It was originally performed by holiday in the first integrated new york city nightclub, cafe society, in 1939. Strange fruit tells the tragic story of nonnie anderson, an accomplished young black woman in the georgia of the jim crow days, and of the young white man, tracy deen, by whom she becomes pregnant. Jan 03, 2017 british singer rebecca ferguson said she was asked to sing at donald trumps inauguration but will only do so if she can sing the protest song strange fruit. But a combination of skilful use of literary techniques and a powerful delivery have served to make stranger fruit a memorable masterpiece. Strange fruit billie holiday first recorded by the famous jazz singer billie holiday, strange fruit is a song about the lynching of black people in the american south in the first half of the 20th century. What does lauras mother do with the statue she finds in her drawer. Why antiracism is doing more harm than good debates about race are back and theyre only getting bigger. Strange fruit the story behind the song of the century. Strange fruit by lillian smith abebooks passion for books.
In an extract from his history of protest songs, dorian lynskey explores the power of strange fruit. The biography of a song, the writer david margolick suggests the club, with its policy of complete integration, was probably the only place in america where. The fruit, acai pronounced ahsahee, grows in weedlike profusion across hundreds of thousands of acres of the amazon river delta. Annie lennox whitewashes explanation of strange fruit. On august 7, 1930, lawrence beitler took the pictur s. Holiday may have popularized strange fruit and turned it into a work of art, but it was a jewish communist teacher and.
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. Literary devices blood on the leaves, blood on the roots, black body swinging in the southern breeze. The biography of a song, the writer david margolick suggests the club, with its policy of complete integration, was probably the only place in. Legal timesthe biography of a song is an intriguing project, and david margolick carries it off, fitting great masses of musical and social history into a tiny volume. The poem specifically focuses on the horrific lynchings that took place primarily across the american south, in which black individuals were brutally tortured and murderedand often strung up from trees to be gawked atby white supremacists. Brain pickings has a free sunday digest of the weeks most interesting and inspiring articles across art, science, philosophy, creativity, childrens books, and other strands of our search for truth, beauty, and meaning.
Considering the songs release date of 1939, it seems remarkable. Stranger fruit is the story of what happened to mike brown, told through the eyes of those closest to him. Strange fruit is a song performed by billie holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. What is the meaning of gatsbys uncut books in his libary. The original protest song rhyme abel meeropol, 1939 the meaning of the poem is lynchings in the south during the civil rights era. Imagery here understood as descriptive language to convey visual images is present throughout the poem as each stanza.
The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit. Originally given the working title jordan is so chilly, smith later changed the title to strange fruit prior to its publication. Strange fruit is a courageous debut with a remarkable range in theme and tone, from the nostalgic to the comedic to the bawdy, and to the angry, the melancholic and the steadfast and comforting. The biography of a song from the worlds largest community of readers. The strange story of the man behind strange fruit one of billie holidays most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism.
Such lynchings had reached a peak in the southern united states at the turn of the century. Apr 20, 2017 smart news keeping you current billie holidays label wouldnt touch strange fruit the emotive song about lynching in the american south is both a classic and a warning. It will delight, shock, anger, induce laughter, shock more, delight more. Billie holiday and the power of a protest song is a childrens picture book written by gary golio and illustrated by charlotte rileywebb. Taking a look at language and seeing how it affects the meaning of the story, and being able to understand the message that the poem is trying to say. Written by teacher abel meeropol as a poem and published in 1937, it protested american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans. In her autobiography, singer billie holiday wrote that smith chose to name the book after her song. Mar 18, 20 as the original protest song strange fruit was a leap into the unknown for abel meeropol, and an even bigger one for billie holiday. In general the poem addresses to the cruelty of the kuklux klan towards black people in early 1900s in southern america. City papermargolick presents a quick, fluent survey of the times. Popularized by billie holiday in 1939, strange fruit is a song about racism that vividly describes a scene after a lynching the strange fruit is the black man hanging from it. He would travel with him to the civil war, where his master was a colonel.
The theme of the strange fruit poem is cruelty and injustice and the mood of the poem is sad and heartbreaking. In wests retelling, the simone version of the song opens the track with the lines, strange fruit hanging from the poplar treesblood on the leaves, before west turns it into a churning anthem. These words describe the bodies of black people who were lynched apart from the law, with no chance at justice. Originally using the working title jordan is so chilly, smith later changed the title to strange fruit prior to its publication.
Strange fruit, written by jewish schoolteacher abel meeropol in 1937, takes a harrowing and unflinching look at american racism. Kanye wests blood on the leaves and the history of. Surprisingly, meeropol was a russian jewish immigrant who. The poem refers to lynching, which is the act of hanging african americans, slaves and other protestors in public venues for a spectacle. Strange fruit is the bestselling debut novel by american author lillian smith 18971966, that deals with the then forbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. 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 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 here is a fruit for the crows to pluck for the rain to gather, for the wind to. 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.
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 biography of a song 01 by david margolick isbn. Billie holidays label wouldnt touch strange fruit smart. Indeed, in the decades since strange fruit, it has become common for black music to incorporate political statements, challenge social norms, and express frustration with the state of race relations.
Sep 05, 2012 the strange story of the man behind strange fruit one of billie holidays most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. The other tollund man is a more masculine commentary on the permanence of. Song writer abel meeropol and singer billie holliday worked together to produce perhaps one of the most heart wrenching songs ever written. Lauras mother alma finds a clay sculpture of a naked female torso in a drawer in her. Strange fruit by smith, lillian and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Abel meeropol from the story poems by gucciistyless bristol with 592 reads. Provides possible basis for the name of hip hop group strange fruit project. The salt project and wfyi collaborated on a retrospective of the 75th anniversary of the classic billie holiday song strange fruit. Why both sides are wrong in the race debate 1st edition by kenan malik isbn. Strange fruit is a song recorded by billie holiday in 1939, written by abel meeropol and published in 1937. Why both sides are wrong in the race debate malik, kenan on.
At the annual rhubarb show dinner in wakefield, the only one of its kind in the world, there was a great deal of muttering among the guests. It protested american racism, particularly the lynching of black americans. And bass beat his master up and ran to indian territory at the time. Strange fruit is a brutal, haunting dirge, especially in billie holidays iconic version. Jul 03, 2009 strange fruit is a protest song highlighting the thousands of rampant racist lynchings of african americans in the south. Strange fruit is the bestknown work of the liberal southern writer, lillian smith, who lived between 1897 and 1966. The poem strange fruit by abel meeropol is very dark and twisted as it paints a mental picture of past events in southern usa. Get an answer for what is the meaning of gatsbys uncut books in his libary. Strange fruits complicated, controversial place in comics diversity debate mark waid and j. It is a cursory biography billie holiday and her protest song strange fruit came to be.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It is made very clear in this novel that in this time period, probably the early 1920s, there were ways in. Strange fruits complicated, controversial place in comics. Strange fruit has been called the original protest song. Nov 28, 2009 strange fruit, the haunting song about lynching in america that was written more than 60 years ago, was first recorded by the famed jazz singer billie holiday in 1939. Small though it is, strange fruit is an outsized piece of reporting and a satisfying work of history. The poem strange fruit by abel meeropol is filled with imagery and metaphors. Strange fruit by lillian smith, first edition abebooks. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with the thenforbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. Billie holidays 1939 song about racist lynchings redefined popular music. Strange fruit was an early cry for civil rightssome might even say it was the beginning of the civil rights movement. Strange fruit by seamus heaney here is the girls head like an exhumed gourd. The words to strange fruit where the poem was titled bitter fruit reveal the tragic nature of some of the darkest times in american history.