Lady in Satin' is the last major recording of Billie Holiday that was released during her lifetime, and it is also the most controversial. Ray Ellis' seem like a harsh contrast to holiday's broken and fragile voice. Ellis himself was, at first, disappointed by the quality of the recording. it was only after listening more closely that he realized the beauty of these sessions and understood why Billie ranked this album as her favorite. More than any of her other recordings, 'Lady in Satin' calls for an emotional rather than a musical listening.