Billie Holiday and Helen Merrill duet: "You Go to My Head"! (1956)

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Billie Holiday and Helen Merrill duet: "You Go to My Head"! (1956)

Рет қаралды 87,857

Күн бұрын

This is my Christmas gift to you guys, a VERY rare recording of Billie Holiday singing a duet with jazz singer Helen Merrill in November of 1956 at jazz critic Leonard Feather's New York apartment.
The story behind this recording is that Leonard Feather was throwing a little get together, and jazz singers Lady Day and Helen Merrill were present. At the beginning of the tape, Billie is singing a song called "Ghost of Yesterday", a beautiful song she recorded in 1940. She asks Leonard Feather (who is playing the piano) to play "You Go to My Head" a song well known in Billie's repertoire. Leonard originally asks Billie to sing "I Cried for You", another Holiday hit from her heyday, but soon obliges, and Helen Merrill is laughing in the background.. A clarinetist (Tony Scott perhaps?) is also present, and Billie asks him to play pretty, for she's not too fond of clarinets (she mentions Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw). She begins to sing "You Go to My Head" and Helen begins to hum along, and then Billie offers her to sing, and they end up singing the song together in this wonderful recording.
Hope you guys enjoy, and I hope you guys have a great holiday season and a happy New Year!
-nigel1034, The Billie Holiday Experience

Пікірлер: 102

@shinyyellow2877 8 жыл бұрын

Billie was only 41 years old here, in 1956, but her voice bears the weight of the world and her tremendous suffering. She passed just 3 years later.

@gammeltfossil 6 жыл бұрын

It's hard to listen to :(

@nocount1 6 жыл бұрын

The herion didn't help her much either.

@monicabella7894 4 жыл бұрын

@@gammeltfossil Terrible, her voice has gone.

@pappawheely Жыл бұрын

@@nocount1 the cops hounded her constantly

@pappawheely Жыл бұрын

@@monicabella7894 I didnt hear that...

@karlsmith2052 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! What a treat!! Billie is so self-assured in her approach. Just gutsy singing with no vocal gymnastics needed. There is no guile there at all. There are not too many singers who can sing that tempo and sound good. I don't want to say anything negative about Helen Merrill, but Billie was in a league of her own. Leonard Feather, a life-long fan and friend of Billie's, must've been in his element.

@mjc5509 10 ай бұрын

LADY and HELEN together this is an amazing discovery. But must of been incredibly intimidating for HELEN ,.singing with the worlds greatest JAZZ SINGER, then, and remains so to this day 2023

@Gangstagran 12 жыл бұрын

Billie's voice sends shivers down my spine. And what a generous, lovely funny woman she was.

@alanmerrillchannel6280 8 жыл бұрын

I was there in the next room watching TV with Lorraine Feather!

@Gangstagran 6 жыл бұрын

Were you really?

@WillieWisely 6 жыл бұрын

According to New York Times, Lorraine Feather has recordings of more than just this song: www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/realestate/when-your-home-has-a-history.html

@nicholasgilman9398 5 жыл бұрын

I asked your mom about it and all she could say was "Leonard gave great parties" hahahaha. Obviously!

@jankafka1535 4 жыл бұрын

Clearly, i was running wifi in the next room.

@shavedputtytat2392 3 жыл бұрын

I was there too with my grandson. I took him out for his birthday.

@m.g.3842 6 жыл бұрын

Crazy, her voice sounds like an instrument. She sounds high here

@jankafka1535 4 жыл бұрын

this song has always seemed exceptional to me, and still somewhat different from Billie Holiday's others. and I imagined I could have her at my funeral. Listening to this version, I feel like I've died and found myself in some amazing heaven for alcoholics.

@BernardVictor 6 жыл бұрын

She sounds absolutely pissed till she starts to sing,and then what a transformation.#

@jorgeluisantongutierrez3022 4 жыл бұрын

Jorge de Perú Billie holiday es la princesa del jazz tenía una vos formidable que hasta hora se escucha en todo el mundo ❤️💟

@MarlaLukofsky7 6 жыл бұрын

Love this raw, casual, home audio recording impromptu. Helen's voice is so smooth like velvet. Billie is doing Billie perfectly. Both great stylists.

