We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago……
It ran too long…it played fast and loose with the truth…it skipped over big portions and big people in her life…but the 1972 bio-pic “Lady Sings The Blues”, at least gave us the music.
The movie was the supposed story of the life of jazz great Billie Holliday. Played by Diana Ross in her first movie role. Produced by Motown svengali Berry Gordy, its reported that Ross demanded the role after others were being considered.
The real story is so good but the script doesnt wander far from the other music biographies that came before. The cliched rise and fall…the tormented personal life…the tragic death….and yet, the soundtrack was a hit, going to #1 and staying on the charts for over 50 weeks.
Ross does the songs in the style of Billie Holliday. What I mean is, she really can’t completely sound like Lady Day (no one could) but she also doesnt sing in the breathy style of her solo or Supremes recordings.
Of course, you can listen to the original anytime you want these days, so I guess the only reason to put this on is if you are a Ross fan or a 70’s movie buff.
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