Billie Holiday - I can't get started

[TRU2myHEART]

Amazing! Id love to sing this song mmmm hmmmm!

[vicric46]

Yes, this is the version recorded 15th September 1938 at 1776 Broadway, New York .

Lester Young played Clarinet, but Teddy Wilson was not there.

The photo shows Billie with Mal Waldron's Band at a TV show rehearsal in December 1957.

[MrKlinkKlonk]

tack



[MrKlinkKlonk]

what year was this recorded?

[fwainseattle]

Thank you for putting this here. I'd never heard this version and I love it.

[kageees2276]

Lester Young gave Lady Day her name and she called him the Pres. Their collaboration was second to none.

[fromthesidelines]

My pleasure, Pete.

[AllBobsAllTheTime]

Nice cover by Billie although it seems a little rushed.

[LTdrumma]

damn she could sing

[blktenor]

Very young sounding in this recording. Thanks for sharing.

[luckyshow]

Pat Boone. I believe he was heaped on as an example of stealing music because of his conservative, pro-war attitudes at the time. Turns out when he hosted a variety show in late 1950s and the network he was on said he couldn't have a certain black singer on, he told them either the black artist would appear or he would quit. The show was canceled. It wasn't Pat Boone stealing the songs of Little Richard, Fats Domino, etc., it was his record company (I think RCA or Columbia), his producers.

[luckyshow]

I don't think this virulent hatred towards cover songs has much to do with the 60s where everyone and their uncle was doing versions of Hey Joe. Nor am I sure that singer songwriters saved money by not needing to pay royalties to composers and singers.

It seems a modern phenomenon, more based on very little knowledge of music history combined with this post-modern know-it-all arrogant attitude many tend to have.

[undapar1]

She never let her turbulent relationship with Pres, get in the way of their music together.

[ocnoreen]

Play it Prez, Mulligan....

[fromthesidelines]

Recorded on September 15, 1938 with the following personnel:

Buck Clayton, trumpet

Dickie Wells, trombone

Lester Young, clarinet/sax

Margaret "Queenie" Johnson, piano

Freddie Green, guitar

Walter Page, bass

Jo Jones, drums

[MrPetepohl1]

@fromthesidelines

Your "Line Up" notes are much appreciated THANKS Pete uk

[kylecourie]

you either have it in your soul or not. I've always been consumed.

[honeybee7700]

why is love so painful.

[RandiSierra]

Oh this is a good one. Such pretty music.

[KJBetz62]

What album is this from?

[DEFinitivelyHis]

Ahhh...Billie! Beautiful, Beautiful Billie! Wannabees, take note: this is how you wrap your throat around a song...with the fiercest musicians in the world just leaning into the composition right along with you. Fabulous.

[loverofcountry506070]

My own experience has been that I tend to like the first version of a song that I hear, if I like the song at all, and when I hear other versions after that, I always compare them to the first version. I almost always prefer the "original" version I heard, even if it turns out to be the 50th version made.

[tristramshandy3]

my favorite singer ever. followed closely by Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Life is the best- especially because of great art!

[NoDoyPieConBola]

Billie is magic ♫

[NoDoyPieConBola]

Billie is magic ♫

[hawkwind999]

markbob 120, jonldn, very well put this music is timeless. enjoy it all while you can.

[lovesGenet]

these comments have nothing to do with music and from 1900 to at least 1950 is a lotta time for music top be written of course there are a lot of standards! Heroin and heroine a beautiful combo whether u like it or not foo you!

[markbob120]

I don't understand all the "I know know more than you do" and "this version is better than that version" comments. Sit back, put your feet up, smile and enjoy!

[jonldn]

@markbob120 AH the voice of a true music lover! well said - Who says you cant enjoy millions of versions of the same song.... praise the lord for Billie- Ella - Dinah - Sarah - Eartha etc etc etc

[markbob120]

Thank you for your comment!

Mark

[TheHandsFull]

lol... This versions is better (hides under a table)... for someone who's trying to learn it. I had no idea there was soooo many Standards. I'm ashamed of myself. :(

[Portis1Luv]

Billie Holiday for life and beyond.

[faldarazzo]

Gerry Mulligan as the token!

[gst69man]

yea boy!  great comment made me laugh.

[oldtimejazzfan]

The photograph is from Sweet and Mellow.

[bagoona]

@faldarazzo No token, he had the chops.

Another beautiful junkie gone.

[wadeboat]

Something along the lines of

--"there are two types of music, good music and bad music" was said by one

---- Duke Ellington

[agwata5]

i donot understand in any humble melancholic setting if i may, but how can a heavenly grrove and soul scouring breeze like this ever evoke the demons of hate? i will stay childish to these unwarranted rebukes

[luckyshow]

The musicians weren't obnoxious to each other, it was not a competition. They jammed together, they did not hate each other. They appreciated each others music. Yes, this absurd dismissal of other versions of a song, with vulgarity and harsh invectives is all over the rock videos and is equally ridiculous.

The artists are not as ruthless as comments on youtube.

[bagoona]

@luckyshow Lucky , You`re right they were too stoned to get involved. There bigger concern was to cop junk after a gig but yet they played like no other.

[theoriginalbadbob]

@luckyshow All of this trash-talk about covers can be traced back to the 60s, when the anything-for-an-extra-nickel record companies, to screw the songwriters as they had been screwing the recording artists for decades, would only sign new acts that wrote their own songs. That way, the companies could contract to NOT pay royalties. It used to be that EVERYBODY covered everybody else and, with the exception of Pat Boone ripping off Little Richard, everybody benefitted.

[noutubeusrnames]

@luckyshow -> AMEN!!! The Youtube comments are brutal & ridiculously hateful. Very closed minded.

