Lady Sings the Blues (soundtrack): Difference between revisions

Lady Sings the Blues
Lady Sings the Blues
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
Singles from Lady Sings the Blues
	"Good Morning Heartache"; Released: December 18, 1972;

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Lady Sings the Blues is the soundtrack to the Billie Holiday biopic of the same name, which starred Diana Ross in her 1972 screen debut. It became Ross' first #1 album (eventually selling over 2 million US copies), though the only one as a solo artist. It was certified gold in the UK for sales of over 100,000 copies.^[1] It was the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973 in the US.

Music writers said Ross emulated Billie Holiday's voice while retaining her own individual sound. This soundtrack album was 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
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Christgau's Record Guide	B+^[2]

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
"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" – 3:26
"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

Charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	43
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[4]	5
UK Albums (OCC)^[5]	50
US Billboard 200^[6]	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[7]	2

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[8]	Gold	100,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Diana Ross - vocals
Gil Askey - conductor
Gil Askey, Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson - arrangements
Albert Aarons, William "Cat" Anderson, Bobby Bryant, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Teddy Buckner - trumpets
Georgie Auld, William "Buddy" Collette, Plas Johnson, Jack Nimitz, Marshall Royal, Ernie Watts - saxophone
George Bohanon, Jimmy Cleveland, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Maurice Spears, John Ewing - trombones
Max Bennett, George "Red" Callender, Arthur Edwards - bass
John Collins - guitar, banjo
Earl Palmer, Jesse Sailes - drums
Don Abney, Gerald Wiggins, Chester Lane - piano
"Caughey" Roberts - clarinet, soprano saxophone

Production

Michel Legrand - composed, arranged, conductor
Guy Costa - engineering and technical direction
Larry Miles, Cal Harris, Bill Macmeekin, Dave Ramsey, Art Stewart, Russ Terrana - Mowest engineers
Gordon Day, Dave Docendort, John Norman - Glen Glen engineers
Katarina Pettersson - art direction
John Le Prevost, Frank Frezzo - design
Orlando Suero - photography
Sandra Forney - graphic production
Suzanne de Passe, Iris Gordy - edited, coordinated
Tony Jones - creative assistance
Berry Gordy - executive producer

References

^ "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4814". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
^ "Diana Ross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
^ "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
^ "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
^ "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Lady Sings The Blues". British Phonographic Industry.

[bpi-1] "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-02-29.

[CG-2] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[aus-3] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[group=-4] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4814". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_UK_Diana_Ross-5] "Diana Ross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_Billboard200_Diana_Ross-6] "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Diana_Ross-7] "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[United_KingdomDiana_RossLady_Sings_The_BluesalbumCertRef-8] "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Lady Sings The Blues". British Phonographic Industry.

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[2]

