Strange FruitStrange Fruit

From four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee David Margolick, STRANGE FRUIT explores the story of the memorable civil rights ballad made famous by Billie Holiday in the late 1930s. The song's powerful, evocative lyrics-written by a Jewish communist schoolteacher who, late in life, adopted the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg-portray the lynching of a black man in the South. Holiday's performances sparked conflict and controversy wherever she went, and the song has since been covered by Lena Horne, Tori Amos, Sting, and countless others. Margolick's careful reconstruction of the story behind the song, portions of which have appeared in Vanity Fair, includes a discography of "Strange Fruit" recordings as well as newly uncovered photographs that capture Holiday in performance at Greenwich Village's Café Society. A must for jazz aficionados.
The lyrics of "Strange Fruit," the controversial ballad that became Billie Holiday's signature song, describe a lynched black man hanging from a tree. Its performance sparked controversy and sometimes violence wherever Holiday went. This is the story of the song, from its genesis, to its popularization by Holiday in nightclubs like New York's CafT Society, to its enduring power today. There are many first-hand accounts of the song's effects on musicians, artists, intellectuals, activists, and even the bartenders and waitresses who worked at the clubs. Includes b&w photos. Margolick is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair . The book is not indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
"From four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee David Margolick, STRANGE FRUIT explores the story of the memorable civil rights ballad made famous by Billie Holiday in the late 1930s. The song's powerful, evoca"