Billie Holiday discography

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Billie Holiday discography
Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Feb. 1947 (William P. Gottlieb 04251).jpg
Photo from Down Beat magazine, c. February 1947
Studio albums12
Live albums3
Compilation albums24
Singles38
Box sets6

The discography of Billie Holiday, an American jazz singer, consists of 12 studio albums, three live albums, 24 compilations, six box sets, and 38 singles.

Contents

Holiday recorded extensively for six labels: Columbia Records (on its subsidiary labels Brunswick Records, Vocalion Records, and Okeh Records), from 1933 through 1942; Commodore Records in 1939 and 1944; Decca Records from 1944 through 1950; briefly for Aladdin Records in 1951; Verve Records and its earlier imprint Clef Records, from 1952 through 1957; again for Columbia Records from 1957 to 1958 and MGM Records in 1959. Many of Holiday's recordings were released on 78-rpm records, before the advent of long-playing vinyl records, and only Clef, Verve, and Columbia issued Holiday albums during her lifetime that were not compilations of previously released material. Many compilations have been issued since her death, including comprehensive box sets and live recordings. [1] [2]

Studio albums

Clef Records and Verve Records, 1952–1958

YearAlbum details
1952 Billie Holiday Sings
1953 An Evening with Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1953
  • Recorded: April 1, 1952; July 27, 1952
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 144 (10" LP)
  • Mercury 89028 (four 78-rpm records)
1954 Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1954
  • Recorded: April 1, 1952; April 14, 1954
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 161 (10" LP)
  • Mercury 89045 (four 78-rpm records)
1955 Music for Torching
  • Released: October 1955
  • Recorded: August 23 and 25, 1955
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 669 / Verve MV 2595
  • Format: LP
1956Recital [3] [4]
  • Released: 1956
  • Recorded: April 1, 1952; July 27, 1952; April 14, 1954
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 686 / Verve MGV-8027
  • Format: LP (reissue of 10" LPs An Evening with Billie Holiday and Billie Holiday)
Solitude [5] [6]
  • Released: 1956
  • Recorded: 1952
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 690 / Verve MGV-8074
  • Format: LP (reissue of 10" LP Billie Holiday Sings)
Velvet Mood
  • Released: 1956
  • Recorded: August 23 and 25, 1955
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 713
  • Format: LP
Lady Sings the Blues
  • Released: 1956
  • Recorded: June 6 and 7, 1956; September 3, 1954
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 721, Verve MV 2047
  • Format: LP
1957 Body and Soul
  • Released: 1957
  • Recorded: January 3, 4, 7, and 9, 1957
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve MGV 8197
  • Format: LP
Songs for Distingué Lovers
  • Released: 1957
  • Recorded: January 3, 4, 7, and 8, 1957
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve MGV 8257, Verve 2352 085
  • Format: LP
1958 Stay with Me
  • Released: 1958 [7]
  • Recorded: February 14, 1955
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve MGV 8302
  • Format: LP
All or Nothing at All
  • Released: 1958
  • Recorded: August 14 and 18, 1956; January 3, 7, and 8, 1957
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve MGV 8329
  • Format: LP

Columbia Records and MGM Records, 1958–1959

List of albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
Lady in Satin
  • Released: June 1958
  • Recorded: February 19–21, 1958
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 1157)
  • Format: LP
11
Last Recording
  • Released: July 1959
  • Recorded: March 3, 4, and 11, 1959
  • Label: MGM (#3764)
  • Format: LP

Live albums

YearAlbum details
1954 Billie Holiday at Jazz at the Philharmonic
  • Released: 1954
  • Recorded: February 12, 1945; June 3 and October 7, 1946
  • Label: Clef Records
  • Clef MGC 169 (10" LP)
  • Mercury 89053 (four 78-rpm records)
1958 Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport
  • Released: 1957
  • Recorded: July 4–6, 1957
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve MGV 8234
  • Format: LP
1961 The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live
  • Released: 1961 [9]
  • Recorded: November 10, 1956
  • Label: Verve Records
  • Verve V6-8410
  • Format: LP
1962Ladylove [10] [11] [12]
1964 A Rare Live Recording of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1964
  • Recorded: October 28 and November 1, 1951, Storyville Club, Boston
  • Label: Recording Industries M2001
  • Format: LP
1971Count Basie, At the Savoy Ballroom 1937 [13]
  • Holiday sings two songs, with Basie's band
  • Released: 1971
  • Recorded: 1937
  • Label: SagaPan PAN 6903
  • Format: LP

Compilation albums

Most of Holiday's albums prior to 1952 were made up of material previously released as singles.

