Lady Sings The Blues premiered to an eager, anticipating audience in October 1972. The public flocked in droves to the cinemas to see this much-hyped film, whilst critics watched intensley and eagerly sharpened their pencils.
Soul singer and Motown legend, Diana Ross controversially took the role of the tortured Jazz legend, Billie Holiday and deservedly won wide critical acclaim for her harrowing and riviting performance in the film which subsequently gained her an oscar nomination (though Diana sadly lost out to Liza Minnelli for Cabaret - people claimed this was down to Berry Gordy's over-kill campaign to get her to win where Berry sent various extravagent gifts to members of the comittee which was merely perceived as a ploy to get her to win).
Critics were instantly silenced on hearing the movies quintessential and divine soundtrack (after doubting Diana Ross' vocal
abilities). True there were many differences between Diana Ross' rather angelic, yet soulful and anguish-filled vocal style to the more stark, husky, hoarse-sounding style of Billie Holiday.
To Dianas credit, she never once resorts to mimmicking Billie Holiday or as some predicted, putting in a Supremes-like performance. She digs deeply away at the material and surprisingly makes the songs uniquely her own which was certainly not an easy task to accomplish.
The soundtrack shrewdly captures the often dark mood and spirit of the original recordings. The stark effect of Strange Fruit (a song by Billie Holiday describing how she had seen a black man hanged from a tree following a vicious racist attack which explained the descriptive notion of Strange Fruit) is delivered with an icy, but magnificently compelling performance from Diana. The song is hauntingly atmospheric in its tone and Diana stretches herself vocally becoming totally immeresed in the dark, inventive and atmospheric musical arrangements with her voice exquisitely dripping with such genuine, raw emotion.
Diana shrewdly captures the flavour and feel of the breath-taking, exhilirating Good Morning Heartache, immpecably well. Good Morning Heartache was lifted a single in the U.S in 1972 as a trailer for the album though it stalled at a disappointing No.34 on the main U.S Hot 100.
One of the outstanding highlights of the album is the stirring, gutsy, gospel undertones on God Bless The Child. Diana loses that occasionally angelic sound, delivering a strikingly husky, lower-throat register performance.
Don't Explain is just magical and Diana's performance is heavenly! This is one of those haunting songs that sends cold shivers down the spine.
My Man is just triumphant! The real beauty, essence of soul in Dianas own unique sound really pours out on this exalting number. Her diction and lyrical phrasing are so precise and her prenounciations on the more complex material are impressivley mastered to perfection.
Other highlights on the Lady Sings The Blues soundtrack (1972)range from the sassy Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer, an almost frivoulous song, seemingly screaming out about fun and rebellion, to the playful tone of Love Is Here To Stay, to the restrained anguish in her voice on You're Mean To Me and to her more bubbly presentation of What A Little Moonlight Can Do.
Diana displays such yearning naievity which was so true to Billies style on I cried For You whilst absolutely mesmerising is the hauntingly atmospheric, Lover Man (Oh Where can You Be) which is blusey and deep in its rather sombre tone.
Lady Sings The Blues (1972) was re-recorded by Diana Ross under the close supervision and guidance of Gil Askey (who worked with Diana Ross extensivley throughout her solo career) and her then boss, Berry Gordy.
On the whole, the entire project is given noble justice by the wise vocal approach of Diana Ross who excells on these recordings which are such a vast step away from that of her more contemporary R&B style and capture some of her strongest and most passionate vocal performances.
Lady Sings The Blues Original Motion Picture Soundtrack sold well over 300,000 copies within its first eight days of release, quickly catapulting up to the top of the album charts, becoming an effective trailer for the forthcoming release of the movie. A triumph all-round!
Ian Phillips
August 2006
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