Strange Fruit
By: Mike O'Quinn
Duration
4:36
Description
I wanted to write a song about post civil war era atrocities from a different perspective than normally heard. I had gotten the title from the 1944 novel by Lillian Smith. I had already written the song when I discovered the Billie Holiday 1939 classic but by that time I realized the title worked as well for mine with enough differences to give my piece it's own identity. I am a bit proud of the song as it turned out exactly as I intended. The backing vocals on the out-tro still gives m...
show more...Lyrics
STRANGE FRUIT Mr. Cain’s plantation was the place that I called home My daddy trained his horses everyone that rich man owned Jake and me were only three when we became best friends I never saw no difference between me and him Jake still worked the cotton fields when I was called to war The things I saw in Gettysburg shook me to the core I was called a coward because I would not take a life When I returned my friend had earned his freedom and a wife Jake had built a little house a mile or so away He had learned to read the bible just to help him pray He asked me to come see him one rainy Georgia night Lord, I wish I had been with him when that day gave up it’s light Strange fruit hanging from the tree In that stormy darkness it was hard to see Then a flash of lightning brought me to my knees Strange fruit hanging from that tree I raised my fists in anger and I shouted at the sky I waited for an answer as I asked the good Lord why Turns out some evil men dressed in sheets of white Had been disturbed when they had learned Jake could read and write Now Jake’s young widow cries by a wooden cross I clean my revolver the one Jeff Davis bought Is it ignorance or hatred that make men do their worst I know God will smite the wicked but not if I get them first
