When did Billie Holiday perform the song Strange Fruit for the first time?
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Strange Fruit is an iconic song sung by Billie Holiday in 1939, denouncing racist lynchings in the United States.
The song is based on a poem written in 1937 by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish teacher and activist, under the pseudonym Lewis Allan. Deeply shocked by the photograph of a lynching, Meeropol expressed his indignation through this poem, which he then set to music with the help of his wife Anne and singer Laura Duncan.
In 1939, Billie Holiday was a regular at Café Society, New York’s first integrated jazz club, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood. It was there that she discovered Strange Fruit. Although the song was different from her usual repertoire, Billie Holiday was deeply moved by its message and decided to perform it. Her first performance of Strange Fruit at the Café Society in 1939 left the audience speechless, marking a poignant moment in music history.
After her performance at Café Society, Holiday wanted to record the song. However, her record company, Columbia Records, feared repercussions and refused to produce the song. Determined, Holiday turned to the independent Commodore Records label, which agreed to record Strange Fruit. The recording session took place on April 20, 1939, and the song was released shortly afterwards.
Strange Fruit quickly gained notoriety, becoming one of the first anthems of the civil rights movement. The song was hailed for its powerful denunciation of racism and the violence inflicted on African-Americans. However, it also generated controversy, with some clubs refusing to let Holiday perform it and threats being made against her because of her commitment.
Over the decades, Strange Fruit has remained an iconic work, covered by many artists and used in various contexts to denounce racial injustice. In 1999, Time magazine named it the song of the century, recognizing its lasting impact on culture and society.
Billie Holiday’s first performance of Strange Fruit in 1939 at New York’s Café Society marked a turning point in music history, introducing a song that remains a powerful testimony against racism and the violence suffered by African-Americans. Billie Holiday’s commitment to this performance not only reinforced her status as an artist, but also helped raise public awareness of the injustices of her time.
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When did Billie Holiday perform the song Strange Fruit for the first time?
Answer
Billie Holiday first performed Strange Fruit in 1939 at New York's Café Society, marking a turning point in her career and in committed music.