Billie Holiday Lyrics

musicology #475

(Billie Holiday – My First Impression Of You)

Today will always be a very special date in my calender…our beautiful son’s birthday. The boy is 12 and I love him more than words alone could ever suggest. The kid is a constant source of joy and inspiration, (they both are), and I just want to lay one down for the kitten in an effort to express my feelings for him.

Recorded 72 years ago, (almost to the day), in New York on January 6th 1938 and featuring an all star cast of Buck Clayton, Benny Morton, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones.

Fabian this one’s ALL yours…LISTEN TUNE…..

“My first impression of you was like a sight of flowers in spring,
You were a glorious thing..to see,
My first impression of you was something indescribably new,
I stood there looking at you smiling at me,
If you had stepped right out of heaven it wouldn’t surprise me more,
I thought you were an angel from heavens door,
It may sound silly but true my heart just stopped when I caught your eye,
So overwhelming was my first impression of you”….

musicology #469

2LegendsClash II #5

(Billie Holiday – Travelin’ All Alone)

Still ‘Moanin’ Low’ today…like to shake the blues but they seem to be stuck to me like glue. need to get my self together..breathe some fresh air and flex but the rain won’t stop falling on my troubled mind so with that in mind I’ll try to catch some catharsis with today’s cut which as I said on day 1 of the theme is the piece that kicked off my love affair with Billie Holiday way back sometime in the late 70’s. Beautiful piece of tenor sax from The President, (Lester Young), sets the tone for Billie to cut loose and then a final flourish from clarinet master Buster Bailey to finish. Fine example of a group in complete harmony.

Recorded in New York, 13 September 1937, Released on Vocalion.

Buck Clayton, Buster Bailey, Lester Young, Claude Thornhill, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones

I’m so weary and all alone,
Feet are tired like heavy stone,
Travelin’, travelin all alone,
Who will see and who will care,
‘Bout this load that I must bear,
Travelin’, travelin all alone,

Prayers I sent to heaven above,
‘Bout my burdens, woes and love,
Head bowed down with misery,
Nothing now appeals to me,
Travelin’, travelin all alone,

Give me just another day,
There’s one thing I want to say,
Friends, the world and all it’s gold,
Leave you always when you’re old
Travelin’, travelin all alone,