Billie Holiday - Complete Billie Holiday Song Book [New CD] Rmst, With

2-CD SET

This release compiles, for the first time on a single CD, all of Billie Holiday’s studio recordings of her own compositions, including all of her studio versions of such classics as “God Bless the Child”, “Fine and Mellow” and “Lady Sings the Blues”, as well as her more obscure compositions, some of which she only recorded once in her whole discography. “Now or Never” and “God Bless the Child” were cut by Billie in 1950 for a film soundtrack backed by the Count Basie band. Both recordings are also contained here.

The second CD on this set is devoted to versions of Billie’s most famous compositions performed by other bcelebrated vocalists, such as Nina Simone, Dinah Washington, Carmen McRae, Sam Cooke, and Anita O’Day. Billie never got to record “Left Alone”, a song she co-composed with her long time accompanist, pianist Mal Waldron. Three vocal versions of this song by other singers are presented here, plus the original Mal Waldron instrumental version, which he recorded as a homage shortly after Billie’s death. “Who Needs You?”, written by Billie in 1957, was also never recorded by her, and was first taped by Aretha Franklin in 1961. CD2 also contains pianist Herbie Nichols’ original trio version of “Lady Sings the Blues”, the classic tune he wrote with Billie (the song’s title was also given to both a celebrated album by the singer and her autobiography).

CD 1: BILLIE HOLIDAY, vocals on all tracks.
Recorded in New York & Los Angeles, 1936-1957.

CD 2: Various artists (see above)
Recorded in U.S.A., 1954-61.

INCLUDES 16-PAGE BOOKLET


CD 1: Total Time; 74:50 Min

01 BILLIE’S BLUES (I LOVE MY MAN) [1936 Columbia version]
02 EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR THE BEST
03 LONG GONE BLUES
04 OUR LOVE IS DIFFERENT
05 TELL ME MORE
06 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1941 Columbia master]
07 FINE AND MELLOW [1939 Commodore version]
08 BILLIE’S BLUES (I LOVE MY MAN) [1944 Commodore version master]
09 DON’T EXPLAIN [1945 Decca master]
10 NOW OR NEVER [1949 Decca version]
11 SOMEBODY’S ON MY MIND
12 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1950 Decca version]
13 STORMY BLUES
14 LADY SINGS THE BLUES
15 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1956 Verve version]
16 FINE AND MELLOW [1957 Columbia version]
17 DON’T EXPLAIN [1944 Decca alternative version]
18 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1950 film soundtrack version]
19 NOW OR NEVER [1950 film soundtrack version]
20 BILLIE’S BLUES (I LOVE MY MAN) [1944 Commodore version alt tk 1]
21 BILLIE’S BLUES (I LOVE MY MAN) [1944 Commodore version alt tk 2]
22 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1941 Columbia alt tk 1]
23 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [1941 Columbia alt tk 2]

CD 2: Total Time: 76:36 Min.

01 FINE AND MELLOW [sung by Nina Simone]
02 DON’T EXPLAIN [sung by Helen Merrill]
03 WHO NEEDS YOU? [sung by Aretha Franklin]
04 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Anita O’Day]
05 LEFT ALONE [sung by Jeanne Lee]
06 DON’T EXPLAIN [sung by Dinah Washington]
07 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Harry Belafonte]
08 FINE AND MELLOW [sung by Etta Jones]
09 DON’T EXPLAIN [sung by Abbey Lincoln]
10 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Sam Cooke]
11 DON’T EXPLAIN [sung by Anita O’Day]
12 LEFT ALONE [sung by Abbey Lincoln]
13 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Shirley Horn]
14 LEFT ALONE [sung by Teri Thornton]
15 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Carmen McRae]
16 DON’T EXPLAIN [sung by Lorez Alexandria]
17 GOD BLESS THE CHILD [sung by Dinah Washington]
18 LADY SINGS THE BLUES [performed by Herbie Nichols]
19 LEFT ALONE [performed by Jackie McLean & Mal Waldron]