I'm a Fool to Want You
The song that opens Lady in Satin, written in 1951 and first recorded by Frank Sinatra.
Billie Holiday, from Lady in Satin (1958)
- Written by
- Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf, Joel Herron
- Released
- 1958
- Album
- Lady in Satin
The song is a 1951 composition by Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf and Joel Herron. Sinatra first recorded it with the Ray Charles Singers on 27 March 1951, in an arrangement by Axel Stordahl. Holiday made it the opening track of Lady in Satin in 1958.
Ray Ellis, who arranged and conducted the album, said the most emotional moment of the sessions was her listening to the playback of this song. There were tears in her eyes. He added that he had been unhappy with her performance when he first listened in the control room, but when he heard the final mix a few weeks later he realized how great it was.
Covers and versions
- Ketty Lester (1961) Intended as the headline side of her single, but the flip side "Love Letters" drove it to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Bob Dylan (2015) Opens his album Shadows in the Night.
- Mitski (2017) Included on the 7-Inches for Planned Parenthood box set.
More songs by Billie Holiday
Strange Fruit, God Bless the Child, Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?), Fine and Mellow, Good Morning Heartache
Sources
- I'm a Fool to Want You, Wikipedia
- Lady in Satin, Wikipedia
- Billie Holiday, Wikipedia