Strange fruit live in new york1965 artist nina simone. Emotional power through song holiday became famous after she recorded strange fruit, a 1939 protest song about lynchings of africanamericans. Strange fruit by billie holiday samples, covers and remixes. Strange fruit was its title, and the lyrics, described the lynching of african americans in southern america. Strange fruit this article is more than 20 years old. In the american mainstream strange fruit was too sensitve to sing. People flocked to cafe society especially to hear her sing it. Strange fruit gained popularity in the civil rights movement as men, such as the jazz writer leonard feather, called strange fruit the first.
In it, he combines storytelling and social justice with charlotte rileywebbs impressive artwork to create this important lesson about confronting racism in america. An unusual and powerful picture book about billie holiday and her signature. Here is a fruit for the crow to pluck for the rain to wither, for the wind to suck for the sun to rot, for the trees to drop here is a strange and bitter. May 15, 2009 check out strange fruit by billie holiday on amazon music. Strange fruit was a definitely an effectively powerful song. The song is comparing black people to the strange fruit, calling them a bitter crop. In the first work to separate fact from myth, stuart nicholson illuminates the complex details of holiday s life, her artistry, and her musical legacy. Jul 21, 2016 southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swayin in the southern breeze strange fruit hangin from the poplar trees. The song made its way into a song book used by pete seeger and other folk singers. Apr 20, 2017 billie holiday didnt write strange fruit, but her voice made it the song it is today.
Billie holiday, cafe society, and an early cry for civil. Southern trees bear strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swinging in the southern breeze strange f. Southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swayin in the southern breeze strange fruit hangin from the poplar trees. Pastoral scene of the gallant south, the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh, then the sudden smell. Crystal pays tribute to lady day by showcasing 15 tracks that were produced by his uncle, milt. This compelling biography of billie holiday 19151959 provides a fresh and revealing portrait of one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. Strange fruit is a brutal, haunting dirge, especially in billie holidays iconic version. Writing about her final years in his definitive book strange fruit. About strange fruit strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. Billie holidays most popular book is lady sings the blues.
Billie holidays strange fruit the first unmuted cry against racism. It protested american racism, particularly the lynching of black americans. Billie holidays label wouldnt touch strange fruit smart. After asking students to assess the role music plays in their own lives, the lesson introduces some background information about lynching. Southern trees bear strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. The biography of a song does a great job of dispelling the myths about the song and pinpointing the truth about one of the most famous american songs of the 20th century. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with the thenforbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. A good digitization of one of the most important jazz works and its performance from the 20th century.
Billie holiday, cafe society, and an early cry for civil rights, notes that the song was not written specifically for holiday, though she took it and made it her own, even if it was not particularly a jazz song. Billie holiday, cafe society, and an early cry for civil rights. Serbian rock musician, journalist and writer dejan cukic wrote about strange fruit among fortyfive other songs that changed the history of popular music in his book 45 obrtaja. In the first work to separate fact from myth, stuart nicholson illuminates the complex details of holidays life, her artistry, and her musical legacy. He is the author of the books june cleaver was a feminist. Everyone who listens to jazz or cares about billie holiday or the story of the arts as a part of the civil rights movement should have this cd in their collection. Strange fruit and childrens books philosophy of shaving. The audience was completely silent the first time billie holiday performed a song called strange fruit. How there were dead black people swingin in the southern breeze smelling like blood and burnin flesh instead of the beautiful sweet smell of fruit or flowers that should. It was first written as a poem by teacher abel meerpol and was then was published in 1937.
Strange fruit is a song recorded by billie holiday in 1939, written by abel meeropol and. The strange fruit are black men that were unjustly hanged. They are described in metaphorical scenes of murder. Recorded by jazz legend billie holiday in 1939, strange fruit is considered to be the first significant song of the civil rights movement and the first direct musical assault upon racial lynchings in the south. Holidays strange fruit has long been viewed as the definitive one, dripping as it is with pain and disgust, though nina simone came close with her similarly bleak 1965 version. Feb 16, 2011 billie holiday s 1939 song about racist lynchings redefined popular music. Strange fruit song analysis final ballades, beats and. Record producer ahmet ertegun called the song a declaration of war, and jazz writer leonard feather said it was the first significant protest in words and music, the first unmuted cry against racism. The songs lyrics are an extended metaphor linking a. Sep 05, 2012 one of billie holiday s most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. This lesson focuses on billie holidays signature song, strange fruit, a protest song lewis allen abel meeropol wrote in 1938 about the ongoing and intransigent problem of lynching in the american south. Verve it aint every kid who can tell stories of being babysat or taken to the movies by one of the greatest vocalists of all time, but billy crystal grew up in a jazz household. Analysis of strange fruit billie holiday translation lyrics themes the song talks about lynching in the united states in the years of racism. Billie holiday s most popular book is lady sings the blues.
Born in philadelphia in 1915, holiday grew up in poverty. A novel by lillian smith by lillian eugenia smith and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Not only that but it also does a great job at pinpointing why the song still has a shroud of mystery about it, and how it impacted generations of african. Billie holiday and the power of a protest song tells the story of abel meeropols song strange fruit made famous by singer billie holiday. Her recording of strange fruit sold a million copies even though most radio stations refused to play it. The songs powerful, evocative lyricswritten by a jewish communist schoolteacher who, late in life. The first thing you notice in this book are the illustrations. Considering the vivid images and sustained metaphor of the song strange fruit, it.
