"Don't Explain" is a song written by

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

singer

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...

and

Arthur Herzog Jr. Arthur Herzog Jr. (December 13, 1900 in New York City – September 1, 1983 in Detroit, Michigan) was a songwriter and composer. Career Herzog was most known for work with Billie Holiday. He co-wrote several jazz Jazz is a music genre tha ...

It was

’s final song.

Overview

In her 1956 autobiography, Holiday cites the infidelity of her first husband, Jimmy Monroe, as the inspiration for this song; specifically, an instance in which Monroe's woeful attempt to explain away lipstick on his collar elicits Holiday's disgusted response: "Take a bath, man; don't explain."

Recording session

Session #52: New York City, November 8, 1944,

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

, Toots Camarata and His Orchestra, with

Russ Case Russ Case (March 19, 1912 – October 10, 1964) was an American trumpeter and bandleader who led jazz and light music orchestras. Biography Case was born in Hamburg, Iowa. His professional career began when he was hired at WOC (AM) in ...

(trumpet),

Hymie Schertzer Herman "Hymie" Shertzer or Schertzer (April 22, 1909 – March 22, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, best known for his long-term association with Benny Goodman. Shertzer was born in New York City, United States, began playing violi ...

, Jack Cressey (alto saxophone), Larry Binyon and Dave Harris (tenor saxophone), Dave Bowman (piano),

Carl Kress Carl Kress (October 20, 1907 – June 10, 1965) was an American jazz guitarist. Music career Kress started on piano before picking up the banjo. Beginning in 1926, he played guitar during his brief period in Paul Whiteman's orchestra. For most ...

(guitar), Haig Stephens (bass),

George Wettling George Godfrey Wettling (November 28, 1907 – June 6, 1968) was an American jazz drummer. He was born in Topeka, Kansas, United States, and from his early teens was living in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the young Chicagoans who fell ...

(drums),

(vocals), and six strings.

Notable cover versions

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(1957) *

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(1957) * Charlie Byrd (1958) *

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(1959) *

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'' (1966) *

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(1987) *

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(1987) *

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(1989) * Robert Palmer – '' Don't Explain'' (1990) *

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(1991) *

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– '' Round Midnight'' (1993) *

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– for her album '' Take a Look'' (1993) *

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(1993) *

(1993) * Gabrielle Goodman with Kevin Eubanks (1993) *

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– '' Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday'' (1994) *

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(2000) *

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with

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and

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(2006) ''(In Concert: A Musical Biography)''. *

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(2009) - ''Let's Stay Here'' album. * DeeDee Bridgewater (2010) *

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(2011) * Malia (2012) *

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– '' Lady Sings the Blues'' (2015) *

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(2016)

Trivia

Lyrics from "Don't Explain" were sung by Carlo Marx (portrayed by actor

Tom Sturridge Thomas Sidney Jerome Sturridge is an English actor. His early films include ''Being Julia'' (2004), ''Like Minds'' (2006), and ''The Boat That Rocked'' (2009). He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performances in ...

) in the 2012 film adaptation by

Walter Salles Walter Moreira Salles Júnior (; born 12 April 1956) is a Brazilian filmmaker. Early life Salles was born on 12 April 1956 in Rio de Janeiro and attended the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. He is the son of Brazil ...

of the novel by

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...

, which premiered at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

.Alagna, Magdalena. ''Billie Holiday'', The Rosen Publishing Group (2003), page 61 –

References

External links

Billie Holiday discography

{{authority control 1944 songs 1946 singles Billie Holiday songs Songs written by Billie Holiday Songs written by Arthur Herzog Jr. Torch songs 1940s jazz standards Songs about infidelity