Billie Holiday

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 12/31/06 at 10:18pm

I have had a major facination with this artist lately...right now I am addicted to the song "Solitude"

Anyone have any other favorite Billie songs?

Updated On: 1/2/07 at 10:18 PM

[glimpseofstocking]

Posted: 12/31/06 at 11:31pm

I'm a huge Billie fan. My favorite songs of her's are "Sophisticated Lady" and "Lover Man". Anything she sings is excellent.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 6:11pm

You'd have to start with "Strange Fruit" her song about a lynching-- the trees in the south bear 'strange fruit'-- the bodies of black men.

She's got a deep melancholy in her voice to my ear, so I go for the sad songs: "These Foolish Things" stands out. There was a double disc CD years ago called "The Lady In Autumn" that brougth together about 35 songs from the last years of her life.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 6:34pm

I agree with Joe, about starting with "Strange Fruit," which is her bravest and most dramatic artistic effort, decades ahead of its time in terms of the political statement it made and white America's readiness to hear that message. But in many ways, her recording that song was a small but significant cog in the wheel of the United States acknowledging the ongoing injustice.

Her career divides into 3 recording periods: the early Columbia years, in which she was essentially a band singer, given the 2nd chorus of a song, sandwiched in between the band doing instrumentals on the 1st and 3rd choruses.

Then the Decca years, in which she became an accomplished soloist. But, as they did with young Judy Garland and young Ella Fitzgerald, Decca often saddled Billie with syrupy choral arrangements and songs that were not worthy of her.

The final period, the one Joe refers to, was for Verve (with a final magnificent but tragic album for Columbia before she died called "Lady in Satin"). These are true art, even though sometimes you can hear the heroin in her voice.

But there was one album she did in between the Decca and Verve years, which I consider her masterpiece. You hear her with a small combo of young jazz musicians, the way she sounded singing in the supper clubs that lined 52nd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, which was known at the time as "Swing Street."

Start with these recordings. They are Lady Day at the top of her game.




Billie Holiday : The Commodore Master Takes

Updated On: 1/2/07 at 06:34 PM

[gonnapassmealaw]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 12:59am

There is a story my aunt tells me of hearing "Strange Fruit" performed live. Ms. Holliday was performing her set and the club was going about its original business--until all of the waitresses stopped serving drinks, the doors were closed, and one single spotlight lit Billie as she began her drama. She says that with those first words of "southern trees" everyone knew what the song meant. Billie would fill herself with the souls of the lynched and plea, as if before judgement herself, for their lives to the white mena and God. That song changed her life, and every time I hear it, it changes mine as well.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 7:45am

Thanks, gonnapassmealaw. That must have been an amazing experience. When did your aunt see Billie perform live? At the end of her life or when she was in her prime?

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 9:23am

I just bought some songs from Lady in Satin and Commodore Master Takes. I am really enjoying them.

I really like the song Violets for your Furs.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 9:57am

Can you hear the difference in her voice?

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 11:43am

Yes. It's much deeper.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 12:07pm

That's an understatement.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 12:16pm

I didn't want to say too much without being wrong but from what I could hear she is missing notes, it is very raspy, etc... but personally I think it is beautiful.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 12:45pm

I have not read it but this thread reminded me that this book is out there. Thought others might like to know, too.
Strange Fruit

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 1/2/07 at 12:56pm

Thanks Sueleen! I would love to read that!

[Funny Face]

Posted: 1/3/07 at 6:39pm

I am amshamed to admit that I haven't heard that many of her songs, especially considering myself a fan of jazz music, but what I have heard of hers I really do like.

Also, I was wondering what y'alls opinon on the movie Lady Sings the Blues is. I've alsways been interested in seeing it, but have heard different things about it.

[glimpseofstocking]

Posted: 1/3/07 at 6:51pm

I haven't seen Lady Sing the Blues yet (although it is currently on my NetFlix queue) but I've heard that it's a decent movie with an excellent performance by Diana Ross. I've also heard that the film doesn't hold true to the actual life of Billie Holiday, but that's not uncommon in biopics.