Lady In Satin

Wat een interessante stem heeft ze. Het doet me een beetje denken aan gisteren toen ik Frank Sinatra luisterde. Alleen dat begon op een gegeven moment te vervelen. Bij Billie Holiday is dit niet zo.

Billie Holiday has such a unique and beautiful voice. It sounds a bit strained on her last album here, but she still makes it sound good. When you’re in the right mood, this is a perfect laid back jazzy/bluesy album

It’s good, but a lot of the songs sound the same: Billie singing over strings holding half notes and whole notes at a slow tempo. Take away the vocals and some would call it elevator music. Billie’s voice adds a lot, but it can’t overcome how mundane and repetitive the backing is.

Very nice. Dreamlike. Didn’t know the BH story. Sad stuff!

tiene algo q no se explica, pensás que no te va a gustar y después no podés parar

That was pretty chill.

Overall: 6/10 Billie Holiday had such an interesting and unique voice that makes me want to love this, but the songs get so boring and repetitive that it just becomes uninteresting. Still good, but a change up in style would have been nice. Fav Song: You've Changed

I get why it’s an important album, and given the right headspace I can see enjoying listening to it, but overall just too dated and too mellow for me

Day1014 - it’s just good that seventy years later we can still appreciate good music. listen up kids and don’t lose the treasures

Really nice

Great voice, but not for my romantic moments

A pleasant enough listen before going to work, but they're very same-y and the accompanying orchestra is a bit too saccharine for me.

Voice so smooth it could only be satin!!

This was unpleasant. I remember giving a decent score to Fitzgerald sings the Gershwin songbook (referenced in the wiki for this album as having been potentially sung by Holiday), so I went back and compared it to this album, and the former had two things going for it that were painfully missing here: Fitzgerald and Gershwin. Holiday's voice is so weak, and these arrangements are so empty in comparison. I shudder to imagine Holiday trying to get through the 3-and-a-half-hour slog that was that Gershwin songbook (and I REALLY shudder to imagine me then trying to get through it, myself).

Ok, Im sure this was really good at the time. Probably still is. But this was hard to get through. It sounded all the same, and it neatly put me to sleep several times. I won’t be a hater and I will refrain from my natural tendency to just give this a one.

Man, I am an absolute sucker for this stuff.

Incredible

Review - I was listening thinking "wow her voice is a lot rawer than I'd expected for a jazz singer of the era", then looked it up and saw it was from when she was old (in her 40s) and over the hill. Her penultimate album I think. This was really good. The orchestration was so lush. Love that vibe but never knew any artists/albums with this sort of style. Will almost certainly be listening again in future. Score - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES

Loved this. Musically, these songs surely inspired all the Bond themes! It felt raw and authentic, and heartfelt. I know this is an older, damaged Billie Holiday, but her voice conveyed every emotion so beautifully.

I can hear the cracks in her voice which makes me wonder what it once was. Given she was not old (especially by modern standards) shows how her illnesses did show. And she died within a few years after recording this. To me this does make me want to listen to an earlier recording if any exist to see what it was like originally. I did listen to some of her more popular tracks on Spotify and certainly a more pure voice on these. Over all I think an album put her due to her overall influence, not as this was an overly significant album in it's own right. Not my cup of tea but I wasn't listening to music when this was released due to a lack of being born yet, so I think I'm excused.

While I'm sure I've heard a couple of these songs during my life, I couldn't tell you which ones as I never have listened to an album of hers. It's clear her voice has aged and is quite mature. She has some unique vocal qualities, particularly in her vibrato. Gotta say I'm not a huge fan of this style of music. Additionally, the songs have a sameiness to them that makes the album get stale very quickly. All-in-all this is not an album that I believe is either her best or one I will ever listen to again, and is probably best served as a historical document of her final years than anything.

Bueno

Magnificent melancholy.

