Billie Holiday's Biography

Billie Holiday's Biography

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Since we will be looking closely at the lyrics to "Fine and Mellow" written and performed by Billie Holiday it is certainly appropriate to discuss her background and life. As you read through the brief biography you will begin to note how Holiday could be characterized as a tragic figure. She had turned to drugs and alcohol throughout points during her life. Back in those days, there were not many programs for recovering alcoholics or drug addicts. It got worse for jazz musicians. If jazz musicians were arrested for drug use, the police took away what was called a cabaret card. Musicians had to show this card to a club owner before the club owner could legally hire the musician. Some musicians found themselves addicted to drugs with no opportunity to work. For some that precipitated a downward spiral.

Even when Billie was dying in the hospital she had a friend smuggle heroin into her room. The police learned about it, busted her, and handcuffed her to her bed rail.

Read through Billie's biography in the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday Links to an external site.