're padded out with assorted contemporary catalog tunes of a vaguely retro flavor — all fine, but thoroughly inessential. Still, anything that might help get those Chess classics back on the pop airwaves can't be all bad. B

Download This: Listen to the song ''I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man'' by Jeffrey Wright