A very interesting case with this album. First, it made me want to go and explore more of that vocal jazz world of mid-20th century. Its masterpiece-tier contents are in the first few tracks, namely I'm a Fool to Want You, For Heaven's Sake, You Don't Know What Love Is, and For All We Know. I won't have enough words to complement this part enough; it was outstandingly evocative, combined exquisite relaxing music in the background and that voice. Holiday's got a highly peculiar one - on the one hand, it's just a bit harsh and tragic and in this regard very potent to deliver dramatic experiences. Perhaps she did smoke a little too much, similarly to the lyrics of The End of a Love Affair. On the other hand, it is gentle, and she's totally able to bring in all the tenderness required by the subject matter involved, mainly love of course. So with those few tracks, I could barely believe my ears and they drew my tears with their beauty. It was not the case with the later parts of the album. Suddenly, it turned to that level of music which you can fully accept as good and at times pleasing, but you just don't feel much because of it, it sort of flows its own ways while you tend to think your thoughts with it in the background rather than find anything particularly stunning about it. In other words, it increasingly felt like those jazz records which are okay just you cannot comprehend why all those people are so crazy 'bout it. I'm not trying to say that the rest was mediorcre. I think it's just that this material could not compete with the masterpieces in the beginning. And here's the question: should we consinder tha album as a whole a masterpiece in such a chase? I doubt a single right answer exists, but it this case I feel like what I described about Lady In Satin is a little tragedy of its own. But Beautiful and Glad to Be Unhappy, for instance, did make their way to my playlists but I'd lie if I said they were as good as that great early tracks on the album. So let's leave it like that. Lady In Satin deserves four stars, perhaps 4.5 to be precise. I was really impressed about the instrumental part. Ellis's orchestra did a wonderful job with the wavy gentle melodies, I really loved many little moments in the music, especially in those highlighted tracks in the beginning. To me, this album is and offering to explore more, maybe also to relisten it later. While it did not manage to keep to the highest standard set by itself, it was a bright listening experience, and please find a lossless variant for this one, MP3s won't work well, I did compare.

Notable Textzeile: You've changed That sparkle in your eyes is gone Your smile is just a careless yawn You're breaking my heart, you've changed Die Stimme ist so ausdrucksstark, intensiv, nah. Die Arragements sind so überbordend, repetitiv, kühl. Zusammen ergibt das eine wundervolle Mischung. Die Auswahl der Songs und deren Lyrics zeichnen ein Bild einer selbstbewussten Frau. Das alles zusammen ist beeindruckend. Trotzdem fehlt mir etwas die Variation. 3,5 wird zu

Was für eine schöne Stimme, Stimmung, Groove, Songauswahl. Hätte etwas mehr Abwechslung geschadet? Nein. Trotzdem schön

Those sweeping strings certainly give away the album’s age. Then Billie Holiday starts singing, and suddenly that seems beside the point. Her voice is rough and fragile, but I love how much expression she finds in a single line. Sometimes it’s a word she holds onto; sometimes it’s the way she lets a phrase trail away. I find myself hanging on those little details. The orchestra gives everything a grand, romantic setting, while Billie makes it feel painfully personal. Her voice doesn’t blend neatly into the arrangements, and that contrast is what gets me. I might find all those strings rather sentimental with another singer, but she gives them something much harder to dismiss. Old-fashioned, certainly — but it still gets under my skin.

I liked it

I wish they would have used one of her earlier albums, it's so sad to hear her deteriorating voice. Very relaxing and beautiful nonetheless.

She sounds beautiful but boy is this album a slog.

Listening to Lady in Satin feels like watching a legend fade out, and honestly, it’s a tough sit. You can really hear how worn down her voice was by this point, that classic range is gone, replaced by a gravelly, fragile tone that’s pretty hard to ignore. While you can still hear those signature emotional phrasings she’s famous for, the syrupy, over-the-top backing music just doesn’t fit; it feels way too schmaltzy and keeps clashing with her vocals instead of lifting them up. Beyond the tragic backstory, it's not her best work... I would have put "Lady Sings The Blues" on this list instead, and the whole record is just kind of a slog. Everything blurs into one long, forty-minute sigh where the tempo and the mood never really change. It’s definitely heavy to hear an icon pouring her heart out like this, but musically, it’s just too monotonous and drags on forever. It’s a pretty disappointing way to remember someone as legendary as Billie Holiday.