Holiday performed the song at cafe society in 1939. Considering the songs release date of 1939, it seems remarkable that it was ever recorded, much less that it became. When holiday heard the lyrics, she was deeply moved by them not only because she was a black american but also because the song. The poem refers to lynching, which is the act of hanging african americans, slaves and other protestors in public venues for a spectacle. But the recording label columbia refused to record it, so she made it for a tiny jazz label. They make historical events and individuals accessible to young children. Southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the roots black bodies swingin in the southern breeze strange fruit hangin from the poplar trees. The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit. In her autobiography, singer billie holiday wrote that smith chose to name the book after her song. First recorded by the famous jazz singer billie holiday, strange fruit is a song about the lynching of black people in southern america in the first half of the 20th century.
The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit biography. She once described it as the ugliest song i have ever heard. Drawing on extensive interviews with those who knew and worked with holiday, and on an. Background strange fruit strange fruit was written by abel meeropol, a jewish school teacher and union activist. Abel meerpol was a white jewish man who belonged to the american communist. In an extract from his history of protest songs, dorian lynskey explores the power of strange fruit. The song became a regular part of holidays live performances. For many listeners, it either hit close to home or was disturbingly autobiographical. Christel prestidge, strange fruit, billie holiday investigatio. Jan 23, 2001 strange fruit not only chronicles the civil rights movement from the 30s on, it examines the lives of the beleaguered billie holiday and abel meeropol, the white jewish schoolteacher and communist sympathizer who wrote the song that would have an impact on generations of fans, black and white, unknown and famous, including performers lena. Billie holidays strange fruit the first unmuted cry.
Billie holiday strange fruit 1972, pr, vinyl discogs. The songs author, abel meeropol, who used the pen name lewis allen, was a. The movie also had a brief clip of holiday singing. Billie holiday was not the fist singer to perform strange fruit. The song was learned by a number of the red diaper babies of the 1950s era. Though performing the song sometimes sickened her, billie continued to sing it as a form of personal protest.
Billie holiday, cafe society, and an early cry for civil rights pulitzer prize nominated author and editor david margolick couldnt have been more indepth or judicious in this journalistic investigation into the myth, truth, and legacy of the song. In the lyrics, black victims are portrayed as strange fruit, as they hang from trees. Strange fruit by billie holiday discover this songs samples, covers and remixes on whosampled. Unfortunately there isnt much film material left of billie holiday, one of americas most important popular singers. Verve it aint every kid who can tell stories of being babysat or taken to the movies by one. A magic song from a magic voice lyrics strange fruit southern trees bear strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swinging in the southern breeze strange fruit hanging. Originally sung in new yorks cafe society, these revolutionary lyrics take on a life of their own in this revealing account of the song and the struggle it personified. Strange fruit is a song recorded by billie holiday in 1939, written by abel meeropol and published in 1937. Apr 07, 2015 in 1939, holiday heard a song called strange fruit. Southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swinging in the southern breeze strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. Bob dylan cited strange fruit as an influence in the 2005 documentary no direction home. Books by billie holiday author of lady sings the blues. Many protest songs were written about this subject, but only some had as much an impact as strange fruit. Billie holiday has 27 books on goodreads with 11030 ratings.
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees pastoral scene of the gallant south the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth scent of magnolias sweet and fresh then the sudden smell of burning flesh here is a fruit for the crows to pluck for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck for the sun to rot, for the tree to drop here is a strange and bitter. Check out strange fruit by billie holiday on amazon music. Gary golio is the author of a new childrens book called strange fruit. Download and print strange fruit sheet music for voice and other instruments fake book by billie holiday. Billie holiday didnt write strange fruit, but her voice made it the song it is today. To great controversy, lady day introduced the world to the racially charged protest song strange fruit. This documentary lasts only a little more than 30 minutes and it is just the first item that is present on the more useful dvd the genius of lady day. Billie holidays 1939 song about racist lynchings redefined popular music. Poem analysis the poem strange fruit by abel meeropol is very dark and twisted as it paints a mental picture of past events in southern usa. Written by teacher abel meeropol as a poem and published in 1937, it protested american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans. Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees pastoral scene of the gallant south the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth scent of magnolia sweet and fresh then the sudden smell of burning flesh. The poem refers to lynching, which is the act of hanging african americans, slaves and other protestors in.
After writing it, meeropol put music to his lyrics and the song gained attention in new york. Dec 22, 2011 a magic song from a magic voice lyrics strange fruit southern trees bear strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black bodies swinging in the southern breeze strange fruit hanging. Holiday later said that because the imagery in strange fruit reminded her of her father, she persisted in singing it. When challenged, holidaywhose autobiography had been ghostwritten by william duftyclaimed, i aint never read that book. The songs lyrics are an extended metaphor linking a trees fruit with lynching victims. Many people know that the man who wrote the song was inspired by a photograph of.
Between the years of 1877 and 1950, over 3,500 blacks were killed in violent forms of mob justice known as lynching. As both a song and a message, the single strange fruit, when conveyed by billie holidays dramatic, precise, and worldweary delivery, struck a major chord with audiences, both black and white. Written by a jewish communist called abel meeropol, strange fruit was not by. She said that singing it made her fearful of retaliation. In 1939, holiday heard a song called strange fruit. This song, written by abel meeropol and performed by many artists but most notably, billie holiday and nina simone, is a dark and profound song about the lynching of african americans in the southern united states during the jim crow era. Holiday first recorded it on this day in 1939, less than a month after first performing it at the. Considering the songs release date of 1939, it seems remarkable. Strange fruit by billie holiday samples, covers and.
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