As a lofty and calming piano solo begins the song, a voice that arguably defined the mid-20th century disrupts the piano and elegantly croons the lyrics “You must remember this,” the first libretti to a melody made famous in the 1942 Humphrey Bogart film “Casablanca.” As her voice continues, the jazz band gently accents her iconic phrasing with a gentle vibrato on trumpet.

“As Time Goes By” was my first exposure to Billie Holiday. This song is by no means a Holiday exclusive nor a staple. However, her specific voice and the way it captured the song perfectly encapsulated a simple truth; Billie Holiday is and always will be relevant, even 110 years after her birth.

Born as Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia on April 7th, 1915 and raised in Baltimore, Billie Holiday, also known as Lady Day, recorded over 550 tracks over the course of her career and influenced such famous artists as Frank Sinatra and Amy Winehouse, but also generally what is today defined as ‘popular music.’ She was known for her love of dogs and her iconic gardenias, famously worn in her hair.

When it comes to romance, Holiday performs her best. For high schoolers who are pining for their crush, an all too relatable occurrence, Holiday offers torch songs such as “You go to my Head,” an intoxicating and enchanting ballad. For a broken heart, the lyrics of “All of Me,” one of her staples, are heart-wrenching, sincere, and most importantly, perpetually relatable. 

Heart-wrenching, too, are the lyrics of “Strange Fruit,” the haunting anthem of the desegregation and civil rights movement. Written in 1937 by American socialist and poet Abel Meeropol and performed famously by Holiday in 1939, the piece portrays the ghastly scene of a lynching. Living as a black woman in the United States, especially in the ‘30’s ,’40’s and ‘50’s, Holiday was deeply affected by segregation and still-prevalent discrimination. 

She was even targeted by the FBI following her performances of “Strange Fruit.” In an age where systemic racism is still rampant and governments around the world look increasingly open to persecution of those who exercise free speech, Holiday’s struggle is not one to be forgotten, and nor should it, as many of the songs that Holiday sang explore themes that are all too relevant today.

The aforementioned song “As Time Goes By” demonstrates this perfectly. The famous lyrics “It’s still the same old story, a fight for love and glory, a case of do or die,” are a testament to the timelessness of the songs Holiday performed because they explore the permanent complexities and competitions of the human experience so perfectly through her voice; Holiday gave life to the lyrics like no signer ever could.

Her distinctively moody voice and unique musical phrasing result in every song she performed gaining a depth and complexity that is yet unmatched by any other vocalist. When performing “Stars Fell on Alabama” and “Gimme a Pigfoot,” Holiday projects a feeling of uncompromising optimism and jubilation. To contrast, in her performances of “Good Morning Heartache,” 

“I Cover the Waterfront,” and “Billie’s Blues,” her voice captivates the listener and transports them into a world of gut-wrenching pain. Few artists are capable of assigning such visceral emotional effects to their lyrics. Rather, it truly isn’t Holiday’s lyrics, but her voice itself that presents the magic of her music.

Her life ended on a low note.

Holiday died in July of 1959 at the tragic age of 44. As she was on her deathbed, a police officer put her under arrest and hand-cuffed her to the bed. The rationale was a suspected narcotics possession,  Holiday had struggled with substance abuse for most of her life. Upon his finding out of her passing, Frank Sinatra reportedly locked himself in his apartment for two days, binge-drinking and playing her records. 

110 years ago, a person was born who would define vocal jazz as a genre of music.

110 years ago, a person was born who would reinvent the way vocalists played with their lyrics.

110 years ago, a person was born who fought uncompromisingly for the civil rights of black Americans.

110 years ago, Billie Holiday was born.