BILLIE HOLIDAY SONGS is a tribute to an exceptional and beloved artist. Here you will find lots of information – including lyrics, discography and all her songs.
P.S. I am not a musician nor do I have any musical training so my comments do not have no technical pretensions. They are just an expression of my personal feelings. This site is the result of years of research and has absolutely no commercial purpose. I welcome any corrections and your comments are always welcome. And, as you will surely notice, English is not my native language. Hope you enjoy it.
Paulo Novaes
© 2005-2024 www.billieholidaysongs.com ®
Parabéns.
“Omedeto” Congratulations for re-newal of your site,
This site is historical world treasure.
Great work!
What truly stimulated you to publish “Billie Holiday Songs | A site dedicated to Billie Holiday’s Songs and Discography”? I personallyreally appreciated the post! Thanks for the post -Rafaela
This was alot of help. I’m doing a report over BH for class and this site was a great help. ^_^ Thank you!
It’s nice to see how others are doing Billie Holiday’s legacy.
with kind regards, Billie Fan Ruud.
Thank You from my heart.
This site is really beautiful tribute to Billie Holiday, and I bow my head and kiss Your feet for it. Just about year ago I installed ‘Spotify’ and short search brought over 10 thousands tracks of Billie. Now I’m able to sort them in order…
Thank You
Greetings from Finland..
G.H.
Dear Goran,
wow, I am happy that you liked it that much. Send me your suggestions and let me know if I can be of any further help.
Regards from Rio de Janeiro
Paulo
I am doing reaserch on billie holiday and this is a great website to go to for her songs and to find them so thank you for the effort with the website
I want to give you my appreciation and congratulation for the work on Billie Holiday you did on this web. I’m the wife of Tony Scott (clarinet arranger, pianist etc…) and it took me years to collect and do this kind of job for him to pay homage to his long and very articulate career. In the meanwhile he passed away …and I’m still working on it ..so much material ! ahahhaha!
Thank you very much from my heart ! Tony loved Billie so much that he transmetted me the virus! I LOVE BILLIE and she is the only one.
p.s. Billie was singing in Italy too:
November 3 to 9
here’s the notes about it. I have also a picture which I’ll sen you by mail , send me yours, mine is cinziascott@alice.it
Billie was in Milano in 1958, from November 3 to 9
at the first concert she could sing four songs only, at the fifth she was interrupted by the orrible audience. The concert was in a “avanspettacolo” theatre . The audiencewas not use to jazz!
the second concert:
Il 9 novembre, Milano piazza Beccarla – teatro Gerolamo
ultimo giorno di permanenza a Milano della cantante, fu organizzato da appassionati e intenditori di jazz uno spettacolo “riparatore”
Billie Holiday with Mal Waldron on piano. Il pubblico le tributò una vera e propria ovazione
Dear Goran I think that on you discography you’ve missed the 1956 rehearsal at the Dufty’s home which was published by Verve. The rehearsal was taped by Tony Scott with his own tape machine and sold to Verve some years ago, -songs: Misery (Tony Scott’s song) , Israel, God Bless the child, Beer bear Polka , A Yiddishe mama, Lady’s Back in Town (T.Scott song) etc with discussions (on the Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 10 CD box you’ll find on: https://itunes.apple.com/it/album/complete-billie-holiday-on/id16221291
Dear Cinzia,
I didn´t include in the chronology comments about rehersals, that’s why. But I mentioned in Lyrics the song “Lady´s Back in Town” – unfortunately only fragments. If you have the original lyrics, I would appreciate to have it.
Saluti,
Paulo
Great side this is. I recently discovered the greatness of Billie’s music; I first bought a cd box of het Columbia Years and then her recordings for Verve; So, it is good to control, if there are still songs missing in my collection, and you find all info about songwriters and recording dates, really great and thank you, this side is already one of my favourites, keep on doing the good work, thanks a lot! Patrick from Belgium.
Thank you for the compliments. Enjoy Billie!
Paulo
Hi Paulo,
Do you have a list of those songs which Billie Holiday wrote, but did not record. If you haven’t then I can supply you a list of these if you are interested.
Kind regards…..Kevin.
Dear Kevin,
No, I don´t, and never heard of those. I will appreciate having those – where did you get them?
