Twins this song is from the 40s and it refers to the time of world war two when the men were leaving and the women were singing this song from the heart
Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, you’ve got the most incredible voices EVER right there. I love that you’ve heard them all now, the soul and emotion in their voices is incomparable.
They called her Lady Day. Lady Sings the Blues. Far be it for a old white dude to say this so forgive my boldness. As young African Americans you should hear a song that was the opening of the Civil Rights Movement. Billie sang the FIRST protest song. STRANGE FRUIT. It was made in the 30s about lynching black men. The song started everything. Please whether you do it as a reaction or not. For your growth as young men listen to what Billie gave you. Forgive my presumption. I'm a Grampa acting old dude. God Bless Lady Day.
I adore this song, so sorry about your grandmother. What you said chokes me up a little bit because my 91yo grandfather is still alive, with dementia, and when he talks about dying, which of course will happen eventually, he says, “we will be together one day...we should make sure to find one another up there so our whole family can be together.” So you and your grandmother will for sure be seeing one another eventually♥️
@@stephisteti It helps to believe we will all be reunited one day in peace ❤ Thanks to everyone for the kind words. She was a special lady, for sure. Hitting on the male nurses all the way to the end and just always trying to make people laugh. She'd say, "Never, ever, ever go to bed with anger in your heart or regret in your head." Wise words 🙂
Billy Holliday Strange Fruit. Buckle up for that song for sure. My grandma played it often and it is RAW. It scared me even young. I was shook that there was a song during that period about lynchings-it’s incredible to hear her voice on that record
Ms. Holiday was a victim of systematic racism and exploitation. They revoked her performing license. Her God given talent was controlled by haters, who conveniently pass laws to justify why she didn't deserve to earn a living.. "Artists were required by law to have a permit from the police & the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board" according to Wiki.
Billy Holiday,a tragic soul. Check out her song”Strange Fruit”. It’s your history. There are many versions. Great one by India Arie (2004) but for Billy Holiday’s haunting version,(1939) it was her living truth.
Such a great voice and huge talent. FYI...As she lay dying, her hospital room was raided, and she was placed under police guard. Damn she deserved more than that. She died with 70 cents in her bank account. She gave the world so much and left with so little...doesn't seem fair at all.
Beautiful woman! I love her bluesy sound. She has a pure voice. Back then you either can sing or you can't. Nothing covers up her voice unlike some of today's songs. No lip syncing back then!
@@fennelson5737 Yes, Nina Simone made an elegant recording of the song, but she changed some of the words to make it less, um, explicit? Bessie's version is a hoot, particularly the ending.
“I’ll Be Seeing You” is the quintessential World War II song about missing a loved one who isfar away. It was Johnny Carson’s favorite song so both Stevie Wonder and Bette Midler sang the song for him the week he retired as the host of the Tonight Show.
Boys you really really need to listen to Billy's song Strange fruit. It will blow your mind's. I've been addicted to her music since I was a little kid..I love your reactions videos.
@@doreensarcone4346 Fred did Inner City Blues. Hit him hard. Great reaction video and Fred said he could relate on a lot of different levels. Did more talking during that reaction video than in most. 💕
This song goes way back very big hit in the forties during the World War II.... And sung by the smoothest American voice there was Billie Holiday... She struggled with lots of drugs and alcohol and men but she felt everything she sang.
Nah. You want to see a better version of Billie? "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" is far better, and my fellow alumni, Audra McDonald plays Billie. She has around 6 or 7 Tonys.
Billie Holiday cuts me to my CORE everytime i hear her So glad yall are jumpin around the music industry and listening to all of this awesome content. Your "Hurt" video brought me here btw Subscribed 🤘🏻
But nothing compares to Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit. One of the most powerful songs ever made. She went through so much in her life, to become this giant of music. Incredible.
What you hear from her is pure soulful heart, pain, and blues! She was amazing! Tragically, she got hooked on drugs and alcohol to deal with her pain. People said Amy Winehouse had her same type of bluesy voice. She was popular in the 1930s-40s. Yes, music all comes fro what came before. You're seeing the thread. I love how you appreciate that. Thanks, Tim and Fred!!
Love the response to the amazing Lady Day. My dad played piano for her in Harlem when she started and my Aunt and her would perform at the same places. I was brought up with this music indeed.
