God Bless the Child is a jazz standard co-written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. in 1939. It was first recorded by Holiday on May 9, 1941 with Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra and released as a 1942 single on Okeh Records (B-side Solitude). The song grew from a line Holiday reportedly shouted during an argument with her mother about money: God bless the child that's got his own. Holiday and Herzog developed it into the song. The track runs about 2 minutes and 57 seconds in length. It has received major recognition, including a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1976 and a spot on the Songs of the Century list by the RIAA and the National Endowment for the Arts. Notable covers include J. J. Johnson (1959), Eddie Harris (1961), Sonny Rollins (1962), Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968), and Diana Ross in the Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack (1972). The song has been featured on various Billie Holiday albums and compilations.
