What is the poem Strange Fruit by Abel Meeropol about?
“Strange Fruit” is a song written and composed by Abel Meeropol and recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. The lyrics were drawn from a poem by Meeropol published in 1937. The song protests the lynching of Black Americans with lyrics that compare the victims to the fruit of trees.
What kind of poem is Strange Fruit?
‘Strange Fruit’ is a heart-wrenching song penned by Abel Meeropol and Billie Holiiday. It reveals the tragic nature of some of the darkest times in American history. The song’s words describe the bodies of black people who were lynched- apart from the law, with no chance at justice.
What is the purpose of Strange Fruit?
First recorded in 1939, the protest song Strange Fruit came to symbolise the brutality and racism of the practice of lynching in America’s South. Now, more than seventy years later, such is the song’s enduring power that rapper Kanye West sampled the track on his latest album Yeezus.
Who was the intended audience of Strange Fruit?
In some ways, the story behind “Strange Fruit” followed the same old plot (not blackface minstrelsy, certainly, but the broader tradition embodied by swing and Tin Pan Alley). The audience at Café Society was mostly white; the music was mostly black; Meeropol was the Jewish “middleman” bringing the two together.
What poetic devices are in Strange Fruit?
“Strange Fruit” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
- Alliteration. Alliteration is an important feature in “Strange Fruit.” The first instance is in line 1:
- Assonance.
- Caesura.
- Consonance.
- Extended Metaphor.
- Repetition.
- Juxtaposition.
Who was Strange Fruit written by?
Abel MeeropolStrange Fruit / Lyricist
Who was the songwriter of Strange Fruit?
Abel MeeropolStrange Fruit / Composer
When was Strange Fruit written?
1939
This anti-lynching poem was written by Abel Meeropol, a teacher, songwriter, and member of the American Communist Party. He published it in a union publication in 1937 and then set it to music. It was most famously performed by Billy Holiday, who first sang “Strange Fruit” in 1939.
Who originally wrote the song Strange Fruit?
Who originally wrote because of you?
Kelly ClarksonDavid HodgesBen Moody
Because Of You/Composers