America's Racial History

While not addressed explicitly, "Crazy They Call Me" offers subtle commentary on the dynamics of race and class in the United States, both during the height of Holiday's career in the first half of the twentieth century and, implicitly, present day. Holiday, a Black performer, was praised for her voice by a multitude of audiences, and is generally known to be a beloved figure in America's creative history. The story, however, paints a different portrait of her fame, suggesting that she was largely misunderstood by her audiences. "All the downtown collectors and the white ladies in their own fancy furs love to talk about your phrasing," the speaker says, "– it's the fashion to talk about your phrasing – but what sound like a revolution to others is simple common sense to you" (10). Here, the speaker notes the disconnect between her understanding of her work and...