The story behind 'Strange Fruit'

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 08:15 PM

Thank you so much for reviving this thread. I knew nothing about this song other than Billie Hollidays,s recording of it. I just assumed she wrote it.

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: Felipa
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 05:40 PM

in case you didnt read the article, which I did, the two boys were the orphaned sons of the Rosenberg. They have petitioned US President Obama to exonerate their mother Ethel

http://www.rfc.org/pressreleases
Seton Hall Law School Center for Policy and Research releases scathing report (12.14.16) detailing the miscarriage of justice in the arrest, prosecution, and execution of Ethel Rosenberg, entitled "The Government's Hostage: The Conviction and Execution of Ethel Rosenberg."

The report notes: "The conclusion in the July 17, 1950 FBI memo, stating that the evidence against Ethel was insufficient to warrant prosecution, remained true throughout her arrest, prosecution, conviction, and execution.

The reason for her prosecution seems clear: Ethel was executed because she refused to cooperate with the Government to help convict her husband, Julius. Ethel was merely a pawn used for leverage in the government's attempt to build a case against Julius Rosenberg."

I hadnt known this was still a "live" issue. Petition link is http://www.rfc.org/ethel

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: foggers
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 06:50 PM

I knew the song was written by a jewish left wing guy, but the story of adopting the two boys is very moving indeed.

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: kendall
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 07:28 PM

When I was in college in the mid 70s Strange Fruit was a book that was required reading.

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 02:06 PM

There was some discussion in THIS THREAD.

Jack, thanks for posting this. It was really well worth listening to.

kat

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 10:14 AM

"Miller says he was surprised to learn the song was written by a white Jewish guy"

No kidding!

I always felt it was too precious a song for me to consider singing - as a white woman.

That may sound daft as we all sing songs about subject of which we have no personal experience, but I know (as has been voiced on this forum) there are those people who are loathe to hear white people sing songs inspired by black oppression, purely because those singers are not black.

So 'Strange Fruit' has always seemed 'off limits'. But perhaps it isn't? Indeed, maybe no songs are? I really don't know, particularly as the people that such songs are about, are no longer alive to express an opinion either way on the matter.

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 09:13 AM

I'm pretty sure we've had threads about the song and the man on Mudcat in the past.

Here's one about the man: Beloved Comrade: Spanish Civil War Song?

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 08:30 AM

My Dad was a student at De Witt Clinton High School, almost surely when Meeropol was on the faculty there. My Dad didn't have any memory of him, but it was a huge school, so it was quite possible they never met (and, anyway, it would have been 60 or 70 years before I asked about it).

I'm pretty sure we've had threads about the song and the man on Mudcat in the past.

Subject: RE: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 08:13 AM

Very interesting Jack - Thanks for putting it up .

Subject: The story behind 'Strange Fruit'
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 07:40 AM

This was all new to me:

NPR on Abel Meeropol