All of Me, Billie Holiday, 1941
All this talk of Andra Day's portrayal of Billie Holiday in the new Lee Daniels' movie, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, has me all in the feels. (It's slated for a Feb. 26 release on Hulu.)
I literally do not recall a time in my life devoid of Billie. One of my earliest memories of watching a non-Disney movie at home is seeing Lady Sings the Blues. I swear that one of my hand-me-down 45s as a little kid was Billie's All of Me. I don't know where it came from or what happened to it but my brain says this is a real memory.
She's been a constant through all seasons of my life. As a teen, Billie was frequently playing in my car and I like to think I'm responsible for introducing her to my friends. As a young mother, I schooled my boys on Billie and their love for her rivals my own. As a new divorcee, my relationship with Billie sustained my sanity. She is my music mental rock through storms and my peace during internal calm. The irony isn't lost on me in that Billie's life was both turbulent and tragic.
The uniqueness of Billie's tone/voice is everything ... but for me, her pauses and dramatic enunciations make her irresistible. She is incomparable -- so strong yet vulnerable ... a storyteller through presentation; it's about more than just the lyrics. For anyone who hasn't experienced and truly appreciated Billie Holiday, All of Me is a good first listen.
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