Don't Explain (song)
| "Don't Explain" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Billie Holiday | |
| B-side | What Is This Thing Called Love? |
| Released | 1946 |
| Format | 78 rpm |
| Recorded | November 8, 1944 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Length | 2:53 |
| Label | Decca |
| Writer(s) | Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr. |
"Don't Explain" is a song written by jazz singer Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr.[1]
Overview
It is said Billie wrote "Don't Explain" after her husband, Jimmy Monroe, came home one night with lipstick traces on his collar.
Lyrics from "Don't Explain" was sung by Carlo Marx (portrayed by actor Tom Sturridge) in the 2012 film adaptation by Walter Salles of the novel by Jack Kerouac, On the Road, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. [2]
Recording Session
Session #52: New York, November 8, 1944, Decca, Toots Camarata and His Orchestra, with Russ Case (trumpet), Hymie Schertzer, Jack Cressey (alto saxophone), Larry Binyon and Dave Harris (tenor saxophone), Dave Bowman (piano), Carl Kress (guitar), Haig Stephens (bass), George Wettling (drums), Billie Holiday (vocals), and six strings.[3]
Notable cover versions
- Helen Merrill (1954)
- George Shearing (1956)
- John Coltrane (1957)
- Abbey Lincoln (1957)
- Charlie Byrd (1958)
- Wes Montgomery (1959)
- Anita O'Day (1961)
- Dinah Washington (1961)
- Dexter Gordon (1962)
- Nina Simone (1964)
- Carmen McRae (1965)
- Lou Rawls (1966)
- Diana Ross (1972)
- Grover Washington, Jr. (1973)
- Rosemary Clooney (1978)
- Nikki Sudden & Rowland S. Howard (1987)
- Dos (1989)
- Robert Palmer (1990)
- Dušan Prelević (1991)
- Elkie Brooks (1993)
- Natalie Cole (1993)
- Miki Howard (1993)
- Diana Ross (1993)
- Etta James (1994)
- Regina Carter (1995)
- Dakota Staton (1996)
- Vanessa Daou (1996)
- Molly Johnson (2000)
- Sarah Vaughan (2001)
- Angela McCluskey (2002)
- Rita Reys (2004)
- Herbie Hancock with Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan (2005)
- Lisa Stansfield (2005)
- Lils Mackintosh (2005)
- Nnenna Freelon (2007)
- Cat Power (2008)
- Oleta Adams (2009)
- DeeDee Bridgewater (2010)
- Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa (2011)
- Xiu Xiu (2013)
- Mariah Carey (2014) [4]
- Mark Steiner & His Problems (2014) [5]
- Cassandra Wilson (2015)
- Others[6]
References
- ↑ Jacobs, Dick & Harriet. Who Wrote That Song?, Writers Digest Books (1994), page 57 - ISBN 0-89879-639-3
- ↑ Alagna, Magdalena. Billie Holiday, The Rosen Publishing Group (2003), page 61 - ISBN 0-8239-3640-6
- ↑ Billie Holiday Songs
- ↑
- ↑ Mark Steiner (musician)
- ↑ All Music: Don't Explain Artist List
External links
- Billie Holiday discography
- "Don't Explain" lyrics
- "Don't Explain" at Jazz Standards
- Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
