Billy Holiday, Strange Fruit
August 18, 2007
Billie Holiday’s youth and adult life where a dramatic account of black womanhood. Her very hard and abused childhood gave way to a drug and alcohol ridden adult life, always sorrounded by abusive men until her early death at 44.
Billie Holiday was recording for Columbia Records in the mid-thirties the first time she heard the lyrics of Strange Fruit, written by Jewish school teacher from the Bronx Abel Meeropol.
Strange Fruit, often performed by her from there on, is a song about the lynchings of African Americans that were taking place all over the Southern US at the time when it was written.
This song is one of the most moving and turbulent of all her repertoire. It manages to put music to the bloody social problem of lynchings and racism in early XXth Century America.
Take some time to see a video with rare footage of Holiday performing this anti-racist song. It should give you something to ponder over: Humanity’s uncanny disposition towards hatred.
October 11, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I have always had great interest in Billy Holiday, but never got to know her well. Now I know her a little better.
Amparanoia is a Spanish singer whom I really like, and claims to have inspired her artistic career in Billy. You hear whispers of her in the voice.
Recently, I was in Africa, and the thoughts of all slaves being “exported” to the USA would constantly float in my head. Africa is so great, so body and soul… USA would not be the same without this move.
April 7, 2008 at 9:58 pm
[...] in February 1971. She’s an R&B and hip-hop singer and writer. She is often compared to Billie Holiday for her “musical sensibilities”, Wikipedia [...]