[3]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{for|the Billie Holiday album|Lady Sings the Blues (Billie Holiday album)}}
+{{For|the Billie Holiday album|Lady Sings the Blues (Billie Holiday album)}}
 {{italic title}}
 {{Infobox album
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
  | name        = Lady Sings the Blues
  | type        = soundtrack
- | single1     = [[Good Morning Heartache]]"/"[[God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)|God Bless the Child]]
+ | single1     = [[Good Morning Heartache]]
  | single1date = December 18, 1972
 }}
 }}
-'''''Lady Sings the Blues''''' is the soundtrack to [[Lady Sings the Blues (film)|the Billie Holiday biopic of the same name]], which starred [[Diana Ross]] in her screen debut in 1972. The album became Ross' 4th #1 album (eventually selling over 2,000,000 US copies),<ref>http://www.greasylake.org/the-circuit/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F116321-the-supremes-diana-ross-stevie-wonder-and-ray-charlesusa-album-sales%2F</ref> though the only one as a solo artist, on the [[Billboard 200|U.S. Top 200 ''Billboard'' Albums Chart]] as a solo act, going to #2 on the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|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.<ref name="bpi">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |title=UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |accessdate=2012-02-29 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6DaMNbmDo?url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |archivedate=2013-01-11 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> It was also the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973.
+'''''Lady Sings the Blues''''' is the soundtrack to [[Lady Sings the Blues (film)|the Billie Holiday biopic of the same name]], which starred [[Diana Ross]] in her 1972 screen debut. It became Ross' first #1 album (eventually selling over 2 million US copies), though the only one as a solo artist. It was certified gold in the UK for sales of over 100,000 copies.<ref name="bpi">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |title=UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |access-date=2012-02-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115055129/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |archive-date=2013-01-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973 in the US.
 Music writers said Ross emulated [[Billie Holiday]]'s voice while retaining her own individual sound.  This soundtrack album was 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.
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 {{Album reviews
 |rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
-|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}} [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r16951|pure_url=yes}} link]
+|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r16951|pure_url=yes}} link]
 |rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
-|rev2Score = B+<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: R|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|accessdate=March 12, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref>
+|rev2Score = B+<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: R|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|access-date=March 12, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref>
 }}
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 #"Persuasion/'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 3:48
 #"Agent's Office" – 1:09
-#"[[Love Is Here to Stay|Our Love Is Here to Stay]]" – 2:01
+#"[[Love Is Here to Stay]]" – 2:01
 ===Side three===
 #"Fine and Mellow" – 2:54
 #"[[Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)|Lover Man]]" – 3:22
-#"[[You've Changed]]" – 2:34
+#"[[You've Changed (1941 song)|You've Changed]]" – 2:34
-#"Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" – 2:06
+#"[[Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)]]" – 2:06
 #"[[Good Morning Heartache]]" – 2:21
 #"All of Me" – 2:04
@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 ===Side four===
 #"Love Theme" – 2:53
-#"[[Mon Homme|My Man]]" – 2:26
+#"[[Mon Homme|My Man]]" – 3:26
 #"[[Don't Explain (song)|Don't Explain]]" – 2:10
 #"I Cried for You" – 2:13
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 #"Closing Theme" – 1:08
-==Personnel==
+==Charts==
+{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
-*Diana Ross - vocals
-*John Collins - guitar, banjo
-*Arthur Edwards, [[Max Bennett (musician)|Max Bennett]], [[Red Callender|George "Red" Callender]] - bass
-*Chester Lane, [[Don Abney]], [[Gerald Wiggins]] - piano
-*[[Earl Palmer]], Jessie Sailes - drums
-*Caughey Roberts - soprano saxophone, clarinet
-*[[Buddy Collette|William "Buddy" Collette]], [[Ernie Watts]], [[Georgie Auld]], [[Jack Nimitz]], [[Marshall Royal]], [[Plas Johnson]] - saxophone
-*[[George Bohanon]], [[Grover Mitchell]], [[Henry Coker]], [[Jimmy Cleveland]], [[Streamline Ewing|John Ewing]], Maurice Spears - trombone
-*[[Al Aarons]], [[Bobby Bryant (musician)|Bobby Bryant]], [[Cat Anderson|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==
-{| class="wikitable"
-!Year
-!Chart
-!Position
 |-
-|rowspan="3"|1973
+! scope="col"| Chart (1973)
+! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
-|align="left"|[[Billboard 200|U.S. Billboard 200]]
-|align="center"|1
 |-
+!scope="row"| Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=281}}</ref>
-|align="left"|[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Chart]]
+|43
-|align="center"|2
+|-
+{{album chart|Canada|5|chartid=4814|rowheader=true|access-date=October 11, 2021}}
+|-
+{{album chart|UK|50|artist=Diana Ross|rowheader=true|access-date=October 11, 2021}}
+|-
+{{album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=Diana Ross|rowheader=true|access-date=October 11, 2021}}
+|-
+{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|2|artist=Diana Ross|rowheader=true|access-date=October 11, 2021}}
 |-
-|align="left"|[[UK Albums Chart]]
-|align="center"|50
 |}
-===Certifications===
+==Certifications==
 {{certification Table Top}}
-{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Diana Ross|title=Lady Sings The Blues|award=Gold|relyear=1973|certyear=1973|type=album|autocat=yes}}
+{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Diana Ross|title=Lady Sings The Blues|award=Gold|relyear=1973|certyear=1973|type=album|id=3723-2600-2}}
-{{Certification Table Bottom}}
+{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
+==Personnel==
+*[[Diana Ross]] - [[Singing|vocals]]
+*[[Gil Askey]] - [[Conducting|conductor]]
+*[[Gil Askey]], [[Benny Golson]], [[Oliver Nelson]] - arrangements
+*[[Al Aarons|Albert Aarons]], [[Cat Anderson|William "Cat" Anderson]], [[Bobby Bryant (musician)|Bobby Bryant]], [[Harry Edison|Harry "Sweets" Edison]], [[Teddy Buckner]] - [[Trumpet|trumpets]]
+*[[Georgie Auld]], [[Buddy Collette|William "Buddy" Collette]], [[Plas Johnson]], [[Jack Nimitz]], [[Marshal Royal|Marshall Royal]], [[Ernie Watts]] - [[saxophone]]
+*[[George Bohanon]], [[Jimmy Cleveland]], [[Henry Coker]], [[Grover Mitchell]], Maurice Spears, [[Streamline Ewing|John Ewing]] - [[Trombone|trombones]]
+*[[Max Bennett (musician)|Max Bennett]], [[Red Callender|George "Red" Callender]], Arthur Edwards - bass
+*John Collins - [[guitar]], [[banjo]]
+*[[Earl Palmer]], [[Jesse Sailes]] - [[Drum|drums]]
+*[[Don Abney]], [[Gerald Wiggins]], Chester Lane - [[piano]]
+*[[Caughey Roberts|"Caughey" Roberts]] - [[clarinet]], [[soprano saxophone]]
+== Production ==
+* [[Michel Legrand]] - [[Composer|composed]], arranged, [[Conducting|conductor]]
+* Guy Costa - engineering and technical direction
+* Larry Miles, [[Cal Harris (engineer)|Cal Harris]], Bill Macmeekin, Dave Ramsey, [[Art Stewart (producer)|Art Stewart]], Russ Terrana - [[Motown|Mowest]] engineers
+* Gordon Day, Dave Docendort, John Norman - [[Glen Glenn Sound|Glen Glen]] engineers
+* Katarina Pettersson - art direction
+* John Le Prevost, Frank Frezzo - design
+* Orlando Suero - photography
+* Sandra Forney - graphic production
+* [[Suzanne de Passe]], [[Iris Gordy]] - edited, coordinated
+* Tony Jones - creative assistance
+* [[Berry Gordy]] - [[executive producer]]
 ==See also==
@@ Line 127: / Line 141: @@
 {{Diana Ross}}
+{{Authority control}}
-[[Category:Film soundtracks]]
+[[Category:Biographical film soundtracks]]
-[[Category:1972 soundtracks]]
+[[Category:1972 soundtrack albums]]
 [[Category:Motown soundtracks]]
 [[Category:Diana Ross soundtracks]]
-[[Category:albums arranged by Benny Golson]]
+[[Category:Albums arranged by Benny Golson]]
-[[Category:albums arranged by Oliver Nelson]]
+[[Category:Albums arranged by Oliver Nelson]]
-[[Category:albums arranged by Michel Legrand]]
+[[Category:Albums arranged by Michel Legrand]]
-[[Category:albums produced by Gil Askey]]
+[[Category:Albums produced by Gil Askey]]
 [[Category:Vocal jazz soundtracks]]

