Among the songs identified with her were strange fruit, fine and mellow, the man i love, billies blues, god bless the child, and i wished on the moon. From fourtime pulitzer prize nominee david margolick, strange fruit explores the story of the memorable civil rights ballad made famous by billie holiday in the late 1930s. Strange fruit was originally composed in protest of lynching by abel meerpol in 1937 after viewing this famous photograph. Billie holiday and the power of a protest song is a childrens picture book written by gary golio and illustrated by charlotte rileywebb. Apr 17, 2019 billie holiday recorded her iconic version of strange fruit on 20 april 1939. One of billie holidays most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Strange fruit is a song recorded by billie holiday in 1939, written by abel meeropol and published in 1937. Looking back at jazz singer billie holidays influence on. They are vibrant and seemingly leap from the pages.
Thanks to gode davis, director of the film american lynching for his help with these songfacts. One of the primary attempts to silence her came from a man named harry anslinger, the first commissioner for the federal bureau of narcotics, and an extreme racist, even for the 1930s. 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. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing. Billie holiday recorded her iconic version of strange fruit on 20 april 1939. Strange fruits complicated, controversial place in comics. It is a cursory biography billie holiday and her protest song strange fruit came to be. He asked me if i had published any books yet, and i said no. The litany of reasons that strange fruit is a deeply problematic story begins with its title, which is owed to a phrase popularized by nina simone and billie holiday in a song of the same name. He died at age thirtynine after being denied medical treatment at a texas whites. I think margolick did a great job of ferreting out and marrying an extensive array of first person accounts of peoples experiences listening to billie holiday sing her heartbreaking ballad, enough so that i almost felt like i was there too at times. 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.
Though it was recorded in 1939, sixteen years before rosa parks, it was also recorded seventeen years after the first antilynching bill was filibustered by southern senators. It protested american racism, particularly the lynching of black americans. 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. 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 horne, eartha kitt, and sting. Second, they cant help but notice that the song is a real downer. Billie holiday didnt write strange fruit, but her voice made it the song it is today. Strange fruit billie holiday signature song the official. The lynching that inspired billie holidays strange fruit. For more information on lynchings, check out godes web site at. John szweds briskly revealing book on billie holiday treats the writing of her autobiography, lady sings the blues, as a key event in the singers life. Eighty years on, aida amoako explores how a poem about lynching became a timeless call to action. The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit to great controversy, lady day introduced the world to the racially charged protest song strange fruit. Of course, these are powerful stories about people making it in the face of impossible odds.
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. Billie holiday, caf society and an early cry for civil rights is a comprehensive history and examination of this iconoclastic, mind blowing song, and all of the cross currents that played a role in its existence and success. 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. 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. Apr 03, 2015 john szweds briskly revealing book on billie holiday treats the writing of her autobiography, lady sings the blues, as a key event in the singers life. Sep 05, 2012 one of billie holiday s most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Diana ross starring as lady day in the film lady sings the blues. Smith maintained the book s title referred to the damaged, twisted people both black and white who are the products or results of our racist culture.
Margolicks book is a biography of this song, strange fruit, written by abel meeropol, a jewish man in new york city in the early 1930s, and brought to. Apr 03, 2020 holidays dramatic intensity rendered the most banal lyric profound. The history of strange fruit the song rebecca ferguson. Mar 11, 2014 strange fruit was unique because it avoided from calling out whites and saying that something had to be done, yet it inspired many to start pushing for equal rights. And billie holiday sang it in that way, that very slow tempo way.
Such lynchings had reached a peak in the southern united states at the turn of the century, and the great majority of victims were black. Billie holiday, died at the age of 44 and is buried at saint raymonds cemetery in bronx county, ny. Margolicks book is a biography of this song, strange fruit, written by abel meeropol, a jewish man in new york city in the early 1930s, and brought to wide public attention by jazz singer billie holiday. Dec 01, 2016 this distinctive, memorable picture book for older readers tells the story of how the racism protest song strange fruit came into being in 1939. In an extract from his history of protest songs, dorian lynskey explores the power of strange fruit. As billie holiday later told the story, a single gesture by a patron at a new york nightclub called cafe society changed the history of american music that night in early 1939, the night that she first sang strange fruit. The first thing you notice in this book are the illustrations. Strange fruit by gary golio author and charlotte rileywebb illustrator is an absolutely wonderful picture book about billie holiday s famous song with the same title.