Thanks,
Paulo
Songs Billie wrote but never recorded are;
‘Left Alone’
‘Who Needs You’
‘Long Gone Blues’
‘Say I’m Yours Again’
‘Preacher Boy’
‘Please Don’t do it Here’
‘Somebodies on my Mind’
‘Close Dem Eyes My Darlin”
Lost at the Crossroads of Love’
‘Our Love is Different’
First six songs were published by E.B.Marks.
Next two published by International Music Inc
Final two the publisher is Unknown.
Some of these compositions have been recorded by some other singers.
I’ve just realised that Billie did record ‘Long Gone Blues’, ‘Somebodies on my Mind’, and ‘Our Love is Different.’
So that makes 7 songs written by Billie but not recorded by her.
Hi Kevin, many thanks for all information, I will add them in the site.
I will try to find who recorded those 7 songs.
All the best,
Paulo
Many thanks for the never recorded songs by Billie. I was studying the internet and found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday_discography#Compositions
Never Recorded:
1939: “Lost at the Crossroads of Love”
1940: “Say I’m Yours Again”
1949: “Close Dem Eyes My Darlin'”
1952: “Please Don’t Do It in Here”
1952: “You’d Do It Anyway”
1955: “Preacher Boy”
1957: “Left Alone”
1957: “Who Needs You (Baby)”
What to think about the confusion: “You’d Do It Anyway”?
Dear Pim, from what you say, there would be 8 songs composed and never recorded.
But let me show you what I found at Wikipedia:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Please Don’t Do It In Here”
“Please Don’t Do It In Here” is a jazz song written by singer Billie Holiday, and composer Buster Harding and published by E.B. Marks. This is one of seven songs written by or co-written by Holiday that she never recorded.[1][2] The song was finally recorded by Laurie Krauz for her LP “Catch Me If You Can,” released in 2001.
Buster Harding directed a recording session for Billie on August 17, 1949, which began an association culminating in his accompanying her as pianist from 1951 to mid 1953. It was during this period that they collaborated on a number of songs, including “Please Don’t Do It In Here” and “You’d Do It Anyway.” [1][3]
Notes[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b Nicholson, Stuart (1997). Billie Holiday. Northeastern University Press. ISBN 1-55553-303-5.
Jump up ^ Billie Holiday (1984). THE BEST OF BILLIE HOLIDAY Songs Recorded and Made Famous By Lady Day. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-7935-3687-1.
Jump up ^ Nicholson, Stuart (1994). Wishing On the Moon. Viking. ISBN 0-670-83771-7.
The box on the rightern side says:
Single by Billie Holiday
Recorded Laurie Krautz
Genre Jazz
Writer(s) Billie Holiday & Mal Waldron
Note that it says Harding & Billie “collaborated” in the two songs. First paragraph wrongly says that that song was written by Billie and Harding. But, if you notice the box at the side, there is clearly said the the composers are Billie and Mal Waldron.
Yet on the second paragraph it is said the Billie and Harding “collaborated” in two songs, and includes “You’d Do It Anyway”.
This is probably what led the article you mentioned to list 8 songs instead. I would stay with the seven mentioned earlier by Kevin.
P.S. a second error in the article is in the Notes, where they say the 1994 book “Wishing on the Moon” was written by Stuart Nicholson. I have the book and the author is Donald Clarke. There is no reference in it about the song or Harding. As they used it as reference, hmmmm…
regards, Paulo
Dear Paulo,
It took some time researching (index only) the 82 books about Billie (so far) but I did not find a song ‘You’d Do It Anyway’. I am (almost) sure it do’nt exist. I am not very familiair on Wikipedia to ask the publisher were to find the reference.
You are right of course Wishing On The Moon is by Donald Clarke.
The Laurie Krauz recording is in my opinion on cd not LP. I have a cd Catch Me If You Can 2001 Jerome 4487.
So, still looking for:
Lost At The Crossroads Of Love;
Say I’m Yours Again
and
Close Dem Eyes My Darlin’
Best regards
Pim
Thanks, Pim. Keep me informed, please. Paulo
I’d be happy to bring them for you ! In my vocal jazz-program “BILLIETUNES” : The Billie Holiday Songbook .
Somebody’s on my mind – was recorded
She wrote He’s my type of guy sometime before 1950 I think you can hear Dinah Washington sing it. It was during her time with John Levy
Hi Kevin,
I am also interested in those titels, lyrics or recordings by others.
I have only four of them.
