Lady Sings the Blues (soundtrack)

Lady Sings the Blues
Lady Sings the Blues
Soundtrack album by Diana Ross
Released	October 1972
Recorded	1972
Studio	MoWest (Los Angeles, California); Glen Glenn Sound (Hollywood, California);
Genre	R&B; vocal jazz;
Length	57:10
Label	Motown; M 758-D
Producer	Gil Askey
Diana Ross chronology
Singles from Lady Sings the Blues
	"Good Morning Heartache"; Released: December 18, 1972;

Lady Sings the Blues is the soundtrack to the Billie Holiday biopic of the same name, which starred Diana Ross in her 1972 screen debut. It became Ross' first number 1 album (eventually selling over 2 million US copies), though the only one as a solo artist. It was certified gold in the UK for sales of over 100,000 copies.^[1] It was the fourth best-selling R&B album and fifth best-selling Pop album of 1973 in the US.

Music writers said Ross emulated Billie Holiday's voice while retaining her own individual sound. This soundtrack album was the only Motown album to have a special designed label to match the album cover on the vinyl release, rather than Motown's usual "Map of Detroit" design. This label design would also turn up on the single releases from the soundtrack.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B+^[3]

Track listing

Side one

"The Arrest" – 0:15
"Lady Sings the Blues" – 1:03
"Baltimore Brothel" – 0:25
"Billie Sneaks into Dean and Dean's/Swinging Uptown" – 0:49
"'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 1:06
"Big Ben/C.C. Rider" – 1:06
"All of Me" – 2:19
"The Man I Love" – 2:27
"Them There Eyes" – 1:03
"Gardenias from Louis" – 2:03
"Cafe Manhattan/Had You Been Around/Love Theme" – 2:03

Side two

"Any Happy Home" – 0:37
"I Cried for You" – 0:37
"Billie and Harry/Don't Explain" – 0:37
"Mean to Me" – 1:18
"Fine and Mellow" – 0:45
"What a Little Moonlight Can Do" – 2:09
"Louis Visits Billie on Tour/Love Theme" – 0:45
"Cafe Manhattan Party" – 1:37
"Persuasion/'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" – 3:48
"Agent's Office" – 1:09
"Love Is Here to Stay" – 2:01

Side three

"Fine and Mellow" – 2:54
"Lover Man" – 3:22
"You've Changed" – 2:34
"Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" – 2:06
"Good Morning Heartache" – 2:21
"All of Me" – 2:04

Side four

"Love Theme" – 2:53
"My Man" – 3:26
"Don't Explain" – 2:10
"I Cried for You" – 2:13
"Strange Fruit" – 3:35
"God Bless the Child" – 2:42
"Closing Theme" – 1:08

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for *Lady Sings the Blues*
Chart (1973)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[4]	43
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[5]	5
UK Albums (OCC)^[6]	50
US Billboard 200^[7]	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[8]	2
US Top 100 Albums (Cash Box)^[9]	1
US The Album Chart (Record World)^[10]	1
US The R&B LP Chart (Record World)^[11]	1

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for *Lady Sings the Blues*
Chart (1973)	Position
US Top Popular Albums (Billboard)^[12]	5
US Top Soul Albums (Billboard)^[13]	4
US Top 100 Albums (Cash Box)^[14]	14
US Top Soundtrack Albums (Cash Box)^[15]	1
US Top Album (Record World)^[16]	5
US Top Movie Soundtrack (Record World)^[17]	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[18]	Gold	100,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Diana Ross - vocals
Gil Askey - conductor
Gil Askey, Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson - arrangements
Albert Aarons, William "Cat" Anderson, Bobby Bryant, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Teddy Buckner - trumpets
Georgie Auld, William "Buddy" Collette, Plas Johnson, Jack Nimitz, Marshall Royal, Ernie Watts - saxophone
George Bohanon, Jimmy Cleveland, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Maurice Spears, John Ewing - trombones
Max Bennett, George "Red" Callender, Arthur Edwards - bass
John Collins - guitar, banjo
Earl Palmer, Jesse Sailes - drums
Don Abney, Gerald Wiggins, Chester Lane - piano
"Caughey" Roberts - clarinet, soprano saxophone

