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在台灣，有些人稱Billie Holiday為jazz的苦海女神龍；比喻的依據也許是歌聲、也許是際遇。
Holiday的歌聲很特別，總有辦法在第一時間抓住聽眾注意力。將情感表達的恰到好處，拿控訴對黑人不平待遇的Strange Fruit（指吊在樹上的黑人屍體）來說，Holiday的歌聲充滿憐憫和同情，不似Cassandra Wilson令人毛骨悚然。Holiday歌聲中豐沛的情感在演唱生涯初期就表露無疑，據說當時聽她演唱Body and Soul的聽眾，總是淚流滿面。
在這樣的歌聲背後，有怎樣的人生呢？Holiday自小跟著未婚生子的母親生活，經歷母親結婚被拋棄、遭到鄰居性侵害提出控訴反被認為說謊而被送到少年管束中心、靠皮肉錢及酒吧演唱維生，終於被經紀人發掘而成名。
雖然在女性生存不易的爵士界闖出一片天，Holiday卻從沒遇到對的男人。經紀人捲款私逃，毆打、使她染上毒癮的男友……。因此，Holiday總是以頭上的白梔子花、長袖套裝來遮掩瘀傷和針孔。不順遂的命運，使Holiday僅44歲便香消玉殞。
縱使人生路顛顛倒倒，Holiday總是以關懷的眼光面對世界，以歌聲表現她對社會的關愛及祝福，在人權運動上佔有一席之地。如God Bless the Child就是個好例子，Holiday灌注無限溫柔情感，深深希望全天下的孩子能有個完全全不同於她，被祝福、快樂的人生。這樣的精神一直感動著我。
用一句忘了出處的話總結：We never forget Billie Holiday because she never forgot us.
God Bless the Child
Billie holiday / arthur herzog jr.
Them thats got shall get
Them thats not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child thats got his own
Thats got his own
Yes, the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Empty pockets dont ever make the grade
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child thats got his own
Thats got his own
Money, youve got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When youre gone, spending ends
They dont come no more
Rich relations give
Crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But dont take too much
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child thats got his own
Thats got his own
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child thats got his own
Thats got his own