Thanks,
Pim
Hi Paulo,
Don’t know why we don’t get an answer from Kevin. Do you know anything more about the ‘seven songs’? I discovered recently Preacher Boy by Michelle LeBlanc on the cd I remember you.
And now there is the cd from the Dutch singer (living in New York) Rose Ellis (www.roseellismusic.com) with Preacher Boy.
” BILLIETUNES ” : The Billie Holiday Songbook . By Belgian Jazz-Vocalist & Actress Viv Mantels .
amo Billy e gostaria de poder ouvi-la…como faço para baixar algumas músicas sem ter que pagar? Sou uma vovó que vive só com 25 cães e amo Billy Holiday entre outros…
Prezada Veronica
Billie Holiday é mesmo uma paixão. Sobre sua pergunta, não sei responder. Eu recomendaria comprar uma boa coleção de CDs, pode ser a da fase Columbia ou da Verve. Assim, vc põe pra tocar e esquece. No site – em discografia – vc encontra os dados.
Gratis, pode ser no You Tube. Entre lá, digite Billie Holiday e a maioria das músicas estão lá. Até mesmo videos, que são muito poucos.
Boa Sorte.
Paulo
Hi Paulo,
you know where I can find information about a Box set “Billie Holiday – Live and private recordings in chronological order” of 22 + 1 LP printed in Milan in 1988 with a 20-page illustrated booklet.
I’m interested in the tracklist and the sources of the recordings.
Sorry for my english
Eustachio
Dear Eustachio
Are you talking about 22 CDs in a box-set? That´s amazing… Where did you find it?
Try to contact http://www.billieholiday.be They have an extense list of records and maybe they can help you with that.
As far as english, anch’io non lo parlo bene, perche vivo in Brasile. Auguri.
Paulo
Dear Paulo,
I don’t read from amazon, but by the site of Tito Saffioti who has published a discography of Billie Holiday in an Italian magazine of Jazz Music in 1999 (http://musicajazz.22publishing.com/) Tito Saffioti (http://www.titosaffioti.it/articolo_billie_holiday.html). Is a box with 23 LP in vinyl printed in 500 copies in Italy (Milano) in 1988. The exact title is:
Billie Holiday – Live and private recordings in chronological order.
Grazie.
Dear Eustachio,
I found out that the content of this Italian vinyl LP set is exactly the same as the one I describe in the menu discography> CD discography, part 2- live sessions “Billie Holiday Perfect Complete Collection”. It is a 12-CD luxury box-set printed in Japan, with a limited edition of 500 copies. Many of its tracks are only found in this compilation. Therefore, when I describe all the live tracks or sessions, I point this box-set as the source to hear.
Hope that this clarify your question.
Saluti, Paulo
Dear Paulo,
thanks for the clarification.
Good job.
Eustachio
Billie Holiday had an engagement at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. I’ve seen the date of the engagement reported both as “Summer 1956” and “Summer 1957.” I suspect that “Summer 1956” is correct. What were the exact daters of that engagement? Thank you for your help.
Dear Edward,
Billie´s engagement at Dunes Hotel in Vegas ran for two weeks, from July 19th to August 1st 1956. Unfortunately, no recordings are known.
Best,
Paulo
Olá Paulo,
Sou fã da Billie desde os 20 e poucos anos… Eu nunca tinha ouvido suas músicas, mas tinha uma curiosidade imensa em conhecê-las. Tempos sem Youtube ou Google! Então um dia encontrei um CD nas Lojas Americanas num “saldão de ofertas” – o Decca Years. Lembro até hoje que paguei R$4,00 por ele… Estou com 44 e continuo apaixonada. Fiquei muito feliz em encontrar seu site com tanto material sobre ela. Obrigada!
😉
Valéria
Olá, Valeria,
paixão antiga, mas merecida 🙂
Avise-me se precisar de mais alguma informação.
Abraços,
Hi Paulo, Information of songs provided which Billie wrote but did not record sourced from Stuart Nicholson book titled Billie Holiday, appendix 5, first published in 1995.
I have been researching Billie Holiday since early 1970’s and I am so impressed with all the information I discover. All the books I have about her were lost through divorce, but my memory and devotion to her never dies. Glad to learn of her engagements in Italy and Las Vegas. She also went to Honolulu. Thanks so much for keeping her legacy alive.
It is always a pleasure to get emails from BH fans. I am glad you enjoyed my site. Actually, there’s a lot of information in it. I will keep your email in my info list and let you as soon I have more news. Thank you again and keep in touch. Are you writing from US?