Eartha once made a joke that Madonna ruined "Santa Baby" because of her in your face video. Eartha's versions are both suggestive and somewhat innocent because she gave the impression that what she was singing was "tongue in cheek" (ironic) When I lived in NYC I saw Eartha Kitt several times in night and supper clubs. She had an amazing presence and drew everyone into the song.
I learned about Lady Day back in high school in about 1981. I did a report on her and learned of her struggles. Another commenter said it well. I hope you listen to her song “ Strange Fruit” because of its importance in history. Billie had a difficult life due to discrimination, sexual abuse, and drug addiction. Her voice is like no other.
Tabitha Kohmescher Women on Wednesday becomes Women on Thursday,here in England,as we are approx six hours ahead! Worth a very late night tonight though. The twins are reacting fine!
Stormy Weather, It Had To Be You, I Don't Wanna Cry Anymore, That Ole Devil Called Love are my favourites. I have about 60 of her songs in my playlist and I never get tired of listening to her 💕
Jazz musician here. Lady Day is the watermark for all singers who play on phrasing and hanging back on the downbeat. She was an original vocal talent who performed like the greats of instrumentalists. You hit the jackpot !
In 1940 when my parents were dating, this was their song. And of course it was for all the servicemen and women we’re going overseas and all the wives and loved ones that were left behind waiting for them to return. My mother had an incredibly beautiful voice and she recorded this on a record and sent it to my father when he was stationed in France. He used to play it for all of his service buddies in their bunkhouse. My siblings and I still have all of the records that my mother made for my dad when he was overseas.
You’re so right, it’s so powerful because it’s all the true beautiful sound of an AMAZING voice! No auto tune or distracting tech sounds or anything! She’s so beautiful 💛💛💛 Thank you for this reaction!
Billy began her career in 1935. She had mainstream success .She was a successful concert performer through the 59’s. One of her other really big hits was God Bless the Child.
Frank Sinatra's favorite singer. Billie's phrasing and timing were perfection. This song is a sad one. It's about a love that has NOT come back from the war.
It was refreshing to see young men of your generation listening to artists like Billie Holiday. I was about your age when I discovered Billie Holiday and I was hooked. I had never experienced a voice that touched me so. Her voice conveyed a life filled with pain, and a longing for the love and acceptance that passed her by for so much of her life. It also spoke of hope and a demand for justice and equality. Strange Fruit came about from her seeing a young Black man hanging from a tree while she was traveling with an all white band. The band leader and members never saw color in Billie. She was just one of the guys (she could cuss with the best of them.) But seeing that body hanging from that tree brought back to her the stark reality of the time. After I heard her music and read her story I joined my high school musuc teacher's jazz band determined to be the next Lady Day..I wore gardenias in my hair and sang just about every song Billie Holiday ever done. I even tried to sound like her. Fortunately I soon learned that there was only one Billie Holiday. The tragic thing is how short her life was..she died at 44 in 1959. Thanks fellas for taking this old lady's mind back to a beautiful time in life. Great video.😺💜
Aretha Franklin - You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman (live at Kennedy Center Honors 2015). One of the greatest live performances of ALL TIME. The woman they keep panning to in the balcony next to the Obamas is Carole King, who originally wrote and sung this song.
She was one of the most famous singers of the 20th century. Her tragic life story is told in the 1972 movie “ Lady Sings The Blues,” starring the famous Diana Ross, who gave a stellar performance.
You young gentleman are listening to this almost 80 years after Billie recorded it. Let that sink in for a minute. Thank you for giving this one a listen. And never stop doing what you do. ✌🏼❤️
Just subscribed. Love seeing reactions. There are still singers like that. I don't think there are any videos but Mary Stahl is an amazing singer. She does jazz, lullabies and bossa Nova. Perfect pitch.
I was crying to this song today, because of a recent loss and I was surprised to see that you reacted to this song. Thank you for your respectful reaction!
Sinatra used to go listen to her in clubs in NYC back in the day. He was blown away by Holiday’s phrasing & breathing technique which he incorporated into his own singing.
2:35 "Everything is just raw raw raw" YES. YOU GET IT. YESSS! If I could give you only one gift then I would give you real live human experience, in music, served raw and honest from the time before auto-tune.
You two are amazing, what you reacted to is history. History of the heart of blues by one of the most recognized artists of the time. Lady Day brought the black struggle, love relationships and art to the forefront of American music. She is and will always be an icon!
