Billie Holiday sings they can't take that away from me.
Billie Holiday and her dog Mister
A Brief History of Billie
She was born in 1915 on April the 7th and was named either Elinore or Eleanora, now one is sure, except about one thing. She changed her name to Billie Holiday, calling herself after Billie Dove and actress.
She had a hard life with many more downs than ups.
All this was to change when she was just 18 years old. John Hammond took her under his wing and set her up to make recordings with a band leader and clarinetist called Benny Goodman.
Her career turned around and she became known as one of the best jazz singers of all time.
Alas fame led to other problems and she became addicted to heroin and alcohol. She died in 1959 at the age of 44, her body devastated by the abuse.
She was known to have loved dogs and they were her only truly trusted friends. It has been said that she had eight or nine. Mister was often at performances and photographed with her.
Billie Dove
History of "They Can't Take That Away From Me"
Written in 1937 by George and Ira Gershwin, it is first sung by Fred Astaire to Ginger Rogers in the film Shall We Dance.
Since then it has been used in other movies, including, The Barkleys of Broadway, Astaire and Rogers again, also Rain man, in 1988.
It has been recorded by many, and was even sampled by a band called Strung Out as the start of the first track, Analog, on the album Exile in Oblivion. See link below, not for the faint hearted!
Strung Out, Exile in Oblivion
- Exile in Oblivion - Strung Out | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Exile in Oblivion - Strung Out on AllMusic - 2004 - After over a decade in existence, Strung Out has…