Billie Holiday

Comment by Kate on June 24, 2009 at 5:07am

Composed by Abel Meeropol (aka Lewis Allan)
Originally sung by: Billie Holiday

Comment by Kate on June 24, 2009 at 5:09am

Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves
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
The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
for the rain to gather
for the wind to suck
for the sun to rot
for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop

Comment by BO on June 24, 2009 at 1:46pm

And the audience applauds. Kind of a strange paradox considering the subject matter. And poor Billie...she looks like she's stoned out of her gourd. What a life of misery she must have led.

Comment by Mouse on June 24, 2009 at 4:16pm

Can't bear to watch.

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