"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.
In her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues[3] 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.[4]
In his 1990 book Jazz Singing, Will Friedwald[5] 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.[6]
Notable cover versions
1959 – Trombonist J. J. Johnson recorded an emotion-filled instrumental ballad for his Really Livin' album, several weeks before Holiday's death in March 1959.[7]
1972 - Diana Ross performed the song in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues. The soundtrack album hit #1 on the Billboard album chart for the weeks of April 7 & 14, 1973.[8]