1940s

List of compilation albums released in the 1940s
TitleAlbum details
Billie Holiday
Fancy Free
  • Released: 1946
  • Label: Decca (#DA-406)
  • Format: 78 rpm records
Teddy Wilson–Billie Holiday, Hot Jazz Classics
  • Released: 1947
  • Label: Columbia (#C-61)
  • Format: 78 rpm records
A Hot Jazz Classic Set, Vol. 1
  • Released: 1947
  • Label: Columbia (#C-135)
  • Format: 78 rpm records
Distinctive Song Stylings
  • Released: 1947
  • Label: Decca (#A-652)
  • Format: 78 rpm records
Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra Featuring Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1949
  • Label: Columbia (#CL-6040)
  • Format: LP

1950s

List of compilation albums released in the 1950s, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[15]
An Evening with Eddie Heywood and Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1950
  • Label: Commodore (#FL 30001)
  • Format: LP
Ella, Lena and Billie
  • Released: 1950
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 2531)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Sings
  • Released: 1950
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 6129)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Volume One
  • Released: 1950
  • Label: Commodore (#20005)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Volume Two
  • Released: 1950
  • Label: Commodore (#20006)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson
  • Released: 1951
  • Label: Columbia (#ESDF 1038)
  • Format: LP
Favorites
  • Released: 1951
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 6163)
  • Format: LP
Lover Man (10")
  • Released: 1951
  • Label: Decca (#DL 5345)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson Orchestras
  • Released: 1954
  • Label: Columbia (#33 S 1034)
  • Format: LP
Lady Day
  • Released: 1954
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 637)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Volume One
  • Released: 1954
  • Label: Jolly Roger (#5020)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Volume Two
  • Released: 1954
  • Label: Jolly Roger (#5021)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday Volume Three
  • Released: 1954
  • Label: Jolly Roger (#5022)
  • Format: LP
A Collection of Classic Jazz Interpretations by Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1955
  • Label: Columbia (#B-1949)
  • Format: LP
A Recital by Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1956
  • Label: Clef (#MGC 686)
  • Format: LP
Solitude
  • Released: 1956
  • Label: Clef (#MGC 690), Verve (#V6-8074)
  • Format: LP
Hall of Fame Series (7")
  • Released: 1956
  • Label: Columbia (#B-2534)
  • Format: LP
Jazz Recital (partial reissue of Billie Holiday at JATP )
  • Released: 1956
  • Label: Verve (#MGC 718)
  • Format: LP
The Lady Sings
  • Released: 1956
  • Label: Decca (#DL 8215)
  • Format: LP
The Sound of Jazz (various artists)
  • Released: 1957
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 1098)
  • Format: LP
The Unforgettable Lady Day
  • Released: 1957
  • Label: Verve (#V 8338-2)
  • Format: 2×LP
The Blues Are Brewin'
  • Released: 1958
  • Label: Decca (#DL 8701)
  • Format: LP
Lover Man
  • Released: 1958
  • Label: Decca (#DL 8702)
  • Format: LP
Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1958
  • Label: Commodore (#30008)
  • Format: LP
Seven Ages of Jazz
  • Released: 1959
  • Label: MetroJazz (#1009)
  • Format: LP
The Billie Holiday Story
  • Released: 1959 (Canada), 1972 (US)
  • Label: Decca (#DXB-161)
  • Format: LP
85

1960s

List of compilation albums released in the 1960s
TitleAlbum details
Billie Holiday's Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1967
  • Label: Columbia (#CL 2666)
  • Format: LP

1970s

List of compilation albums released in the 1970s, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[15]
Strange Fruit
  • Released: 1972
  • Label: Atlantic (#SD 1614)
  • Format: LP
108
The Original Recordings
  • Released: 1973
  • Label: Columbia (#C 32060)
  • Format: LP
135

1980s

List of compilation albums released in the 1980s, with selected chart positions and certifications
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[8]
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
The Legend Of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1985
  • Label: MCA (#BHTV1)
  • Format: LP, CD, cassette
607
At Monterey
  • Released: 1986
  • Recorded: 1958
  • Label: Blackhawk (#50701)
  • Format: CD

1990s

List of compilation albums released in the 1990s, with selected chart positions and certifications
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
US
Jazz

[17]
UK
[8]
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
Billie's Best
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Verve (#P2-13943)
  • Format: CD
29
16 Most Requested Songs
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#CK 53776)
  • Format: CD
The Essential Recordings
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Music Club (#MCCD 095)
  • Format: CD, cassette
22
Billie's Blues
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Rolled Gold (#RGCD1054)
  • Format: CD
6
Love Me or Leave Me
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Hallmark (#302412)
  • Format: CD
9
The Gold Collection: 40 Classic Performances
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Dejavu Retro (#R2CD 40-06)
  • Format: CD
19
40 Great Songs
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Musketeer (#MUCD9507)
  • Format: CD
7
Love Songs
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#CK 64853)
  • Format: CD, cassette
2323
Lady Day – The Very Best Of
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Columbia (#MOODCD52)
  • Format: CD, cassette, minidisc
631
A Portrait of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Gallerie (#GALE 409)
  • Format: CD
7
Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Columbia (#CK 65757)
  • Format: CD
28
Fine and Mellow – The Best of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Columbia (#494640 2)
  • Format: CD
9
A Midsummer Night's Jazz at Stratford '57
  • Released: 1999
  • Recorded: 1957
  • Label: Baldwin Street (#308)
  • Format: CD
The Very Best of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Verve (#547 494-2)
  • Format: CD
1

