Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Written by teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem and published in 1937, it protested American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans.
Mike from Kansas City, Mo Abel Meeropol and Lewis Allan are the same. Written by teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem and published in 1937, it protested American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans. In the lyrics, black victims are portrayed as “strange fruit,” as they hang from trees, rotting in the sun, blowing in the wind, and becoming food for crows upon being burned.It was a protest song that Billie Holiday very bravely performed under grave threats and at high personal cost.This song was covered by Nina Simone, whose version was later sampled on Kanye West’s This song, written by Abel Meeropol and performed by many artists (but most notably, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone,) is a dark and profound song about the lynching of African Americans in the Southern United States during the Jim Crow Era. Meeropol (as "Allan") wrote the poem first and later set it to music. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Strange Fruit Lyrics and discussion questions for the song "Strange Fruit" as performed by Billie Holiday. She was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills, which made up for her limited range and lack of formal music education.
Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing.
"Strange Fruit" is a song recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939, written by Abel Meeropol and published in 1937. The words and music were written by Abel Meeropol. The lyrics of this song describe the crime of lynching, committed by white supremacists in the American South to terrorize African Americans. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People. 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. Writer/s: Abel Meeropol 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.