[giacchinyc]

great great music... lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by Vernon Duke.... thanks for posting it!

[danylongshaft]

ohhhh my , found another gem on youtube :D

[studentofstan]

Berrigan did a version of this song but it was written by Vernon Duke, who wrote Cabin in the Sky. Then he went on to write this, April in Paris, and Autumn in New York, all Lady Day standards.

But I don't think anybody could have written these lyrics except Ira Gershwin. They have his signature all over them.

[studentofstan]

I think this is from the same set as the early TV recording of "Fine and Mellow" with that wonderful band behind her: Ben Webster, Prez, Gerry Mulligan and I forget who else. They ALL loved her.

[ekj25432]

Not even close. This is from 1938 -- I have it on a wonderful Lester Young double LP. And there's just one sax here -- Prez!

[XGRIMYONEX]

billie did autumn in ny

[SFJonesy]

It's so weird to me, this bickering about whose version of a song is "better". It happens (a lot) in the rock music world too, so it's something more basic than genre.

But I love this song and sometimes I want to hear Bunny Berrigan do it, and sometimes I wanna hear Billie - but they're both great!

This competitive notion is too destructive, and for what? Let it go.

[XGRIMYONEX]

fuck w.e the say billie holiday is God her versions are the best just one song i hate by her aint nobodys buisness

[djboony]

yeah i totally agree-the ideas of competition and originality are market forces, shitty modern age! who cares jazz is jazz

[moonraven3]

@SFJonesy I personally enjoy the various renditions of this timeless classic. However, I'm not too thrilled with the contemporary version of this piece.

[girljazzlvr]

I totally agree.

[tommooncaller]

Bunny Berrigan did this song in about 1938. He may have written it, but I'm not sure on that point.

[acertainblue]

Ella Fitzgerald is great but = easy listening compared w/ this. And that's something that can't be taught... it's just a feeling - you get it or you don't.

[sweetcamera]

guess what? Both versions are great...different, but great. Like two different kinds of beauty. And I do "get it"...sometimes bright, sweet, methodical swing is what I'm in the mood for, and sometime, that ache, that unplanned catch in the throat, is what I come to Billie for.

The appreciation for both can exist simultaneously.

[Portis1Luv]

I totally feel ya on this one m8.

[hatgirl09]

ah, but billie gives it such sweet melancholy! she makes the whole song one big beautiful sigh.

[AjiCerise]

Totally.

[AjiCerise]

Booo!

[auroradawn23]

It's foolish to compare the two women. Both were incredibly talented and they each had their own unique style. Why knock one to prop up the other? So far as I know, Ella had great respect for Billie's work. We're just damn lucky the recordings of both women have survived for us to enjoy 70-60-50 years on.

[sweetcamera]

Exactly, thanks for saying that! It's what made the American Songbook live and breath- the infinite variety of interpretations by various singers, musicians, and arrangers. And when one is great, one is great, i.e. Billie, Ella, etc. Geniuses share it, they don't strive to eclipse each others greatness.

Good comment!

[acertainblue]

Well, to reply to both comments: Ella was, for me, a phase - one that helped teached jazz phrasing - & she's a great technician & was a wonderful performer. But for some people Billie is just several leagues beyond, and, again, it's a feeling - neither about anyone (who doesn't feel that way) agreeing or about "who's better." Which makes sense, as a lot of what made BH great was her intuitive phasing and emo-tion.

[BrunoJazzmanLeicht]

All the world of melodic jazz lies in Pres' first bars. Thanks for posting this beautiful jazz song.

For more of this, fee free to visit my swingin' blogsite. URL is in profile.

Best wishes,

Brewski

[da19lila38]

What people! Lester Young, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan and inimitable, marvelous Billy!

[aerofredywr]

Sure! Is the SUper Stars together!

[spliff4peace08]

vintage jazz/blues...thxz billie holiday..peace2u/all...

[mollypuppygirl]

Just incredible - it's almost beyond belief. Oh my... I'm so overwhelmed I can hardly write this. Thank you Sam.

[dr37sam]

Fabulous!

[genia106]

Hi Sam, I love this song too. It is one of my favorites and this rendition is Sublime.

Thank you for sharing it with me.

[llanto75]

awesome lady day!

[gst69man]

the best

[aerofredywr]

Queen of blues.

[iluvmorrissey]

Divine

[joomuck]

Ever wonder what it would have sounded like if Billie had, as her backup, Bunny Berigan. I suggest that it would have been close to a perfect definition of heaven.

[claptonfan1000000]

Well there's a session from I think 1936 were they're playing "summertime", "did I remember", "no regrets" & "Billie's blues". But they don't play "I can't get started".

Billie sure is great.

[JeffRebornNow]

Billie first recorded "I Can't Get Started" on Nov. 3, 1937, while singing with Basie and His Orchestra. They were broadcasting from the Savoy Ballroom in NYC, and the recording was not released on an LP until 1973. It can be found on The Billie Holiday Story: Volume 1/Columbia Records.

[JeffRebornNow]

In her 1937 recording of this song (see my comment below for details) Billie is backed by Ed Lewis, Bobby Moore, and Buck Clayton on trumpets. I'd say those 3 Basie frontmen were more than ample stand-ins for Bunny Berigan.

[blower24]

YYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEAAAAH!

[rainer1980]

Thanks! I had a cd with this song and it broke. And I haven't seen this song on a lot of the collections. It's a gem.

[sugarbell99]

thank you so much

[jurek46pink]

What instrument she has got in her little golden throat !

And what a soul...:)

[lilgordito10]

that was cute.

[jurek46pink]

Come and see my Billies at my channel...:)