Lady Sings the Blues (soundtrack)

For the Billie Holiday album, see Lady Sings the Blues (Billie Holiday album).

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
Surrender (1971) Lady Sings the Blues (1972) Greatest Hits (1972)
Singles from Lady Sings the Blues
"Good Morning Heartache" Released: December 18, 1972

Lady Sings the Blues is the soundtrack to 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), 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. It was also the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973.

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+

Track listing

Side one

1. "The Arrest" – 0:15
2. "Lady Sings the Blues" – 1:03
3. "Baltimore Brothel" – 0:25
4. "Billie Sneaks into Dean and Dean's/Swinging Uptown" – 0:49
5. "'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 1:06
6. "Big Ben/C.C. Rider" – 1:06
7. "All of Me" – 2:19
8. "The Man I Love" – 2:27
9. "Them There Eyes" – 1:03
10. "Gardenias from Louis" – 2:03
11. "Cafe Manhattan/Had You Been Around/Love Theme" – 2:03

Side two

1. "Any Happy Home" – 0:37
2. "I Cried for You" – 0:37
3. "Billie and Harry/Don't Explain" – 0:37
4. "Mean to Me" – 1:18
5. "Fine and Mellow" – 0:45
6. "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" – 2:09
7. "Louis Visits Billie on Tour/Love Theme" – 0:45
8. "Cafe Manhattan Party" – 1:37
9. "Persuasion/'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 3:48
10. "Agent's Office" – 1:09
11. "Our Love Is Here to Stay" – 2:01

Side three

1. "Fine and Mellow" – 2:54
2. "Lover Man" – 3:22
3. "You've Changed" – 2:34
4. "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" – 2:06
5. "Good Morning Heartache" – 2:21
6. "All of Me" – 2:04

Side four

1. "Love Theme" – 2:53
2. "My Man" – 2:26
3. "Don't Explain" – 2:10
4. "I Cried for You" – 2:13
5. "Strange Fruit" – 3:35
6. "God Bless the Child" – 2:42
7. "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
1973	U.S. Billboard 200	1
	U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Chart	2
	UK Albums Chart	50

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)	Gold	100,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• Happy (Love Theme from Lady Sings the Blues)