@pappawheely Жыл бұрын

fun

@sojphost 11 жыл бұрын

See, this is what jazz is all about. Not so much for the rehearsed recordings and concerts, but those moments that are spontaneous. Improv!!!! Thank you so much for posting this!!

@pappawheely Жыл бұрын

for sure,,,

@zwelakhezwane4128 10 ай бұрын

It's only Jazz❤

@jimbrown1559 5 жыл бұрын

Two of the finest singers. Incredibly lovely!

@sumaarc46 9 жыл бұрын

what really made it special was Leonard Feather. To think that Billie, was willing to even sing..with Feather,was proof, Lady Day, was feelin no pain....

@TheEllalissa 3 жыл бұрын

The moment Billie sings, she’s flawless. Ageless. Timeless. Simply love this ❤️

@BlueParadoxical 8 жыл бұрын

Billie Holiday and Helen Merrill - two gifted, remarkable personalities. Wonderful Christmas gift. I will probably be listening to lots of jazz during this holiday season. Modern jazz and Christmas are a perfect couple for me. Maybe it's because of all of that great Vince Guaraldi jazz in the Charlie Brown Christmas movie.

@johnnybell61 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant ❤

@demitricorbin6112 10 жыл бұрын

Wonderful find! Thank you so much for sharing this treasure!

@Alire1 12 жыл бұрын

The juxtaposition is what's getting to me. Thank you so much.

@jurek46pink 12 жыл бұрын

Dziękuję, which in my language is Thank You. Absolutely charming and inspiring. Merrill recorded "You Go to My Head" in French - I have that old LP and this is my favourite, both in her and Billie's interpretation. Here we have them together. Fantastic.

@Gangstagran 9 жыл бұрын

'Like a tigger in a tulip or two!'

@brucescott4261 2 ай бұрын

@Gangstagran ..."Like a kicker in a julep or two!" Learn how to spell and read a book!

@waldolydecker8118 Ай бұрын

@@brucescott4261 - What are you talking about, dude? We all know that's the correct lyric, but what he wrote 8 years ago is what Helen Merrill sang....clean out your ears, clown.

@louisphilippe5666 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this rare collaboration! But I must say both these legends sound very intoxicated especially Helen here

@ARELIPAMELA12 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Beautiful and mysterious recording .. with a lot of swing

@julieheckman8365 10 жыл бұрын

great duet

@MrMusicguyma 7 жыл бұрын

takes a while to get going, but both songstresses are definitely having tipsy fun here.

@ms.masheekia 4 жыл бұрын

This is amazing. I love finding these gems of Billie 🤗

@princeandrey 3 жыл бұрын

Moments of rare beauty here!

@billie44 12 жыл бұрын

That was great

@Nancyann 9 жыл бұрын

Simply fabulous. Nancy

@zwelakhezwane4128 Жыл бұрын

Billie is ❤

@maisondavid 5 жыл бұрын

Amazing.

@spheere1 12 жыл бұрын

An amazing little piece of History and a treat to the ears - thanks for posting :)

@jasbegs1258 8 жыл бұрын

Really works, love this.

@lauriewinestock4195 7 жыл бұрын

this recording of Billie is amazing! thanks so much for uploading!! even in this impromptu recording at a party her delivery is unforgettable and soooooo MUSICAL!!

@early60srcool 12 жыл бұрын

Billie is the Boss! And Helen Merrill unfortunately, did not know all the words! But this is indeed a rarity! Thank you!

@nik6498 4 жыл бұрын

Incredibile, even drunk ❤️

@gesco 9 жыл бұрын

like being a fly on the wall

@elizabethfaraone 12 жыл бұрын

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

@tadeashajek1443 4 жыл бұрын

I was there of course also, and I was care about Bourbon for the best singer, I've ever heard. In my dreams (of course).

