Lady Sings the Blues (soundtrack)
Lady Sings the Blues | ||||
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Soundtrack album by Diana Ross | ||||
Released | October 1972 | |||
Recorded | 1972; MoWest Studios, Los Angeles, California; Glen Glenn Sound, Hollywood, California | |||
Genre | R&B, vocal jazz | |||
Length | 57:10 | |||
Label |
Motown M 758-D | |||
Producer | Gil Askey | |||
Diana Ross chronology | ||||
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Singles from Lady Sings the Blues | ||||
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Lady Sings the Blues is the successful soundtrack to the Billie Holiday biopic of the same name, which starred Diana Ross in her screen debut in 1972. The album went on to be Ross' 4th #1 album (eventually selling over 2,000,000 US copies[1]), though the only one as a solo artist, on the U.S. Top 200 Billboard Albums Chart as a solo act, going to #2 on the U.S. Billboard R&B Album Chart, and #50 on the UK Albums Chart. It was certified gold on the UK for sales of over 100,000 copies.[2]
It was also the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973.
It was critically acclaimed for Ross emulating Billie Holiday's voice while retaining her own individual sound. The soundtrack is also noted for being the only Motown album to have a special designed label to match the album cover on the vinyl release, rather than Motown's usual "Map of Detroit" design. This label design would also turn up on the single releases from the soundtrack.
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
Robert Christgau | B+ [3] |
Track listing
Side one
- "The Arrest" – 0:15
- "Lady Sings the Blues" – 1:03
- "Baltimore Brothel" – 0:25
- "Billie Sneaks into Dean and Dean's/Swinging Uptown" – 0:49
- "'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 1:06
- "Big Ben/C.C. Rider" – 1:06
- "All of Me" – 2:19
- "The Man I Love" – 2:27
- "Them There Eyes" – 1:03
- "Gardenias from Louis" – 2:03
- "Cafe Manhattan/Had You Been Around/Love Theme" – 2:03
Side two
- "Any Happy Home" – 0:37
- "I Cried for You" – 0:37
- "Billie and Harry/Don't Explain" – 0:37
- "Mean to Me" – 1:18
- "Fine and Mellow" – 0:45
- "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" – 2:09
- "Louis Visits Billie on Tour/Love Theme" – 0:45
- "Cafe Manhattan Party" – 1:37
- "Persuasion/'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 3:48
- "Agent's Office" – 1:09
- "Our Love Is Here to Stay" – 2:01
Side three
- "Fine and Mellow" – 2:54
- "Lover Man" – 3:22
- "You've Changed" – 2:34
- "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" – 2:06
- "Good Morning Heartache" – 2:21
- "All of Me" – 2:04
Side four
- "Love Theme" – 2:53
- "My Man" – 2:26
- "Don't Explain" – 2:10
- "I Cried for You" – 2:13
- "Strange Fruit" – 3:35
- "God Bless the Child" – 2:42
- "Closing Theme" – 1:08
Personnel
- Diana Ross - vocals
- John Collins - guitar, banjo
- Arthur Edwards, Max Bennett, George "Red" Callender - bass
- Chester Lane, Don Abney, Gerald Wiggins - piano
- Earl Palmer, Jessie Sailes - drums
- Caughey Roberts - soprano saxophone, clarinet
- William "Buddy" Collette, Ernie Watts, Georgie Auld, Jack Nimitz, Marshall Royal, Plas Johnson - saxophone
- George Bohanon, Grover Mitchell, Henry Coker, Jimmy Cleveland, John Ewing, Maurice Spears - trombone
- Al Aarons, Bobby Bryant, William "Cat" Anderson, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Teddy Buckner - trumpet
- Benny Golson, Gil Askey, Oliver Nelson - arrangements
- Michel Legrand - arrangements, conductor
- Gil Askey - conductor
- Berry Gordy - executive producer
Chart positions
Year | Chart | Position |
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1973 | U.S. Billboard 200 | 1 |
U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Chart | 2 | |
UK Albums Chart | 50 |
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.greasylake.org/the-circuit/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F116321-the-supremes-diana-ross-stevie-wonder-and-ray-charlesusa-album-sales%2F
- ↑ "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Lady Sings the Blues > review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2016-04-17.
Preceded by Dueling Banjos by Eric Weissberg |
Billboard 200 number-one album April 7–20, 1973 |
Succeeded by Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper |