The Controversy Behind "Strange Fruit"
This article takes a deep dive into the history of the song “Strange Fruit.'' The lyrics of the song directly address sensitive topics such as racism and lynchings in the south during the late 1800s and early/mid 1900s. These topics may make some uncomfortable, but it is important to acknowledge these types of situations to help educate and track the progress of discrimination as it is still a issue today.
In 1939, singer Billie Holiday was performing at New York Cafe Society, when she decided to close the night with a song she had never performed before. As she began to sing the crowd went silent. She sang slowly and deliberately, forcing those in the crowd to digest the powerful lyrics that spotlighted lynching and inhumane racism in the American south. For twenty years, Holiday proudly sang the song until her death in 1959. The song,“Strange Fruit” to this day is recognized for being one of the most powerful protest anthems against racism in America.
The song originated from a poem by a white man named Abel Meeropol who was strongly disturbed by racism and an image of a lynching. He added instrumental music to the lyrics and sent it to a New York producer who gave the song to Holiday. At first, Holiday was extremely hesitant about recording the song as she knew it would cause a lot of controversy and put her career at risk, but she felt the need to do it because of her father. Her father passed away after being denied treatment for a serious illness solely because he was a Black man. The passing of her father pushed her to sing the song, to express and expose those who had fallen victim to the systemic and cultural mistreatment of Black individuals because of their skin color. In the song, the Strange Fruit represents those who have been lynched. “Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root.” The slow tempo brings a severity to the tone that is hard to escape. “The bulgin' eyes and the twisted mouth...Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh...Then the sudden smell of burnin' flesh.” The unsettling description makes you feel like you can see the traumatizing photo the song was written about; the song can easily bring chills. Holiday opened the eyes of many who were blind to the discrimination Black people faced. The more people listened to the song, the more they realized how demoralizing American society was.
The US government was not happy about this. They viewed Holiday as a threat to the American public. So, they tried everything in their power to silence her. On one occasion, Holiday was arrested for drug possession to disguise the fact that they were arresting her to help prevent the song from being heard. Since it had been public knowledge for years that she struggled with drug addiction, the sudden arrest caused suspicion. Holiday ended up spending one year in jail, but she did not let this small set back get in the way of her mission to stop the spread of racism throughout the country through her music. As soon as she got out, Holiday got back on stage to perform her protest song. She performed her song everywhere, despite the fact that at almost all of her shows there were disguised authorities ready to drag her off the stage when she began singing Strange Fruit. The FBI even seized her Cabaret Card, which was required if she wanted to continue performing in New York City, but she was not discouraged and continued to perform illegally. For years, Holiday persevered and performed. She wasn’t planning on stopping until a change was made. Sadly, in 1959, Holiday fell extremely ill. She was diagnosed with liver failure which put an end to her legendary music career. Even on her deathbed the government saw Holiday as a threat and handcuffed her to her bed. In July 1959, Holiday died still handcuffed as police watched over her.
Almost 25 years after her death, Holiday’s work was finally appreciated. In 1973, Holiday was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and in 1999 Strange Fruit was named “Song of The Century.” Not many people realize the amount of bravery it took to publicly and directly address the flaws in society as a Black woman during an era where racism was so pervasive. To this day, the song holds great significance and is known as one of the greatest fights for justice through music. It is extremely important to acknowledge this song, especially as the fight for racial justice is again on the rise.
By Sariah Robbins