@bigeman25 9 жыл бұрын

I know she was was torn up from the floor up, but she still sounds great! :)

@paulquadflieg9946 9 жыл бұрын

Superb,unique

@ginnavictoriaginnavictoria9669 9 жыл бұрын

incredible-period.

@michelpelletier3600 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much

@billie44 12 жыл бұрын

would I have love to been there.I was born in 58.this was great

@claudeve1 9 жыл бұрын

Incroyable! Merci beaucoup.

@zunzemma 12 жыл бұрын

What a gift!!!!thank you.M

@liviasorbello9988 Жыл бұрын

Graffiante e immensa

@duggydugg3937 2 жыл бұрын

billie !!!!!

@cheraityannechangkachith8970 2 жыл бұрын

I love it

@jurek46pink 12 жыл бұрын

Now I've noticed that it's been on YT since July 21.

@livvynut 12 жыл бұрын

helen merrill one of the most over looked jazz singers her styling and voice are near perfect ok helen forgot some lyrics but who cares she was singing with her idol.

@Arron413 12 жыл бұрын

This blowing my mind. Where did you find this rare recording? I am just caught up in awe and there is no return for me! Thank you!

@88Agatka 12 жыл бұрын

I also love Armstrong's interpretation - try this one, splendidly intoxicating too ;)

@timlewisjazz 3 жыл бұрын

wow!

@manolorodriguez9822 10 жыл бұрын

MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS !!!!!!!!!.

@dibubeto 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Billie ! give me a drink

@infondoalparco 4 жыл бұрын

Billie..

@jyhshyonglin9793 4 жыл бұрын

Alcohol and dope can partially paralyze the vocal cord by the recurrent branch of vagal nerve , that may be the SECRET of the unique voice of Billie and Amy Winehouse.

@ericpoppareed9562 3 жыл бұрын

Drug addiction and abuse may be the “SECRET” to the uniqueness of Billie Holiday? You probably didn’t mean it this way, but that particular narrative only perpetuates the myth behind what makes an artist great. When you research Billie Holiday, you discover who her influences were, and what was going on in her early beginnings that impacted her artistry. She wasn’t unique because she used drugs - she used drugs, in part, because she was too unique.

@adoris864 3 жыл бұрын

@@ericpoppareed9562 Right! The gift was already present. Drugs had nothing to do with it. The damage to her vocal chords only changed tone. But that magical inflection is something that can't be taught or induced. She LIVED a life of pain- THAT'S where her magical inflection came from. God made her unique from birth, like he did with Most black performers. God gave us His BLACK MAGIC!

@TheLupomusic 3 жыл бұрын

Why don't you take alcohol and dope and try to sing ? It would be funny ! (Pierre from Paris)

@dirkvandehengst6085 2 жыл бұрын

Hou.gat.to.my.head.Just.ABEAUTY

@kadununes86 10 жыл бұрын

@nathanielrossi9659 3 жыл бұрын

Is this on the verve boxset?

@BrewskLitovsk 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for those sounds. It's a fascinating insight. Alas, it's running too slow: "A-flat!", says Lady, but what we hear is "G" ;) -- You should re-upload it in the correct pitch.

@leezee3675 9 жыл бұрын

Who cares! This is a treasure!

@BrewskLitovsk 9 жыл бұрын

Well, I care; this treasure would be even more valuable than it is if the pitch was higher, and Lady wouldn't sound like a male ;)

@black.0rpheus913 9 жыл бұрын

Brewsk Litovsk that was what Lady's speaking voice sounded like in the late 50s...

@BrewskLitovsk 9 жыл бұрын

Anyway, she says "A-flat", and Mr. Feather hit a "G", and so, the pitch of the video is wrong, respectively the pitch of the source for this sound is running one halftone too low/ slow. This makes her voice sound unnaturally deep. So, what we hear is the ghost of her voice, but not her original speaking voice.

@BrewskLitovsk 9 жыл бұрын

Sir, if you don't mind: Lady says clearly "A-flat"; just use a tuning fork, and you will hear a G, played by the piano ;)