Sunday Music: The Billie Holiday Songbook
Aug. 5th, 2012 03:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowAlbum Title: The Billie Holiday Songbook
Why I Bought It: Again, trying to expand my range, this time into the forties. I've only got three albums from that period, but intend to get more.
What I Like (Stark): "Strange Fruit". Some numbskull put this on a list of "most depressing songs" a while back. It's a painful song, but it was a response to something horrific, and entirely warranted.
What I Like (Melancholy): "Good Morning Heartache". Nobody did pain like Lady Day. Honorable Mentions: "My Man" and "Lady Sings the Blues".
What I Like (Cheery): "What a Little Moonlight Can Do". A playful song, and one of the few happy songs on this album.
Overall: This is a good album. Her voice sounds a little metallic to me, but that may be an artifact of the recording. There are several more songs worthy of mention: "God Bless the Child" (I still default to the Blood, Sweat and Tears cover, but I won't quarrel with anyone who rates this one higher); "Lover Man"; "Fine and Mellow".... I should probably get another album of hers, for purposes of comparison and expansion.
Why I Bought It: Again, trying to expand my range, this time into the forties. I've only got three albums from that period, but intend to get more.
What I Like (Stark): "Strange Fruit". Some numbskull put this on a list of "most depressing songs" a while back. It's a painful song, but it was a response to something horrific, and entirely warranted.
What I Like (Melancholy): "Good Morning Heartache". Nobody did pain like Lady Day. Honorable Mentions: "My Man" and "Lady Sings the Blues".
What I Like (Cheery): "What a Little Moonlight Can Do". A playful song, and one of the few happy songs on this album.
Overall: This is a good album. Her voice sounds a little metallic to me, but that may be an artifact of the recording. There are several more songs worthy of mention: "God Bless the Child" (I still default to the Blood, Sweat and Tears cover, but I won't quarrel with anyone who rates this one higher); "Lover Man"; "Fine and Mellow".... I should probably get another album of hers, for purposes of comparison and expansion.