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 strange fruit, which was about the lynching and racism against african americans. As billie holiday later told the story, a single gesture by a patron at a new york nightclub changed the history of american music. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with. Billie holidays unforgettable delivery makes the song. Courtesy of robert and michael meeropol one of billie holiday s most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with the thenforbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. The picture is a black and white window to a tragic and unforgivable event.
Feb 24, 2020 billie holiday was one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. Strange fruit marked a watershed, praised by some, lamented by others, in holidays evolution from exuberant jazz singer to chanteuse of lovelorn pain and loneliness. 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. Essay by julia blackburn guest post billie holiday.
This is also the inspiring story of two outsidersbillie holiday, a young black woman raised in poverty, and abel meeropol, the son of jewish immigrantswhose combined talents created a truly unforgettable song. In 2019, chirlane mccray announced that new york city would build a statue honoring holiday near queens borough hall. Strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. She had a thriving career for many years before she lost her battle with addiction. Critics typically note two things about the sound of strange fruit. Nicknamed lady day by her friend and music partner lester young, holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Billie holiday, cafe society, and an early cry for civil. About strange fruit this song, written by abel meeropol and performed by many artists but most notably, billie. Jazz music is the perfect combination of form and soul, which is why billie holidays version of the song resonated so much.
Though nina simone has a pretty fantastic, joel christian gill is a powerful storyteller. And listen to billie holiday singing strange fruit while reading at least part of this comic. Strange fruit may have been written by american songwriter and poet abel meeropol a. Holiday first recorded it on this day in 1939, less than a month after first performing it at the. The song even has inspired a slender but worthy book, released earlier this year by vanity fair writer david margolick and titled strange fruit. It was a song about injustice, and it would change her life forever. The songs lyrics are an extended metaphor linking a trees fruit with. In the end, billie holidays insistence on performing strange fruit may have been responsible for her demise.
You can learn more about this song in david margolicks book strange fruit. Billie holidays haunting song, though, broke through. The biography of a song by david margolick, hilton als, moved me. Billie holiday s haunting song, though, broke through. This was always the last song holiday played at her concerts. It was early 1939, the night that holiday first sang strange. Originally using the working title jordan is so chilly, smith later changed the title to strange fruit prior to its publication. Eleanora fagan april 7, 1915 july 17, 1959, professionally known as billie holiday, was an american jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. In the 1930s, billie was known as a performer of jazz and blues music, but this song wasnt either of those things.
This distinctive, memorable picture book for older readers tells the story of how the racism protest songstrange fruit came into being in 1939. Feb 16, 2011 billie holiday s 1939 song about racist lynchings redefined popular music. Four black teens were arrested for the alleged rape of a young white woman, mary ball, and murder of a young white man, claude deeter. Provocative yet age appropriate, this book is not only a window to past. This lesson focuses on billie holiday s 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. May 30, 2017 the litany of reasons that strange fruit is a deeply problematic story begins with its title, which is owed to a phrase popularized by nina simone and billie holiday in a song of the same name. Strange fruit was unique because it avoided from calling out whites and saying that something had to be done, yet it inspired many to start pushing for equal rights. 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. In 1985 baltimore, maryland erected a statue of billie holiday that was completed in 1993 with additional panels of images inspired by her seminal song strange fruit. Holidays dramatic intensity rendered the most banal lyric profound. A collection of 15 songs made famous by billie holiday, including. 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. The audience was completely silent the first time billie holiday performed a song called strange fruit.
Strange fruit by david margolick books the guardian. First, they observe that layers and layers are added to the song by billie holidays subtle yet intense delivery. Holiday may have popularized strange fruit and turned it into a work of art, but it was a jewish communist teacher and. Many people know that the man who wrote the song was inspired by a photograph of.
The second key moment is holidays first performance of strange fruit, which initially elicits discomfort from the audience a few people nearly got up from their seats and left. Strange fruitbillie holiday 1939 added to the national registry. A s billie holiday later told the story, a single gesture by a patron at a new york nightclub changed the history of american music. Feb 16, 2001 a s billie holiday later told the story, a single gesture by a patron at a new york nightclub changed the history of american music. After asking students to assess the role music plays in their own lives, the lesson introduces some background information about lynching. Billie holidays strange fruit, and its impact on civil. In her autobiography, singer billie holiday wrote that smith chose to name the book after her song strange fruit, which was about the lynching. Strange fruit by gary golio author and charlotte rileywebb illustrator is an absolutely wonderful picture book about billie holidays famous song with the same title. Written by a white, jewish high school teacher from the bronx and a member of the communist party, abel meeropol wrote it as a protest poem, exposing american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans.
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