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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

“I can only sing songs my way. I don't know any other way.”

Knows Way I Can Song Singing My Way

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

“Dope never helped anybody sing better or play music better or do anything better. All dope can do for you is kill you - and kill you the long, slow, hard way.”

Way Long Hard Play Can Do Addiction Dope Hard Way

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

“I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That's all I know.”

Knows Way Hate Change My Own Music Singing I Hate Jazz Musical Tunes

Author:Billie Holiday

“I don't think I ever sing the same way twice. The blues is sort of a mixed-up thing. You just have to feel it. Anything I do sing is part of my life.”

Thinking Way Feels

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

“All dope can do for you is kill you... the long hard way. And it can kill the people you love right along with you.”

People Way Long Hard Can Do Dope Hard Way

Book:Lady sings the blues

Source: Lady sings the blues

“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

“I never sing a song the same way twice.”

Way Song Jazz

Author:Billie Holiday

“People don't understand the kind of fight it takes to record what you want to record the way you want to record it.”

People Way Want Kind Fighting Records What You Want

Author:Billie Holiday

“I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years.”

Way Years I Can Two Night Song Ten Singing Two Years Succession Singing Songs Yodeling

Author:Billie Holiday

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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