Strange Fruit (Billie Holiday and Lewis Allen) 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. Oh----- Oh:----- Pastoral scene of the gallant South The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh And the sudden smell of burning flesh. 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 trees to drop Oh, ----- here is a strange and bitter --- crop. Oh, --- here is a strange and bitter crop. Note: I've seen the attribution to Ms. Holiday alone, to Mr. Allen alone and to both together. RG SW
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!