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Billie Holiday Quotes

Singer

Billie Holiday, an American jazz singer, was born on April 7, 1915, and passed away on July 17, 1959. Known for her distinctive voice and emotional delivery, she is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of jazz.

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All Jazz Way Music Ifs Singing Song Damn Feels Knows Thinking Two Feelings I Can Love Play Dope Liberty Littles People Singing Songs

Famous Billie Holiday Quotes

“You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling.”

Ifs Mean Real Ends Feelings Music Copies Real Feelings

Book:Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

Source: Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

“They think they can make fuel from horse manure - now, I don't know if your car will be able to get 30 miles to the gallon, but it's sure gonna put a stop to siphoning.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Able Funny Science Technology Car Horse Miles Fuel Manure Gallons

Author:Billie Holiday

“If I'm going to sing like someone else, then I don't need to sing at all.”

Ifs Needs Imagination Individuality

Author:Billie Holiday

“If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.”

People Ifs Way Mean Two Real Feelings Earth Copies Real Feelings

Book:Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

Source: Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

“If nobody can learn from the past, then there's no point in raking it up.”

Ifs Past No Point Learn From The Past

Author:Billie Holiday

“I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession. If you can, then it ain't music, it's close order drill, or exercise or yodeling or something, not music.”

Ifs Way I Can Two Night Song Order Liberty Exercise Singing Jazz Succession Drills Singing Songs Yodeling

Author:Billie Holiday

“If I don't have friends, then I ain't nothing.”

Ifs Friendship

Author:Billie Holiday

“So I asked him to play "Trav'lin' All Alone." That came closer than anything to the way I felt. And some part of it must have come across. The whole joint quieted down. If someone had dropped a pin, it would have sounded like a bomb. When I finished, everybody in the joint was crying in their beer, and I picked thirty-eight bucks up off the floor. . . . When I showed Mom the money for the rent and told her I had a regular job singing for eighteen dollars a week, she could hardly believe it.”

Source: Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

“If you think dope is for kicks and for thrills, you're out of your mind. There are more kicks to be had in a good case of paralytic polio or by living in an iron lung.”

Ifs Thinking Mind Cases Kicks Iron Lungs Dope Polio

Book:Lady sings the blues

Source: Lady sings the blues

About the Author

Born: April 7, 1915
Died: July 17, 1959
Known for: Singer
Quotes: 53

Books & Sources

Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised DiscographyRelated source material

Lady sings the bluesRelated source material

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