2000s

List of compilation albums released in the 2000s, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[15]
US
Jazz

[17]
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
Ken Burns Jazz: The Definitive Billie Holiday
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Verve (#P2 49081)
  • Format: CD
1745
Billie Holiday
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Direct Source Special Products Inc. (#PST 14572)
  • Format: CD
47
Stormy Weather
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Black Box (#BB242)
  • Format: CD
9
Holiday Blues
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Planet Media (#PML 1078)
  • Format: CD
13
Lady Day Swings
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#COL 508608 2)
  • Format: CD
Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#C2K 85979)
  • Format: CD
25
The Best of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Hip-O, Verve (#B0007788-02)
  • Format: CD
19
Holiday for Lovers
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Verve (#314 589 932-2)
  • Format: CD
37
The Jazz Biography
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: United Audio Entertainment (#TJB 55092)
  • Format: CD
41
Summertime – The Very Best of Billie Holiday
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: UCJ (#983111-3)
  • Format: CD
3
Sings Her Favorite Blues Songs
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Disky (#SI 903623)
  • Format: CD
12
The Essential Hits
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Spectrum (#9813493)
  • Format: CD
14
The Silver Collection
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Spectrum (#9846639)
21
The Great American Songbook
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Not Now Music (#NOT2CD220)
11
Super Hits
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Sony (#A 727899)
  • Format: CD
43
The Worth It Collection
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Spectrum (#WITUNI22)
9
The Complete Billie Holiday1221

2010s

List of compilation albums released in the 2010s, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
Jazz

[17]
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
Icon: Love Songs
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Verve, Decca (#B0015105-02)
  • Format: CD
25
The Real... Billie Holiday (The Ultimate Collection)
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Columbia, Sony (#88691900762)
  • Format: CD
16
101: Billie Holiday The Best Of45
The Centennial Collection
  • Released: 2015
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#88875048762)
  • Format: CD
830
88 Hits
  • Released: 2015
  • Label: 99 Music (#3661318036883)
5
60 Essential Recordings
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: Big3 (#BT3192)
  • Format: CD
2

Box sets

List of box sets, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
Jazz

[17]
UK
Jazz & Blues
[8]
Billie Holiday on Verve 1946–1959
  • Released: 1985
  • Label: Polydor Japan (#00MJ 3480/9)
  • Format: 10 LPs with 134 monaural tracks, including four previously unreleased takes
Rare/Unissued Recordings From Her Transitional Years [21]
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Bellaphon (#62550002/3/6/7)
  • Format: 4×CD
The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945–1959
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Verve (#314 513 859-2)
  • Format: 10 CDs, 256 tracks
Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933–1944
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#CXK 85470)
  • Format: 10 CDs, 230 tracks
The Ultimate Collection
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Verve, Decca, Hip-O (#B0003918-00)
  • Format: 2×CD, 1 DVD
33
The Complete Verve Studio Master Takes
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#CXK 85470)
  • Format: 6 CDs, 100 tracks, recorded 1952–1959, 24-bit digital remastering, limited edition
The Essential Collection
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Rolled Gold (#RGTCD5016)
  • Format: 2×CD
10
That Old Devil Called Love12
Lady Day: The Master Takes and Singles
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Columbia (#88697)
  • Format: 4 CDs, 80 tracks
22
The Complete Commodore & Decca Masters
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Hip-O Select (#BC013146-02)
  • Format: 3 CDs, 49 remastered tracks
Her Finest Studio Recordings
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Big3 (#BT 3007)
  • Format: 3×CD
26
100 Hits Legends: Billie Holiday
  • Released: July 5, 2010 [22]
  • Label: Demon (#LEGENDS 017)
  • Format: 5×CD
2
The Complete Decca Recordings
  • Released: 2022
  • Label: Verve, Decca (# B0036066-01)
  • Format: 4×LP
17

Remix albums

List of remix albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US Dance/
Electr.

