The songs evolution tells a dramatic story of americas radical past using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as. See all 7 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Holiday may have popularized strange fruit and turned it into a work of art, but it was a jewish communist teacher and. It condemned american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans that had occurred chiefly in the south but also in all regions of the united states. Strange fruit billie holiday signature song the official. Jazz standards songs and instrumentals strange fruit. Time magazine named strange fruit as best song of the century in its issue dated december 31, 1999.
The history of strange fruit the song rebecca ferguson. The peaceful daily routine of father and son is interrupted. Strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday. The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit. David margolick traces the history of strange fruit from a forbidden, banned song to a celebrated cry for civil rights in a concise style. Watch strange fruit movie trailers, exclusive videos, interviews from the cast, movie clips and more at. In the mid1930s, meeropol wrote strange fruit after seeing a photograph of the 1930 lynching of tom shipp and abe smith in marion, indiana. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with the thenforbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. An exhibition of 30 new works by painter hung liu will open at the asu art museum on jan.
Oct 02, 2019 october 2, 2019 lizz wright stuns with a somber version of strange fruit, made famous by billie holiday, during the 2019 npr music turning the tables opening concert at lincoln center. A history of the antilynching protest song made famous by billie holiday explores the alliance between american jews and africanamericans in the struggle for civil rights. Joel katz has used the history of the song as a metaphor to capture the struggle against racism and the spirit of an era. Strange fruit may have been written by american songwriter and poet abel meeropol a. 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 and the sudden smell of burning flesh. Download and print strange fruit sheet music for voice and other instruments fake book by billie holiday. The fivemetre high swaypoles create a largescale visual spectacle that can play to audiences numbering. Jul 07, 2009 strange fruit the story behind the song of the century duration. As the song progresses, a much deeper interpretation of racial prejudice emerges.
Independent television service oniera films california newsreel firm. Complete bbc recordings by strange fruit uk 2002 0909 bonzo dog band format. Originally using the working title jordan is so chilly, smith later changed the title to strange fruit prior to its publication. Holiday strange fruit sheet music fake book pdfinteractive. Strange fruit very masterfully combines history, biography, and jazz music. On august 7, 1930, two africanamerican teenagers, thomas shipp and abram smith, were lynched by a violent mob in marion, indiana. For company related credits such as use strange fruit records ltd. The trio officially debuted in 2004, with a pair of underground releases.
In billie holidays song strange fruit, the theme demonstrates the horror of lynching in postcivil war america in the deep south. Strange fruit not only constituted a musical departureit was europeanstyle cabaret music not jazz. The new statesman listed it as one of the top 20 political songs. The premier site for the history and analysis of the standards jazz musicians play the most. On august 9th, 2014 an unarmed 18yearold named michael brown was killed by officer darren wilson. Jan 14, 2002 strange fruit just what is the point of orange county. Still crazy is a 1998 british comedy film directed by brian gibson. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
You can buy album luv is vls 2002 strange fruit project. 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 a tree to drop. Listen to both songs on whosampled, the ultimate database of sampled music, cover songs and remixes. Strange fruit produces and performs a remarkable style of work that fuses theatre, dance and circus, using a unique elevated medium. Eunice kathleen waymon 21 february 1933 21 april 2003, better known by her stage name nina simone, was an american singersongwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music. Nina simone strange fruit lyrics more music mp3 download song lyrics.
He died at age thirtynine after being denied medical treatment at a texas whites. John patterson on the weeks new us movies john patterson. In february 2002, margolick appeared on talking history, the oahs weekly radio show, to discuss the song. The song strange fruit was written by lewis allan and was first released by billie holiday and her orchestra in 1939. Southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root. The songs evolution tells a dramatic story of americas radical past using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as its epicenter. One side denies that the concept of race makes scientific sense.
Most recently, simones recording of strange fruit appeared in the lemons episode of blackish. 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 a tree to drop here is a strange and bitter crop. Tidal is the first global music streaming service with high fidelity sound, hidef video quality, along with expertly curated playlists and original content making it a trusted source for music and culture. Nina simone cover of billie holidays 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. Michaels death instantly became viral news and sparked protests for him worldwide. At no other time more than in the present day has individual, social and institutional memory come under such concerted pressure, critique and exposure as a. With dorothy thigpen, milton gabler, farah jasmine griffin, c. Billie holiday strange fruit live 1959 reelin in the years archives. Strange fruit voices of a lynching by radio diaries. After writing it, meeropol put music to his lyrics and the song gained attention in new york.
