Lady Sings the Blues (Reis) (Rstr) (Dig) [Original recording remastered]

Billie Holiday | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 18, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B000TJ6CEA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,047 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long overdue reissue of original 1956 album, November 5, 2008

By 

LisaMC "Lover of Books" (East Central IL USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Lady Sings the Blues (Reis) (Rstr) (Dig) (Audio CD)

I was overjoyed to see this on Amazon. I first got the album on vinyl back around 1981. It was a Japanese import on so-called virgin vinyl, the best of the lot back then. Then I waited and waited and waited for it to come out on CD. I had almost thought I was waiting in vain. My mother gave me a CD called Lady Sings The Blues back in the 90s, which had the same cover, but turned out to be vol. 4 in the Billie Holiday Story. A major disappointment, since the original album is so wonderful.

Thank you to whoever finally got smart and released the original, with no stupid addons. This does not need bonus tracks, indeed they would seriously detract from it.

This album is from 1956, three years before Miss Holiday died at the age of 44, a sad and criminal loss to the world. Her voice is definitely the worse for wear here, but the passion and sheer artistry shine forth in spite of vocal limitations. Every song is a winner, and the order is important to the whole listening experience, which is why I was so upset at the other release, which had some of these songs, but not all. It is a concept album ahead of its time.

Lady in Satin, the next one, is prime, but this one, imho, is better, because Holiday's backing is by jazz musicians and not an orchestra, and seems more realistic to me. I don't have her Last Recordings yet, so can't comment on them. But if you want one Billie Holiday recording in your collection, this should be it. If you want more, get this, and then get some of her earlier stuff, when her voice was strong and before drugs and alcohol took their toll on her.

This version is definitely a desert island disc, assuming a desert island would have electricity. Make no mistake, get this one and not the one that looks just like it. You won't be sorry.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great music but missed opportunity with the product, November 4, 2009

By 

Digger Dan - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Lady Sings the Blues (Reis) (Rstr) (Dig) (Audio CD)

This is not the first time this timeless album has been available on CD. Polygram issued it in the late 1990s (from memory) with three extra tracks from one of the two recording sessions that made up the original release. At least two of those are worth listening to. I couldn't hear any difference in the sound quality between this "Originals" CD and the earlier issue, and the earlier one actually has more information. In fact, Verve has been lazy with this one - no essay, no additional photos - so I rate it a missed opportunity. Doesn't stop me from being pleased I bought this second CD - the cover has the colours right and the music is indeed sublime. My favourite Billie by far.

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Great, December 2, 2011

By 

RJM Music Man "RJM Music Man" (Philadelphia, Pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lady Sings the Blues (Reis) (Rstr) (Dig) (Audio CD)

I'm so biased when it comes to Billie Holiday's music. No matter what stage of her life she was in you kinda felt it yourself when listening. This is especially true if you've read her biography. Which by the way the Amazon short biography is incorrect in stating that she was born in Baltimore. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa.