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.
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.
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop..............
Billie Holiday"s Song
Written by ABER MEEROPOL, a jewish professor of Russian origin affiliate to the Communist Party USA. He published the poem under the title "Bitter Fruit" in 1937 in a magazine. Later he composed the music and changed its title to "Strange Fruit". Meeropol, his wife, and black vocalist Laura Duncan performed it at Madison Square Garden. However song became famous with the interpretation of Billie Holiday in 1939.
Sådana grejer man kan lära sig då man lyssnar till Beth Hart och VILKEN text. Snacka om att uttrycka läget i Södern, där man hängde de svarta i träden.
Det är nya tider nu. Eller är det inte det. Det gäller att vara på tårna och försvara demokratin och jämlikheten. Det är bara det som gäller och inget annat.