[23]
US
Jazz

[17]
Remixed & Reimagined
  • Released: Aug 7, 2007
  • Label: Columbia, Legacy (#82876 85088 2)
  • Format: LP, CD
35

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released [24]
TitleYearPeak chart positions
US
Pop
US
R&B
"Riffin' the Scotch"19346
"What a Little Moonlight Can Do"193512
"Twenty-Four Hours a Day"6
"If You Were Mine"12
"You Let Me Down"193618
"These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)"5
"It's Like Reaching for the Moon"17
"No Regrets"9
"Summertime"12
"A Fine Romance"9
"Let's Call a Heart a Heart"18
"The Way You Look Tonight"3
"Who Loves You?"4
"That's Life, I Guess"20
"I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Dear)"5
"Pennies from Heaven"19373
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"4
"Please Keep Me in Your Dreams"13
"This Year's Kisses"8
"Carelessly"1
"How Could You"12
"Moanin' Low"11
"They Can't Take That Away from Me"12
"Mean to Me"7
"Easy Living"15
"Yours & Mine"16
"Me, Myself, and I"11
"A Sailboat in the Moonlight"10
"Getting Some Fun Out of Life"10
"Trav'lin' All Alone"18
"Nice Work If You Can Get It"14
"My Man"193812
"You Go to My Head"20
"I'm Gonna Lock My Heart"2
"Strange Fruit"193916
"God Bless the Child"194125
"Trav'lin' Light"1942231
"Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)"1945165
"Don't Explain"1946

Compositions

Never recorded

Notes

  1. "Billie Holiday Long Play Discography". Billieholidaysongs.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012.
  2. Billie Holiday. AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  3. Discogs, 'Recital' entry https://www.discogs.com/Billie-Holiday-Recital-By-Billie-Holiday/release/4196672
  4. AllMusic, 'Recital' entry https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-recital-mw0000912340
  5. Discogs, 'Solitude' entry https://www.discogs.com/Billie-Holiday-Solitude/release/4617997
  6. AllMusic, 'Solitude' entry https://www.allmusic.com/album/solitude-verve-mw0000102964
  7. Discogs. Retrieved 2014-10-08
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "BILLIE HOLIDAY | Official Charts". Official Charts Company . Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  9. Discogs. Retrieved 2014-10-08
  10. Record notes, Billie Holiday: Ladylove (or Lady Love), United Artists Records, UAL 8073; notes by Leonard Feather and LeRoi Jones.
  11. Billie Holiday – Ladylove, discogs.com. Accessed 29 December 2014
  12. Lady Love, 1962.
  13. Count Basie, At the Savoy Ballroom 1937. Discogs.com. Accessed April 6, 2016.
  14. "ビリー・ホリデイ 奇妙な果実 | UCCU-5760 | 4988031178478". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 "Billie Holiday | Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved July 29, 2023 via Billboard.com.
  16. "British album certifications – Billie Holiday – The Legend Of Billie Holiday". British Phonographic Industry.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Billie Holiday | Jazz Albums". Billboard . Retrieved July 29, 2023 via Billboard.com.
  18. "British album certifications – Billie Holiday – The Essential". British Phonographic Industry.
  19. "101: Billie Holiday The Best Of - Billie Holiday | Release Credits | Allmusic". Allmusic . Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  20. "101 - The Best of Billie Holiday - Compilation by Billie Holiday". Spotify . Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  21. McDonald, Ian (5 March 1991). "boxet review". Q Magazine. 55: 91.
  22. "100 Hits Legends: Billie Holiday | Releases | Allmusic". Allmusic . Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  23. "Billie Holiday | Top Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard . Retrieved July 29, 2023 via Billboard.com.
  24. "Song artist 250 – Billie Holiday". Tsort. Retrieved November 13, 2010.

References

Side A:
  1. Announcement, by Leonard Feather 0:26
  2. "Blue Moon" 2:08
  3. "All of Me" 1:38
  4. "My Man" 2:45
  5. "Them There Eyes" 1:30
  6. "I Cried For You" 3:10
  7. "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" 2:25
  8. "I Cover The Waterfront" 3:10
Side B:
  1. "Billie's Blues" 11:28
  2. "Lover, Come Back to Me" 6:35
Personnel:
  1. Bass – Red Mitchell (tracks: A2 to B2)
  2. Clarinet – Buddy DeFranco (tracks: B1, B2)
  3. Drums – Elaine Leighton (de) (1926–2012) (Beryl Booker's drummer) (tracks: A2 to B2)
  4. Guitar – Jimmy Raney (tracks: B1, B2)
  5. Liner Notes (Translation in French) – Leonard Feather
  6. Photography – Buck Hoeffler ( Paul J. Hoeffler; 1937–2005)
  7. Piano – Beryl Booker (tracks: B1, B2), Carl Drinkard ( Carlton Mark Drinkard; 1927–) (tracks: A2 to A8), Sonny Clark (tracks: B1, B2)
  8. Vibraphone – Red Norvo (tracks: B1, B2)
  9. Vocals – Billie Holiday (tracks: A2 to B2)