Lady Sings the Blues

Wow, what can I say? Lady Sings the Blues is beautifully written but completely contrary to the biographical accounts I found online. Of course, I will have to look up more reputable sources concerning her biography and still need to finish some other reading assignments. I was amazed at the slant provided, showing Billie Holiday as the continual victim. In fact, her drug problem is even blamed on a white band member who is her pusher and the mafia enforcer, her third husband, is presented as a legitimate business man who discourages her drug use. There are so many reversals from the facts that this becomes more a political venue through which the media can stir people up. During the film, I caught myself tearing up despite the fact that I knew many of the scenes and facts were fabricated.

Considering the time this book was written and the film made, I believe this was more media propaganda that used Billie Holiday as a pawn in a bigger scheme to incite certain portions of the American society. Beautifully yet deceitfully done.