Dark history of the land of the free

Colleagues and scholars from coast to coast, across Bass Strait and all the ships at sea.

On RN Drive with Waleed Aly last night, a deeply haunting song was played to mark what would have been the 99th birthday for Billie Holiday.

The song was "Strange Fruit" and it was about a lynching. The song was originally recorded in 1939 by Billie Holiday.

You can view a devastatingly moving live version of the song by Billie Holiday recorded in 1959 here: 

The song was written by Abel Meeropol . These are the lyrics:

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.

I've deliberately chosen not to re-print it in this newsletter, however, you can view the disturbing photograph of the lynchings of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith that 'inspired' Abel Meeropol to write the lyrics here: 

In 1929, in a similar theme, Louis Armstrong recorded "Black and Blue". A song about what life was like for African Americans in the 1920's.

You can view a live version of that song by Louis Armstrong recorded in 1965 here: 

The song was written by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf.  These are the lyrics:

Cold empty bed...springs hurt my head

Feels like ole ned...wished I was dead

What did I do...to be so black and blue

Even the mouse...ran from my house

They laugh at you...and all that you do

What did I do...to be so black and blue

I'm white...inside...but, that don't help my case

That's life...can't hide...what is in my face

How would it end...ain't got a friend

My only sin...is in my skin

What did I do...to be so black and blue

How would it end...I ain't got a friend

My only sin...is in my skin

What did I do...to be so black and blue

A truly dark history from the land of the free and the home of the brave.