Billie Holiday

We watched The United States vs Billie Holiday last night. The movie by all means is a triumph and I hate to say somewhat difficult to watch. Most things in life worth doing are difficult.

And that was Billie’s life. For all that she went through to her sometimes it wasn’t a life worth living. But when she lived it she did it with gusto and grace.

Simple enough it seems

Many ask why she insisted on singing Strange Fruit. Here I will share the opening stanza.

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

Yes a depiction of a lynching in the south in words and music. A beautiful uneven slowly delivered beautiful song that depicts downright hate and ugliness.

A bill went through Congress to make lynching against the law during this period and to our country’s racist insistence- it did not pass.

A beautiful lovely song about a horrific event. A beautiful woman in an ugly world. Many asked why she insisted on singing that song. In my humble opinion, it was that she had nothing to lose and others so much to gain.