I would love to join this site and receive any updated information you find. I just discovered that all her royalties go to Louis McKay’s son, Louis McKay II. How sad that her former manager and his family receive the benefits of her music and hard work.
Dear Paolo,
It is amazing what we can see and find here, on this site which you elaborated and developed – so nicely and so clearly: a great source of information ! I would like to thank you personally for all of this. Billie Holiday and her artistic output has meant to me a lot. Lately, I prepared a video on my YT channel devoted to her person and to a part of my collection connected with that artist. Should you be interested to view it, I dare to place a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvTsL4fRVBw .
In the info under the video, you may find a few lines written by me on that subject.
With thanks and best greetings,
Jerzy Placzkiewicz, Katowice, Poland.
Jerzy,
Many thanks for your comments! I actually enjoyed your video, congratulations. I will be sharing with some other BH fans as well.
Best greetings from Rio de Janeiro.
Keep in touch.
Paulo
Thank you SO MUCH for this beautiful site. I have written an arrangement for my women’s chorus of God Bless the Child, and I am hoping to copyright it. However I need to seek permission. Would you know who holds the copyright to that song? Thank you so much for your help.
Dear Becky, thank you for your comments.
I have heard that these guys are the ones, but I have never got in touch.
You may try it: Licensing Inquiries: licensing@bicyclemusic.com
God bless
Paulo
What Billie Holiday song are these lyrics from??? “To miss it each nite and day…But I miss the one I long for more than I miss—“
Can you tell me what Billie Holiday song are these lyrics from??? ” to miss it each nite and day. But I miss the one I long for more than I miss–“
Closest I remeber is
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
I miss it each night and day
I know I’m not wrong
The feelings getting stronger
The longer I stay away
Hi Paolo, I’ve only just discovered your site and it’s fantastic. As a long-time jazz / Billie Holiday fan, I have a very extensive collection of Billie’s recordings and your site has enabled me to check for any gaps (eg her Aladdin recordings) and find CDs on which they are available. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Chris. I am happy to be on some help. I just finish a content upgrade with images and sounds of all original vinyl recordings. Tell me what you think. Stay in touch. Paulo
Man She is So KEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for great job!
I found an answer on my old question about Swing Brother Swing w/Count Basie Orchestra. Now I know, that it was not issued on 78 rpm. Very helpful, great site!
Hi, Boris. You are correct. This track came out only in 1960 in a Columbia Long Play. I am glad to help you.
Good day, cool web page you’ve gotten at this time there.
Thanks so much for doing this work. Years ago I heard a recording of Billie Holiday singing “You Better Go Now” from the Jazz at the Philharmonic from May 24, 1947 on WNYC’s Jonathan Schwartz Show. It was gorgeous so I wrote the name down on a scrap of paper and just found it. I always wanted to find it. With your excellent work, I am now going to be able to! Thanks so much!
Hi, Marianne thanks. Keep in touch. Rgs
Bardzo się cieszę że jest taka strona poświęcona Lady Day czytając opinie innych fanów B.H. o jej dokonaniach potrafi zastanowić się na czym polega jej fenomen który trwa.Wrażliwość jej w dosłownym znaczeniu potrafi przekonać słuchającego o jej wielkości. Jeszcze raz wielki szacunek Paulo za to co dokonałeś obejmując jej twórczość i że w niej gromadzą się uzależnieni od jej śpiewania bo sugestywność przekazu Billie ma coś z magii i to jest piękne . Wpadam tu by trochę zaczerpnąć tej fascynacji co jest na całym świecie. Pozdrawiam Leszek Garstka z Warszawy.
Leszek, witam i dziękuję za komplementy. Bądź w kontakcie. Mam nadzieję, że Google dobrze tłumaczy. Paulo
Dzięki Paulo właśnie korzystam z tego i wpadam by zobaczyć co tam ciekawego i nowego miło być w gronie tych co mają swe upodobania do śpiewu Lady Day-Pozdrawiam życząc zdrowia. Leszek Garstka
pozostać w kontakcie
Wow!!! I googled “musicians behind Billie Holiday” and discovered your amazing website. I never tire of listening to BH recordings, not only because of her gifted vocals, but also because the accompaniments are truly awesome. I have been familiar with B. Goodman, T. Wilson, and L. Young’s contributions to the BH recordings for a long time but I wanted to learn about the other musicians. Your work is a fantastic tribute to this monumental body of work. Thank you so very much!
