Lady Sings the Blues (1972) (about Billie Holliday)

Lady Sings the Blues (1972) (about Billie Holliday)
1Give a brief biographical sketch of the principal character/musician.
Eleanora Fagan, famously known by her stage name Billie Holiday, was an American jazz musician and songwriter that had an imposing influence on pop singing and jazz music. Her career spanned almost three decades, with a vocal delivery and unique skills that made many Americans love her music. Despite her lack of formal training in music, Holiday became a household name and pioneered new ways of doing jazz music that was popularized by her voice. Holiday had a disturbing childhood that was characterized by a rape ordeal, in addition to being arrested later on for prostitution. She grew up in abject poverty and set off to look for work in clubs. Later she auditioned for a club in Harlem that exposed her to the world of both blues and jazz (Furie). Before long, Holiday became a darling of the clubs in Harlem, and this newfound fame catapulted her to major contracts and ultimately led her to work with great producers and jazz writers, such as John Hammond.
2Socially and musically, how is the principal character/musician portrayed?
Holiday’s life can be analyzed from two perspectives: musically and socially. From a musical perspective, Holiday is portrayed as an expressive singer, full of emotions. Holiday fought off many challenges through her musical prowess, ranging from racism to sexism. For instance, one of her most successful songs titled ”Strange Fruit” portrayed a powerful story about African American lynching in the South (Furie).

Her singing was unique and her stage presence communicated a self-assured woman at the peak of her career. Holiday’s social life was marred with drug abuse that resulted in criminal offenses. The film portrayed her as a troubled woman battling with her dark past. For instance, Holiday was arrested and convicted for possession of narcotics, and sentenced to one year in jail. She was later put into rehabilitation, and after her release, she was unable to get the license to allow her to perform in clubs and cabarets (Furie). She also went through a series of abusive relationships from McKay to Joe Guy. All these factors catalyzed her addiction problems that culminated in her premature death.
3What historical phase of the development of popular music does the principal character belong to?
Holiday belonged to the 1930s and 1940s, a period synonymous with the historical phase of the development of jazz music. Although she did not have any formal musical training, she developed her unique style of music that spread throughout the decades that followed. More importantly, Holiday was a product of the Swing era of jazz. Swing, as a style of jazz, emerged during the Great Depression, and the optimistic spirits that Swing brought into the American culture was synonymous with big bands that played that kind of music. The another famous jazz singer of this era was Duke Ellington. Holiday’s music career also spilled into the 1940s that were synonymous with the Bebop style of jazz. This style was characteristic of fast tempos, complex harmonies, and intricate melodies, and was widely viewed as music for intellectuals. The band groups during this period were small and played for the listening audience as opposed to dancing audiences. A famous singer during this period was Dizzy Gillespie.
4How does the life and music of the principal character reflect the issues examined in relation to that historical phase?
The life and music of Holiday resembled the Swing era more than it does the bebop. As noted earlier, the Swing era was synonymous with lifted spirits that were reflected in the dances and big bands. Her mesmerizing emotions in her songs depicted the tenets of the Swing era. Her earlier songs included blues rhythms and livelier songs, and then she later transited into slow music. Individuals during this period felt strongly entitled to enjoy the good trappings of life, especially being a period that followed the depression. Holiday also loved to live to the fullest as a performer, and this coincided with her erratic life that involved the use of marijuana, a reckless sex life with both men and women, and alcohol (Furie). She loved life and always wanted to have fun.
5Describe the narrative of the film. How does the story unfold?
The story starts with Holiday’s troubled childhood that creeps into her adult life, such as working in brothels as a prostitute as well as a cleaner, which in turn, details her rape ordeal. Despite these difficulties, Holiday did not relent on her dream of becoming a jazz singer and got her big break in one of the clubs in Harlem where she was hired as a singer (Furie). Keen on promoting her music career, Holiday wanted to elevate her expertise to the mainstream clubs, especially in Manhattan. Thereafter, Holiday joined the Reg Hanley band, an all-white band, as the lead singer, a decision that acted as a springboard for her music career especially the regional tours. As much as Holiday’s career took an upward trajectory, she encountered pressure and effects of racism, which led to her dependency on drugs (Furie). The substance abuse, especially heroin resulted to her erratic behavior, both on and off stage. Her support system that included her lover Louis McKay worked towards getting Holiday off drugs and criminal offense, a culmination of challenges that ultimately ended her life.
Works Cited
Lady Sings the Blues. Directed by Sidney Furie. Paramount Pictures Corporation, 1972.