Billie Holiday had a difficult childhood. Much information once not considered true was confirmed in the book Billie Holiday by Stuart Nicholson in 1995. Holiday's autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, which was first published in 1956, is sketchy when it comes to details about her early life, but has been confirmed by the Nicholson research.
Her professional pseudonym was taken from Billie Dove, an actress she admired, and Clarence Holiday, her probable father. At the outset of her career, she spelled her last name Halliday, which was the birth-surname of her father, but eventually changed it to Holiday, his performing name.
Her distinct delivery made Billie Holiday's performances instantly recognizable throughout her career. A master of improvisation, Billie's well-trained ear more than compensated for her lack of music education performance really was.
In 1972, Diana Ross portrayed Holiday in the film Lady Sings the Blues, which is loosely based on the 1956 autobiography of the same name. The film earned Ross a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also has been portrayed by Ernestine Jackson in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill and by Paula Jai Parker in a Season 7 episode of Touched by an Angel entitled "God Bless the Child," the title deriving from a song that she had written and sung.
In 1987, Billie Holiday was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1993, R&B singer Miki Howard released an album dedicated to Holiday titled Miki Sings Billie: A Tribute To Billie Holiday. The United States Postal Service introduced a Billie Holiday postage stamp in 1994, she ranked #6 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Rock n' Roll in 1999, and she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Over the years, there have been many tributes to Billie Holiday, including "The Day Lady Died," a 1959 poem by Frank O'Hara, and "Angel of Harlem," a 1988 release by the group U2. A 1953 Holiday concert in New York is a key feature of the 2009 Arthur Phillips novel The Song is You.
On May 31, 1959, Holiday was taken to Metropolitan Hospital in New York suffering from liver and heart disease. Police officers were stationed at the door to her room. She was arrested for drug possession as she lay dying, and her hospital room was raided by authorities. Holiday remained under police guard at the hospital until she died from cirrhosis of the liver (the result of several years of substance abuse) on July 17, 1959. In the final years of her life, she had been progressively swindled out of her earnings, and she died with $0.70 in the bank and $750 (a tabloid fee) on her person. Her funeral mass was held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in New York City.
Critic John Bush wrote that she "changed the art of American pop vocals forever."She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably "God Bless the Child," "Don't Explain," "Fine and Mellow," and "Lady Sings the Blues." She also became famous for singing jazz standards including "Easy Living," "Good Morning Heartache," and "Strange Fruit."
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra Lyrics
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And I say either
You say neither
And I say neither
Either, either, neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off
You like potatoes
You like tomatoes
And I like tomatoes
Potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes
Let's call the whole thing off
But oh, if we call the whole thing off
Then we must part
And oh, if we ever part
Then that might break my heart
So it you like pajarnas and I like pajamas
I'll wear pajamas and give up pajamas
For we know we need each other
So we'd better call the calling off, off
Let's call the whole thing off
So if you go for oysters
And I go for oysters
I'll order oysters and cancel the oysters
For we know we need each other
So we'd better call the calling off, off
Let's call the whole thing off
The lyrics of Billie Holiday's song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" are a playful representation of the differences between two partners in a romantic relationship. The song's narrator and her partner can't seem to agree on anything, from the pronunciation of either and neither to the preference for potatoes or tomatoes. Despite their disagreements, they ultimately decide to remain together because they recognize their mutual need for each other.
The opening lines of the song highlight the differences in speech and pronunciation between the two partners. "Either" and "neither" can both be pronounced in different ways, and the partners cannot seem to agree on which is correct. The repetition of these words stresses the convoluted nature of their argument. Similarly, they disagree on the pronunciation of "tomatoes" and "potatoes," which again highlights their playful disagreement.
However, even though they have disagreements, the partners acknowledge the importance of maintaining their relationship. The final lines of the song suggest that they need each other too much to let their differences end things between them. The playful lyric, "so if you go for oysters and I go for oysters, I'll order oysters and cancel the oysters" shows how they will compromise to keep each other happy.
Overall, the song is a fun take on how language and personal preferences can create interesting differences between partners. It shows how differences can be appreciated and ultimately lead to a stronger bond between people who need each other.
Line by Line Meaning
You say either
You articulate 'either' in a particular way
And I say either
I articulate 'either' in a different way
You say neither
You pronounce 'neither' in a particular way
And I say neither
I pronounce 'neither' in a different way
Either, either, neither, neither
The differing pronunciations of 'either' and 'neither' cause confusion
Let's call the whole thing off
To avoid confusion and further disagreement, it may be best to end the relationship
You like potatoes
You have a preference for potatoes
And I like potatoes
I also have a preference for potatoes
You like tomatoes
You have a preference for tomatoes
And I like tomatoes
I also have a preference for tomatoes
Potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes
Our differing preferences for potatoes and tomatoes are insignificant in the grand scheme of things
Let's call the whole thing off
If we can't agree on something as simple as food preferences, it may be best to end the relationship
But oh, if we call the whole thing off
However, if we choose to end the relationship
Then we must part
We will have to separate from each other
And oh, if we ever part
If we do separate
Then that might break my heart
It has the potential to cause me intense emotional pain
So it you like pajarnas and I like pajamas
If we have different tastes in clothing
I'll wear pajamas and give up pajamas
I will compromise and wear the clothing that you prefer over what I prefer
For we know we need each other
We understand that we rely on each other emotionally
So we'd better call the calling off, off
Therefore, we should reconsider our decision to end the relationship
So if you go for oysters
If you have a preference for oysters
And I go for oysters
If I also have a preference for oysters
I'll order oysters and cancel the oysters
I will also compromise and order the food you prefer over what I prefer
For we know we need each other
Our relationship is more important than our food preferences
So we'd better call the calling off, off
It's important to come to a compromise rather than ending the relationship entirely
Let's call the whole thing off
We need to work together to come to a compromise rather than ending the relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IRA GERSHWIN, GEORGE GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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