What Is This Thing Called Love? - Billie Holiday, Porter, Cole
Solitude - Billie Holiday, DeLange, Eddie
You're My Thrill - Billie Holiday, Clare, Sidney
Them There Eyes - Billie Holiday, Pinkard, Maceo
No More - Billie Holiday, Camarata, Tutti
God Bless the Child - Billie Holiday, Herzog, Arthur Jr.
My Man - Billie Holiday, Charles, Jacques
Don't Explain - Billie Holiday, Herzog, Arthur Jr.
There Is No Greater Love - Billie Holiday, Jones, Isham
'Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do - Billie Holiday, Grainger, Percy
You Better Go Now - Billie Holiday, Graham, Robert
Big Stuff - Billie Holiday, Bernstein, Leonard
Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holiday, Drake, Ervin
I Loves You, Porgy [From Porgy and Bess] - Billie Holiday, Gershwin, George
Guilty - Billie Holiday, Akst, Harry
Lover Man - Billie Holiday, Davis, Jimmy [4]
They Can't Take That Away from Me - Billie Holiday, Gershwin, George
That Ole Devil Called Love - Billie Holiday, Fisher, Doris
There's no such thing as a genuine Billie Holiday greatest-hits collection--her career was split among too many labels for that--but this single-disc distillation of the Complete Decca Recordings 2 CD set (recorded between... more » 1944 and 1950) is pretty solid. Holiday's in fine vocal form (though her accompaniment is undistinguished easy-listening stuff; the choir on "God Bless the Child" is a bit frustrating), and the songs are arranged to work as an album rather than chronologically. She transcends the ideas of torch songs, of blues, of ballad singing--her version of "Lover Man" exemplifies erotic despair, tormented and aroused at once--and even the lesser-known tracks here are pleasant surprises, like a Leonard Bernstein song. --Douglas Wolk« less
There's no such thing as a genuine Billie Holiday greatest-hits collection--her career was split among too many labels for that--but this single-disc distillation of the Complete Decca Recordings 2 CD set (recorded between 1944 and 1950) is pretty solid. Holiday's in fine vocal form (though her accompaniment is undistinguished easy-listening stuff; the choir on "God Bless the Child" is a bit frustrating), and the songs are arranged to work as an album rather than chronologically. She transcends the ideas of torch songs, of blues, of ballad singing--her version of "Lover Man" exemplifies erotic despair, tormented and aroused at once--and even the lesser-known tracks here are pleasant surprises, like a Leonard Bernstein song. --Douglas Wolk
"For newcomers to Billie Holiday and for those who want one CD that represents her work, this is not the CD to buy. Much of Billie's greatness was her rapport with musicians, and on this CD, Billie is on one world and the musicians on another. Aside from the atrocious arrangements, Billie can be heard rushing through her tunes, clipping her phrases, not having any musical space to breathe life into these songs. This CD is a total rip-off. If I could only have one Billie Holiday collection, it would be the old one on Columbia/Sony, "God Bless The Child." Good luck finding it, as it seems to be out of print."
Not even close to her Greatest
T. Rock | Ashland, Oregon USA | 02/21/2002
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Although there are a few good cuts on this collection, despite the generally terrible arrangements, almost any other collection of Billie's is better. If you want a single disc Greatest Hits album, try an obscure Brit import called "Fine and Mellow." The only thing the DECCA CD has going for it is better sound quality, because it was recorded much later than most of her good recordings."
Great sound quality
Diana Scherff | Los Angeles, CA | 01/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've heard many Billie Holiday CDs and this is one of the better ones. The sound quality is fantastic. 19 of her very best hits. I recommend this to both new and old Holiday fans."
An album for those who've never listened to Billie Holiday..
Chime Braithwaite | United States | 03/25/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...Like me! True, these songs don't represent the real Billie because they are so short (about 3 minutes each). And there are a lot of added strings in the background in order to fit into what was commercially typical of the day. BUT trust me, after you listen to "Good Morning Heartache" it will sound like REAL music, compared to so much (noise/garbage) that passes for music in the present.I love this record!"