Documenting some of the most famous songs from the beginning of
Billie Holiday's career until its peak in the mid-'40s (when her drug habit began to dangerously control her life),
Jukebox Hits 1935-1946 contains 22 tracks, including "God Bless the Child," "Strange Fruit," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," and "These Foolish Things" ("Fine and Mellow" is nowhere to be found, however). There's even
Holiday's version of the Tin Pan Alley classic "Twenty-Four Hours a Day," one of her first recordings. Her voice is strong and distinct throughout, showing not only how much she brought to jazz and blues but also why she is considered one of the greatest American singers ever. By no means the best, or even one of the best,
Holiday compilations out there,
Jukebox Hits does provide a good, albeit limited, look at some of what
Lady Day was doing for those 11 years. For a committed fan, however, it's better to look at a more focused and limited retrospective in order to truly understand her artistic development.