v t e Diana Ross
Discography Awards and nominations
Studio albums	Diana Ross (1970) Everything Is Everything (1970) Surrender (1971) Touch Me in the Morning (1973) Diana & Marvin (1973) Last Time I Saw Him (1973) Diana Ross (1976) Baby It's Me (1977) Ross (1978) The Boss (1979) Diana (1980) Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1981) Silk Electric (1982) Ross (1983) Swept Away (1984) Eaten Alive (1985) Red Hot Rhythm & Blues (1987) Workin' Overtime (1989) The Force Behind the Power (1991) A Very Special Season (1994) Take Me Higher (1995) Every Day Is a New Day (1999) Blue (2006) I Love You (2006) Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz (rec. 1978, rel. 2015) Thank You (2021)
Compilations	Greatest Hits (1972) Diana Ross' Greatest Hits (1976) 20 Golden Greats (1979) To Love Again (1981) All the Great Hits (1981) Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs (1993) One Woman: The Ultimate Collection (1993) Diana Extended: The Remixes (1994) Voice of Love (1996) Love & Life: The Very Best of Diana Ross (2001) The Definitive Collection (2006) The Greatest (2011) Upside Down: The Collection (2012) Supertonic: Mixes (2020)
Live releases	Live at Caesars Palace (1974) An Evening with Diana Ross (1977) Greatest Hits Live (1989) Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues (1993) Christmas in Vienna (1993)
Soundtrack albums	Diana! (1971) Lady Sings the Blues (1972) Mahogany (1975) The Wiz (1978) Endless Love (1981)
Video albums	Live in Central Park (2012) Paris 1968: Broadcast Archives (2013)
Singles	"Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" "Remember Me" "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" "Surrender" "I'm Still Waiting" "Good Morning Heartache" "Touch Me in the Morning" "You're a Special Part of Me" "Last Time I Saw Him" "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" "You Are Everything" "Don't Knock My Love" "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" "I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)" "Love Hangover" "One Love in My Lifetime" "Gettin' Ready for Love" "Your Love Is So Good for Me" "You Got It" "Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" "Ease on Down the Road" "Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)" "What You Gave Me" "The Boss" "No One Gets the Prize" "It's My House" "Upside Down" "I'm Coming Out" "My Old Piano" "It's My Turn" "One More Chance" "Cryin' My Heart Out for You" "Endless Love" "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" "Mirror, Mirror" "Work That Body" "Muscles" "So Close" "Pieces of Ice" "All of You" "Swept Away" "Touch by Touch" "Missing You" "Eaten Alive" "Chain Reaction" "Experience" "Dirty Looks" "If We Hold On Together" "Workin' Overtime" "This House" / "Paradise" "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" "Someday We'll Be Together" "Take Me Higher" "I Will Survive" "Not Over You Yet" "Goin' Back" "I've Got a Crush on You" "Thank You" "If the World Just Danced" "Turn Up the Sunshine"
Featured singles	"A Brand New Day" "We Are the World"
Tours and concerts	Super Bowl XXX halftime show (1996) Return to Love Tour (2000) I Love You Tour (2006–2008) More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits Tour (2010–2012) In the Name of Love Tour (2013–2017) The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade (2015–2017)
Related topics	The Supremes Rhonda Ross Kendrick (daughter) Tracee Ellis Ross (daughter) Evan Ross (son) Arne Næss Jr. (second husband) Arthur "T-Boy" Ross (brother) Diana Ross Playground Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
Category