Production

Michel Legrand - composed, arranged, conductor
Guy Costa - engineering and technical direction
Larry Miles, Cal Harris, Bill Macmeekin, Dave Ramsey, Art Stewart, Russ Terrana - Mowest engineers
Gordon Day, Dave Docendort, John Norman - Glen Glen engineers
Katarina Pettersson - art direction
John Le Prevost, Frank Frezzo - design
Orlando Suero - photography
Sandra Forney - graphic production
Suzanne de Passe, Iris Gordy - edited, coordinated
Tony Jones - creative assistance
Berry Gordy - executive producer

References

↑ "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
↑ Wynn, Ron. Lady Sings the Blues (Original Soundtrack) Review. AllMusic.
↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
↑ "Top RPM Albums: Image 4814". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
↑ "Official Albums Chart on 21/10/1973 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
↑ "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
↑ "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXIV, no. 41. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 37. ISSN 0008-7289.
↑ "The Album Chart" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 28, no. 1345. New York: Record World Pub. Co. March 31, 1973. p. 36. ISSN 0034-1622.
↑ "The R&B LP Chart" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 28, no. 1345. New York: Record World Pub. Co. March 31, 1973. p. 44. ISSN 0034-1622.
↑ "Top Popular Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 22. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. December 29, 1973. p. TA-38. ISSN 0006-2510.
↑ "Top Soul Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 22. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. December 29, 1973. p. TA-42. ISSN 0006-2510.
↑ "Top 100 Albums of 73" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXV, no. 33. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 58. ISSN 0008-7289.
↑ "Top 100 Albums of 73" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXV, no. 33. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 58. ISSN 0008-7289.
↑ "Record World Year-End Awards" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 29, no. 1384. New York: Record World Pub. Co. December 29, 1973. p. 18. ISSN 0034-1622.
↑ "Record World Year-End Awards" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 29, no. 1384. New York: Record World Pub. Co. December 29, 1973. p. 19. ISSN 0034-1622.
↑ "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Lady Sings The Blues". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Lady Sings The Blues Diana Ross in the "Search:" field.

[bpi-1] "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved February 29, 2012.

[2] Wynn, Ron. Lady Sings the Blues (Original Soundtrack) Review. AllMusic.

[CG-3] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[aus-4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[ac_Canada_-5] "Top RPM Albums: Image 4814". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_UK2_-6] "Official Albums Chart on 21/10/1973 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_Billboard200_Diana_Ross-7] "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Diana_Ross-8] "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

[9] "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXIV, no. 41. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 37. ISSN 0008-7289.

[10] "The Album Chart" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 28, no. 1345. New York: Record World Pub. Co. March 31, 1973. p. 36. ISSN 0034-1622.

[11] "The R&B LP Chart" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 28, no. 1345. New York: Record World Pub. Co. March 31, 1973. p. 44. ISSN 0034-1622.

[12] "Top Popular Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 22. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. December 29, 1973. p. TA-38. ISSN 0006-2510.

[13] "Top Soul Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 22. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. December 29, 1973. p. TA-42. ISSN 0006-2510.

[14] "Top 100 Albums of 73" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXV, no. 33. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 58. ISSN 0008-7289.

[15] "Top 100 Albums of 73" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXV, no. 33. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 58. ISSN 0008-7289.

[16] "Record World Year-End Awards" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 29, no. 1384. New York: Record World Pub. Co. December 29, 1973. p. 18. ISSN 0034-1622.

[17] "Record World Year-End Awards" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 29, no. 1384. New York: Record World Pub. Co. December 29, 1973. p. 19. ISSN 0034-1622.

[United_KingdomDiana_RossLady_Sings_The_BluesalbumCertRef-18] "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Lady Sings The Blues". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Lady Sings The Blues Diana Ross in the "Search:" field.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]