God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)

"God Bless the Child"
Single by Billie Holiday
B-side	"Solitude"
Released	1942
Recorded	May 9, 1941
Studio	Columbia Studio A, 799 Seventh Avenue, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Length	2:57
Label	Okeh
Songwriter(s)	Billie Holiday Arthur Herzog Jr.
Producer(s)	Edward B. Marks Music
Billie Holiday singles chronology
"Strange Fruit" (1939) "God Bless the Child" (1942) "Good Morning Heartache" (1946)

"God Bless the Child" is a song written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. in 1939. It was first recorded on May 9, 1941, by Billie Holiday and released by the Okeh Records in 1942.

Holiday's version of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1976. It was also included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Billie Holiday recording sessions

Billie Holiday recorded the song three times.

First recording (Session #44, Columbia/Okeh): 799 Seventh Avenue, New York City, May 9, 1941, Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra with Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Jimmy Powell and Lester Boone (alto saxophone), Ernie Powell (trumpet), Eddie Heywood (piano), Johan Robins (guitar), Paul Chapman (guitar), Grachan Moncur II (bass), Herbert Cowans (drums), Billie Holiday (vocal).

Second recording (Session #65, her final Decca session): Los Angeles March 8, 1950, Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (CD: Complete Decca vol.2, tk 23 & 24) Dick ‘Dent’ Eckles (fl)(ts) Charles LaVere (p) ‘Bob’ Bain (g) Lou Butterman (b) Nick Fatool (d) Billie Holiday (v) The Gordon Jenkins Singer chorus + 4 Strings

Third and final recording (Session #76, Verve): New York City, June 7, 1956, Billie Holiday with Tony Scott & his Orchestra (CD The Complete BH on Verve, viol. 7 tk 5-8) Charlie Shavers (tp) Tony Scott (cl) Paul Quinichette (ts) Wynton Kelly (p) Kennie Burrell (g) Aaron Bell (b) Lennie Mc Browne (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Origin and interpretation

In her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues Holiday indicated that an argument with her mother over money led to the song. She stated that during the argument she said "God bless the child that's got his own." The anger over the incident led her to use that line as the starting point for a song, which she worked out in conjunction with Herzog.

In his 1990 book Jazz Singing, Will Friedwald describes the song as "sacred and profane," as it references the Bible while indicating that religion seems to have no effect in making people treat each other better.

Notable cover versions

Most artists refrained from covering Holiday's song while she was alive; it was seen as her signature song. Following her death, many artists have interpreted the song, including Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Harry Belafonte and Stevie Wonder.

• Trombonist J. J. Johnson was one of the few jazz musicians to cover the song during Holiday's life. He recorded a ballad version in March 1959 shortly before Holiday died, for his album Really Livin'.
• Jazz musician Eric Dolphy performed the song on solo bass clarinet in 1961 at the Five Spot Café.
• A version by saxophonist Eddie Harris received US radio airplay in late 1961.
• Saxophonist Sonny Rollins recorded it in 1962 for his album The Bridge, joined by guitarist Jim Hall.
• The American band Blood, Sweat & Tears covered the song on their second album Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969), which was the first with singer David Clayton-Thomas. Their version was unusual for its rock-oriented jazz fusion interpretation.
• In 1972, Diana Ross portrayed Holiday in the film Lady Sings the Blues, and she released her cover version of "God Bless the Child" as the B-side to her single "Good Morning Heartache"—another song made famous by Holiday.
• The song was remixed by Moby and Oscar the Punk in 2007 for the game BioShock.