I’m on the phone to my husband, He’s in Lithuania. We mention our Songs of Devastation.
‘I think it’s time for another one.’ That’s me.
‘All right. Have we done Billie Holiday?’ That’s him.
‘Yes. Gloomy Sunday,’ I say.
‘There’s another one, of course.’
‘Yes.’
‘Then, let’s put up ‘Strange Fruit.’ This song is as devastating a song as I’ve ever heard. The lyric is unbelievable. The song was written by Abel Meeropol, under the pseudonym, Lewis Allan – a Jewish American teacher, who was also a member of the American Communist Party and taught the author and racial justice advocate James Baldwin. Billie Holiday sings it with such force. It’s completely chilling.’
‘Not for the faint-hearted.’
‘No. Not for the faint-hearted at all.’