I don't think I'd feel right giving this a 1, but it's absolutely not for me. I just don't really like Billie's voice here. Beyond that, it's just fairly nondescript 50s jazz. Every song sounds basically the same and it's that voice with the same antiquated orchestral backing like I've heard a million times. If this is your bag, more power to you. I'm sure it's a classic album. It just isn't for me.

Looking back over the albums so far on the list, we’ve heard from the big 1950s crooners: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and now Billie Holiday. We’ve also covered some of the big band leaders (Duke Ellington, Count Basie), and the early rock and roll era singers (Elvis, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Marty Robbins). We also heard from Muddy Waters - not really a crooner, more of an old time blues singer. Today’s record was the second last album from Billie Holiday, and by this time her voice was losing strength and was somewhat raspy. But the style was still there and the arrangements were good. Easy listening music and good for three stars.

More oldies! Vocal jazz though - she wanted it to feel similar to Ella's songbook, and I think it does (although blessedly, much shorter). I don't really know any of the songs, but I like the backing music :D? Not that I dislike the singing, but as is the case with jazz, there's no hooks!! So it's kinda boring to listen to as an album. Delaware: Cab Calloway also sang 'I'll Be Around', and he's the namesake of the school I consider the Torrey Pines of Delaware. Magnetic Fields: 'My Only Friend' features the lyric, "Hey, Lady Day, can you save my life this time?" Highlights: The full title of 'I Get Along Without You Very Well' is apparently 'I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)', which is a funny title, but better yet, it was written by Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael. Now that's a name. Meet my sons, Blimpie, Hoagy, and Grinder.

The Good: We know what the Lady is wearing... The Bad: When we remove the satin, we find the lady is wearing something else... The Ugly: Lady is a tramp... So, the aficionado crowd will love this... I don't Why? Well, sometimes the missus and I are walking through the city, and we will start pinching one and other when another "forever young" comes walking by... Though I know mrs Holiday had a very strong voice and persona, to me, this album is like watching DLR currently touring, or any of the '80s rockers who should have hung up their spurs a while back. I don't care that this is considered gold... it is unpolished silver that looks like it should be placed back in the musky backroom where it was found. 2 1/2* which i am still uncertain if I should bump it up or not?

How nice was that? Old school at its best. ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ hit me hard with the sadness. And, yeah, the sadness I know, which mirrored Billie’s, was a decade old and was inflicted by me. Sometimes, it’s unbearable to face the results of your difficult choices, but ultimately, recalling that feeling of extreme loss may be beneficial for helping you get over yourself. If anything, it reminds you of who you are and what you’ve left behind. We are the amalgamation of our actions, after all. -She was a deep diver, this Lady Day.

Good stuff

C'est doux, c'est chaud, ça sent le feu de cheminée et l'hiver, c'est toujours un peu pareil mais on aime ça.

J'aime bien le blues mais là on dirait vraiment que c'est la même chanson à chaque fois avec des paroles différentes.

Very dated. Musically ok but I just didn’t enjoy the sound of her voice I’m afraid. I’m sure back in the 50s it sounded new age but sorry just wasn’t for me. Best track- ‘you don’t know what love is’ Worst track- ‘violets for your furs’ Although arguments for all for both roles as most of the songs sounded the same! Taking into account its age and the fact it sounded ok musically I’ll give it a 3/10

Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin It feels macabrely voyeuristic listening to this. I knew pretty much nothing about BH but after my first listen was compelled to do a bit of reading as to why this strange mix of sugary sweet arrangements and gritty jazz blues vocals was on this list. And what I learned was truly frightening in its brutality. A woman born in poverty, abandoned by her father, in court at 9, forced by nuns to sleep with a corpse as a punishment, raped at 11 and working in a brothel at 12. And even upon success she is ripped off by her record companies, forced to sneak into venues via the 'coloureds' entrance, chronic herion addict and cirrhosis that finally killed her in her early 40s. And you can hear this in every note. The purity and range of Billie's voice is long gone and the painful cracks are plainly showing, but the phrasing and timing is still there with enduring grace and dignity. There's some bravery on show here. A real trailblazer burning out in the glare of the public eye. Life can be ugly/beautiful all at the same time. 10/10 Best Track - You Don't Know What Love Is Worst Track - It's Easy to Remember

Toooop, muy buena voz

chill

Not my thing.

This is beautiful!

I have never heard a Billie Holiday album before. When I listen to this older music, it makes me feel like an idiot who doesn't know how to appreciate great music. The songs were pretty and Billie Holiday is a legend in the music industry, but the songs were also very depressing. I happened to hear this one on a very rainy day, so maybe there was just too much of a sad feeling for me to enjoy. Billie Holiday has a great voice, of course. The music didn't vibe with me, unfortunately.

1072 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

This is such a tender heartfelt album. I’m a big Billy fan. This is her second best. My favorite is the one before which characters are similar tone in flavor, but has more standard jazz instrumentation Songs for Distingué Love

A good jazz album, just not really my thing

Good background noise #2

Her voice is much better than Nina Simone's, at least, but not the background instrumentation.

Beautiful, I really enjoyed it <3

what an incredible voice! i don't think i've ever listened to any of her albums in full, but what a joy it was to finally listen to one.

Lovely voice. A bit samey, but no complaints when it actually sounds good.

I don't get much out of this. I can't say it's bad, but I have no attachment toward it. She admittedly has a lovely voice, though.

Listened. Beautiful.

Liked it, but 1950s era music doesn’t really hook me I’m realizing.

I love Billie and listening to her is like being in a dream state. However, this isn't my favorite album of hers - she gets a 4 bc she is her

Her voice is like déjà vu. A fleeting memory from another era that feels so real. It's crips for a beat, then the edges soften and it fades.

Music is able articulate the knowable alongside the inscrutable. There are truths on this album far beyond the words on the page or notes on a chart. A whispered conversation between the foreground and backdrop. The weariness of a life lived taking one more magical ride. This album feels closer to the universe of Scott Walker in the late 60s than the speakeasies and jazz clubs of the 30s where Billies journey began. You can feel the distance. And so can she.

417/1089 her voice is so singular, i’m entranced. i just wish the music itself did more for me. faves: the end of a love affair, i’m a fool to want you 50/100

4/10

how do you rate something like this? where would you place the kindness of strangers on a scale of 1-5? how many stars do you give to the prints of a stray cat in the snow? who are we to judge the presence of grace in this world?

The singing? Beautiful. Serene, actually, and I dare someone to disagree with me on that one. The sound? Disney-esque, more specifically, a Disney cartoon. The variety? There isn't. This is essentially one long song, and this holds the album back(even compared to other albums of its era). Favorite Track: "It's Easy To Remember"(it really isn't though).

it's really good for what it is, but it's a little too long. She has a very distinct voice that's awesome, but over an hour it's too much. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could, but since I can't, I'll give it 4 stars so I seem sophisticated.

The instrumentals are really nice to listen to; I'd give it a 4, but I'm not a big fan of her voice. It sounds incredibly dry.

A bit slow and schmaltzy, but it somehow hits when sung by a legend.

For how great a singer Holiday is, the material here is unfortunately letting me down a bit. Maybe I need to be drunk and heartbroken for this album to fully hit me? Still, always happy to play catch up on famous singers of the 20th century that I've not listened to until now.

