The first Billie Holiday record I ever heard, and learned to sing.

the fuck it I won't get my pressure up edit
Harle, keep doin your thing, girl and don't worry about trying to please mofos who can't distinguish between disturbing and distasteful.
[Edited 12/6/05 19:08pm]

When I SEE this picture and listen to the song it makes me think of all the people who were inspired to go out and write music and change the world.



It just shows you the strong impact that music can have and how it teaches us things.

The picture adds to the story that the song is telling.

I just really looked at this thread today because I was already aware of the song, performance and subject matter.

It's really stunning to me that there's this much ire against someone bringing something of substance (musical and historical significance) to the table as opposed to the usual lightweight subject matter. The overabundance of The 3 M threads comes to mind. Nothing really wrong with that, but there's also nothing wrong with the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction for a bit either. Personally, I think there should be more threads about artists the caliber of Billie Holiday "...sandwiched in between madonna and michael jackson inquiries..."

Yes the image is strong. So are the lyrics.
And no "The picture ISN'T about the exact lynching which the song was written about...".

So which lynching is the song referring to?

It's referring to any and all unfortunate "Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze".
It doesn't seem that hard to understand.

I wonder what would be said about DJ Spooky's remix of Birth Of A Nation.
Rebirth Of A Nation - http://www.djspooky.com/art/birth.html


Keep bringin' it!


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Thanx Rhonda, Psykosoul & Neal.

I ain't complaining tho,,,I'm used to THIS board's madness

As 4 the rest - I'm NOT sorry for including the pic. I'm however sorry that I didn't include MORE, which I should've done.

Harlepolis said:

Thanks for listening then....

theAudience said:

I've seen worse lynch pictures than this. It used to fire me up but no longer. There's nothing wrong with the posting of the picture, it's all the hiding of facts that people need to stop endorsing.

This song is truly deep. Billie Holiday was really singing from the depts of her soul on this one. I dont' knock you Harle for posting the picture .This is and was some real sh*t here. This picture show how racism is truly a ugly thing.
Harle it was not like you post a warning on this thread too.

Southern trees bear 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 just read the lyrics again and it made me realise that I'd heard the song before but I had never really PROPERLY listened to it.

It just goes to show that sometimes we rush around in life and we don't really stop to think about things much.

The song is very matter-of-fact with little sentimentality which adds to its poignancy.

It's like the song is telling a tale about a cold and indifferent world where people have given up hope.

The picture shows the bleakness and there really is no hope.

The song paints a picture of trees and country side and nature yet there is a horrid undercurrent underneath this seemingly peaceful picture.

It depicts a mood and captures a moment in time with all it's indifference.

It says to me. This happened. Here it is.

IMO, the picture truly belongs as part of the thread. Southern trees did bear this strange and bitter crop We must never ever forget.

Good lord, I can't believe people pitching a bitch in this thread

.
[Edited 12/7/05 13:32pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I'll never forget that the U.S. government did nothing while all this home-grown terrorism was going on. Every nation has blood on its hands, and America's no different.

uPtoWnNY said:

I agree with you

CherrieMoonKisses said:

is the "black holocaust" page still online? does anybody remember that one?