Many thanks. Good to know we share same passion.
Dear Paulo,
My deepest thanks for your amazing work! I had a few CDs of BH with amazing recordings but no info on recording date or place. Thanks to you, now i know when and where and for which label they were recorded, who was playing, and other insights.
Really great. And i thought i was a fan!
Thanks! Keep in touch.
Excelente trabalho, mano! Parabéns pela sua pesquisa e Hobby. Admiro sua capacidade de pesquisa e dedicação, tanto neste site como no site sobre Agencias Postais no RJ. Parabéns!
Obrigado! Voce está me encontrando por todo lado, heim?
Paulo Novas…my name is Keith A. Dames, I would like to open up a line of communication with you. Keith A. Dames (KAD)
Dear Keith, be my guest. What can I do for you?
I am writing my Thesis on Billie Holiday with a primary focus on her as a composer and her compositions. As everybody has already stated your site has been a big help to me. Thank you for all of your work, very much appreciated.
FYI I am happy to report that I have found & located 20 out of 21of her compositions. Keith Dames
FYI: I would like to report to you all that I have found and located 20 out of 21 songs credited to Billie Holiday as composing or co-composing.
The only one I did not or could not find so far is “Lost at the Crossroads of Love”. if anybody is interested I can be contacted at damesdance@gmail.com I would love to discuss Billie Holiday as a composer and her compositions. Keith Dames
Hey You Guys (Billie Holiday Aficionados)
I have found most of Billie Holiday’s compositions but
I can only confirmed 18 out of 21 songs!
1. Billie Blues [1936] (12 bar blues) B. Holiday
2. Long Gone Blues [1939] (12 bar blues) B. Holiday/T. Smith
3. Everything Happens for the Best [1939] (Swing) B. Holiday, T. Smith
4. Fine and Mellow [1939] (12 bar blues) B. Holiday
5. Our Love Is Different [1939] (Swing) B. Holiday, S. White, R. Conway, B. Alba
6. Tell Me More, and More (And Then Some) [1940] (Swing) B. Holiday
7. God Bless the Child [1941] (ballad) B. Holiday, A. Herzog
8. Don’t Explain [1944] (ballad) B. Holiday, A. Herzog
9. Somebody’s On My Mind [1949] (ballad) B. Holiday, A. Herzog
10. Now or Never [1949] (up-tempo) B. Holiday, C. Lewis
11. You Gotta Show Me [1950] (Swing) B. Holiday
12. Please Don’t Do It In Here [1952] (Swing) B. Holiday, B. Harding
13. You’d Do It Anyway [1954] (???) B. Holiday, B. Harding
14. Stormy Blues [1954] (12 bar blues) B. Holiday
15. Preacher Boy [1955] (3/4 waltz) B. Holiday, J. Burns
16. Lady Sings the Blues [1956] (ballad) B. Holiday, H. Nichols
17. Left Alone [1957] (ballad) B. Holiday, M. Waldron
18. Who Needs You [1957] (3/4 waltz) B. Holiday, J. Burns
I retrieved the two (2) mystery tunes from the Library of Congress and after review I have doubts that Billie co-composed these two Close Dem Eyes My Darlin and Say I’m Yours Again credit given to A. B. Morgan & Billy Holiday.
Other sources credit Billie Holiday & Bryce Morgan.
Although Phil Schaap listed them in Appendix 5 in Stuart Nicolson’s biography Billie Holiday, I really have doubt that she co-composed them. But I can’t prove anything one way or the other as of yet. I don’t know Phil Schaap’s source however I suspect it to be two (20 of Jack Millar books: Born to Sing: A Discography of Billie Holiday (1979) and Fine and Mellow: The Definitive Discography of Billie Holiday (1994)
The one and only missing tune is the one listed as unpublished Lost at the Crossroads of Love.
Here is my contact info: Keith A. Dames C: (305) 450-0764 E: damesdance@gmail.com
Thank you so much for the information on this website. It has been so very helpful to me in my research on Billie Holiday, in her roles as both a performer and a songwriter!
You are very welcome. Thanks.
Este sitio me será de mucha ayuda para hacerle las letras en español a las canciones de Billie, gracias❤️
Aprecio tus comentarios. Mantenga contacto.