She's got a really beautiful voice. The backing instruments were all elevating her performance as well. A timeless classic but not really my kind of music.

what a voice

Her voice is incredible and this includes the gorgeous I Get Along Without You Very Well but it is very much mood music and something that gives off a such a relaxed vibe it rolls over you like a wave and is gone.

Loved it

Such an iconic performer. Her voice is uniquely identifiable even here, late in her career. The vocal jazz ballad isn’t really my thing but it’s hard to deny how powerful she could make that. Her importance to popularizing jazz cannot be overlooked either.

I found this on the whole underwhelming. Billie Holiday is largely running on fumes here, her voice in shambles from extensive alcohol abuse. And while some of the songs have moments, they tend to lean schmaltzy. Sure there are better Billie Holiday intros than this.

Fallout pelistäkin tuttua ääntä. Tykkään

This is the first Billie Holiday entry I've had, and looking at the tracklist and description, I'm not sure THIS is the Holiday album I need to hear before I die. But let's see how it goes... Listening to this, I can hear why it got mixed reviews and I am puzzled as to why it was included in this project. I'm no Billie Holiday expert, but even I can hear that this album was after her prime. It's good but not the greatness I would expect from her.

A nice listen

Billie's voice is truly distinct, though the same can't be said for any of the tracks on this record. Nothing really stands out from the bunch; they all sound the same. Favourite Track(s): I'm a Fool to Want You, I Get Along Without You Very Well Least Favourite Track(s): For All We Know

i just can’t get behind anything pre-65

Excellent orchestration but I’m not a huge fan of her voice.

Hate to give such a low rating to this...but, frankly, it bored the hell out of me. It was like one song for 40 + minutes, with little to no variation. I'm not enough of a vocal jazz or standards fan to appreciate the nuances, I guess. And her voice is not in the best shape here, sounding kind of rough and ragged at times. Really couldn't wait for it to end. The distinctive voice and talent is there and it has pleasing orchestration and arrangements but what a slog.

Theres no faulting Holiday's voice here. Even though you can hear the strain that signals she was nearing the end, it has the same mysterious, smoky, kind of spooky allure as ever. The orchestra also sounds great. I do tire quickly of the Great American songbook pasty old white guy formula though - I know it was the popular music of the day, but to my 21st century ears it's mostly dull. Same reason I wrestled with Ella Fitzgerald's gargantuan Gershwin compilation. Some exceptions to the rule - enjoyed You Don't Know What Love Is alot, and Ive liked I Get Along Without You Very Well since I first heard Chet Baker's version

Interesting voice, and quite beautiful music but just not my vibe on a Tuesday morning, more of a Sunday morning.

The perfect album for a rainy day at home.

Classic, and I like the timbre of her voice. But she didn’t sing with much variety from song to song which made the album kind of blend together for me.

I was listening to this on my way home from an opening shift and I had to change it bc I felt like it was making me fall asleep

The voice what a voice she had. This is the kind of album that you would put on if it was cold and rainy outside and you just wanted to feel blue.

Billie Holiday’s second last album, and although her voice had lost some range, there’s a vulnerability throughout that’s very moving. Favourite track: The End of a Love Affair

It’s not hard to tell that this was recorded near the end of her short life. You can tell she’s struggling, but it’s still Billie; beautiful. Most of the songs are sad, but the orchestrations are amazing and haunting. A beautiful record, but a bit of a tough listen.

Ok

GOAT

Lovely album. Not my favorite of hers but a good example

Music from this era always reminds me of Fallout.

So smoothe, just lovely.

Solid! A bit slow overall… needed to have a better mix of song types for me. She’s got an amazing voice though.

Really nice listen. Once. Would I listen often. Probably not. 3.5 / 5

Classic voice. I wish the album tracks had more of a range in style, however.

Very smooth, would be good as background music at a dinner party

9/10

This album is so hauntingly beautiful. It makes me want to fall in love, even though I know it might hurt me. But even if it did, I would never resent loving someone for that love is something I gave willingly. Something uniquely mine, and I would never trade that for anything. As long as I love, I live.