Strange Fruit Lyrics – Billie Holiday Meaning & Facts By (Singles). You Can Watch This Video On YouTube While The Lyrics Are Written By Abel Meeropol. The Music Track Was Released Date :May. 1939.
These lyrics are from the song Strange Fruit, made well-known by Billie Holiday. It was written by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish-American teacher, and songwriter, in 1937. It is a haunting and important kick against racism and the lynching of African Americans in the Southern United States.
[Verse 1]
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
[Explanation of Verse 1]
In the first verse, “Southern trees bear a strange fruit” refers to the bodies of African American victims hanging from trees in the South, which were often referred to as “strange fruit” due to the horrifying and unnatural sight. The imagery of “blood on the leaves and blood at the root” depicts the violence and brutality of the lynchings.
[Verse 2]
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
[Explanation of Verse 2]
The second verse describes the setting of the South with pastoral scenes, magnolias, and sweet smells juxtaposed with the horror of lynching. “The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth” evoke the agony of the victims.
[Verse 3]
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
[Explanation of Verse 3]
The final verse speaks to the aftermath of the lynchings. The fruit, symbolizing the bodies of the victims, is left for scavengers like crows, to be ravaged by the elements – rain, wind, and sun. “Here is a strange and bitter crop” emphasizes the bitterness and injustice of the situation.