Lemons was the episode that took a look at the johnson family in the aftermath. Southern trees bear a strange fruit, begins the protest song made famous by billie holiday and recorded by artists as various as ella fitzgerald, pete seeger, tori amos. The library of congress honored the song as one of 50 recordings chosen that year to add to the national recording registry. Abel meeropol poet and songwriter abel meeropol wrote that lament after seeing a photograph of two black teenagers hanging from a tree. Escape at sunset by janice huse steal away steal away steal away to jesus steal away steal away home i aint got long to stay here from steal away traditional. The work is free to the viewing audience and can be enjoyed regardless of age, language or cultural background. It starts with the simple premise of a song, strange fruit, which bronxborn school teacherabel merepol wrote the lyrics for and jazz diva billie holliday later made famous. After meeropol set the poem to music, several different singers performed strange fruit at leftwing gatherings. The film focuses on the personal lives of the band members and those closest to them, and their. The other declares it a legitimate scientific category, grounded in genetics and geography. Established by clive selwood and john peel in 1986, strange fruit closed its doors in 2004.
Strange fruit project is an underground hip hop group from waco, texas, which consists of producer and emcee symbolyc one also known as s1, born larry d. Bob dylan cited strange fruit as an influence in the 2005 documentary no direction home. New paintings by hung liu will be attended by the artist and is scheduled for 79 p. Strange fruit is the first documentary exploring the history and legacy of the billie holiday classic. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. The atlanta journalconstitution listed the song as number one on 100 songs of the south.
Lewis allen, but ever since billie holiday sang the three brief stanzas to music in 1937, shes owned it holiday, born eleanora fagan, said she always thought of her father when she sang strange fruit. Here you can buy and download music mp3 strange fruit project. In her autobiography, singer billie holiday wrote that smith chose to name the book after her song. Strange fruit the story behind the song of the century duration. Holiday may have popularized strange fruit and turned it into a work of art, but it was a jewish communist teacher and civil rights activist from the bronx. Simone aspired to become a classical pianist while working in a broad range of styles including classical, jazz, blues, soul, folk, rhythm and blues, gospel, and pop. The plot concerns a fictional 1970s rock band named strange fruit, who, after being split up for two decades, are persuaded to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig. Complete bbc recordings by strange fruit uk 20020909. Shimi asresay and hili noy graduation short film from bezalel academy of art and design, jerusalem.
Watch the video for strange fruit from nina simones ne me quitte pas for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Strange fruit by nina simone is a cover of billie holidays strange fruit. Strange fruit is more than the story of the hauntingly evocative song from the 1930s that became the anthem of the antilynching movement. Strange fruit sung by billie holiday university of hawaii. In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, bronxborn high school teacher abel meeropol wrote a poem entitled strange fruit that begins with the words. Strange fruit just what is the point of orange county. Theres more to nina simone than just strange fruit. Cover versions of strange fruit written by lewis allan. Download now strange fruit, by south africabased helen moffett, is a courageous debut with a remarkable range in theme and tone, from the nostalgic to the comedic and the bawdy, from the angry, the melancholic, the steadfast and the comforting. Reviews the historical events, contexts and incidents of racial hatred that. This concept is fully expressed by a metaphor of lynched bodies being. Billie holiday was not the fist singer to perform strange fruit.
This history of the songs evolution tells a dramatic story of americas radical past using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as its epicenter. Moved by the infamous photograph taken that night, abel meeropol, a jewish high school teacher in new york city, wrote a protest song entitled, strange fruit. At no other time more than in the present day has individual, social and institutional memory come under such concerted pressure, critique and exposure as a fragile foundation for truth and facticity. October 2, 2019 lizz wright stuns with a somber version of strange fruit, made famous by billie holiday, during the 2019 npr music turning the tables opening concert at lincoln center. A examination of the antilynching protest song made famous by billie holiday. Luv is vls 2002 hiphop strange fruit project download.
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