https://thefword.org.uk/2012/08/song_nina_simone_strange_fruit The poem specifically focuses on the horrific lynchings that took place primarily across the American South, in which black individuals were brutally tortured and murdered—and often strung up from trees to be gawked at—by white supremacists. Many other artists later took on this song, changing the genre but still portraying the same message. This song is sung by Nina Simone. Yet, despite radical changes being implemented in the 81 years since the recording of “Strange Fruit,” the song’s underlying theme continues to resonate with 21st century racial and social issues. FAVORITE (0 fans) Nina Simone. On his SiriusXM show last month, Bruce Springsteen included “Strange Fruit” on his playlist of protest songs, and in an interview called it “just an epic piece of music that was so far ahead of its time. “So I called the [record] company and told them that it seemed like we keep telling this story over and over and over.”, Director Lee Daniels will retell the song’s story in an upcoming movie, The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, just picked up for distribution by Paramount Pictures. Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images, Rapsody feels that hip-hop artists are drawn to both the lyrics and the soulful singers, like Holiday and Simone, who sang “Strange Fruit.”  Others have suggested that the political fury beneath the song’s chilled melody may be another reason it resonates today. Fearing controversy, Holiday’s label, Columbia, opted out of recording the song, so Holiday turned to a smaller label, Commodore, and cut it in 1939. Your email address will not be published. The song utilizes vivid language such as, “Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees” to expose the gruesome nature of lynching as well as the oppressive history of slavery. Holiday wasn’t immediately sure her audiences would want to hear the song. Lynching isn’t just premeditated murder – it’s a way to limit social, political and economic progress for Black Americans through fear and intimidation. “It’s emotionally draining. Read the full text of “Strange Fruit” The song, which verbalizes the … It also impacted Meeropol, who had published the song under his pseudonym Lewis Allan, based on the names of his and his wife Anne’s stillborn children. This release compiles a collection of rare tracks from the early stages of Nina Simone's career. Strange Fruit: Nina Simone: Amazon.fr: Musique. In her autobiography Lady Sings The Blues, she wrote that the lyrics reminded her of her father, who died at the age of 39 after being denied medical treatment at a “whites only” hospital in Texas. “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,” went one of its verses. This was untrue, according to the Meeropol family, but Abel Meeropol kept his complaints quiet: “He didn’t want to give the racists any ammunition against Billie Holiday,” says Robert, “so he never publicly attacked her for falsely claiming his work.” At the urging of her book publisher,  Holiday issued a statement that “Strange Fruit” was indeed “an original composition by Lewis Allan,” who was “the sole author.”. Even with a jazz piano accompanying her, Holiday’s version, recorded in 1939, is incredibly macabre, resulting in a sonic dichotomy just as bone-chilling as its lyrics. The first of this series comes from five-time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette, with hidden gems from Verve legends Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. It protests the lynching of Black Americans, with lyrics that compare the victims to the fruit of trees.Such lynchings had reached a peak in the Southern United States at the turn of the 20th century, and the great majority of victims were black. Simone starts her … Song information for Strange Fruit - Nina Simone on AllMusic ‘Strange Fruit’: Billie Holiday and Nina Simone Transform A Haunting Poem udiscovermusic.com - J’na Jefferson. It’s also unlike anything Abel ever wrote musically. Bonjour, Identifiez-vous. 1997 . Billie Holiday's version eventually sold more than a million copies. Nina Simone dramatized “Strange Fruit” in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. Strange Fruit est la première chanson importante du Mouvement américain des droits civiques. Meeropol, a self-taught composer and pianist with no musical training, soon set the poem to a spectral, meditative melody. We’re seeing that everywhere.”. And the last racist is now president of the United States.”, In This Article: Countless artists across genres have covered or sampled the track – a testament to how the song continues to hit a nerve for both Black artists and allies alike. If it was played more, you’d get more royalties.’”. Désirant à l'origine devenir pianiste concertiste, elle s'est finalement illustrée dans des styles musicaux variés, notamment le jazz, le blues, la musique classique, la soul, le folk, le R&B, le gospel et la pop. (P) & (C) 2016. Billie Holiday first performed “Strange Fruit” in 1939 at Café Society, New York City’s first integrated jazz club, after reportedly being introduced to the song by the club’s founder. “Strange Fruit” has continued to have an impact on music, other artists have recorded the song, performed it in concerts, or sampled it to create a deeper meaning in their own songs. “‘Strange Fruit’ is about finding a way to articulate the feelings you have when you stare terror in the face, and we did not want to disrespect Nina or the original song.”, The Meeropols admits they were initially puzzled by West’s song: “Robby and I were like, ‘What’s going on here?’” recalls Michael. By 1953, Meeropol had relocated to Los Angeles to become a full-time songwriter; his other best-known composition was the anti-prejudice song “The House I Live In,” immortalized by Frank Sinatra. (Both Rosenbergs maintained their innocence.) Featured on her 1965 album Pastel Blues, Miss Simone’s take on “Strange Fruit” finds her utilizing solemn, piano instrumentation (one of the sonic hallmarks of the project) in order to throw a thematic, emotional gut punch that still reverberates to this day. Sign up Log in. While she was apprehensive to sing it due to fear of retaliation by white listeners, Holiday eventually made the song an integral part of her live performances. Jazz Wax Records. D’une part, le public blanc du Sud des États-Unistrouvait la chanson trop subversive et sa publication aurait eu des répercussions négatives sur les affaires ; d’autre part, elle représentait un véritable hiatus dans le répertoire standard de Billie Holiday, q… It has been covered by many artists since, including Nina Simone. In short, not much had changed. Eunice Kathleen Waymon (21 February 1933 – 21 April 2003), better known by her stage name Nina Simone, was an American singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music. Her transformative version employs a minimalist sound palette rather than a jazzy one, forcing you to sit with the heavy imagery and her tangible, grief-filled tone. Eunice Kathleen Waymon, more commonly known as Nina Simone, covered the song “Strange Fruit” in 1965 during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. The death of George Floyd at the hands of police in May 2020, as well as the suspicious lynchings of many Black Americans which made headlines over the same summer, ignited fury across America. “The music business has a lot of the same elements of it. Holiday’s “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. Then, in 1996, Wilson included the song on her album New Moon Daughter, which focused on songs with Southern themes. Her courage in verbalizing such a horrifying and deeply personal tale is unfathomable. … It was punctuated by emotion that transcends genre and generation. The NAACP estimates the number of Black lynching victims rose in the late 19th century after the Civil War. The ongoing, unjust treatment of Black people in the United States confirms there is still “blood at the root” of our country’s social, racial, and moral foundation, and there is still work to be done in order to make long-lasting change. An Explainer. Last year, North Carolina rapper Rapsody was searching for an introductory track for her new album, Eve, a concept LP about the history and power of black women. The duration of song is 03:28. 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