[78-L] Strange Fruit

[Royal Pemberton]

On 7/18/09, Taylor Bowie <bowiebks at isomedia.com> wrote:
>
> My gripe is not that the song is making a political or social statement,
> but that it just doesn't seem very musical to me.
>
> Battle Hymn of the Republic was written as "propaganda" as well...but I
> think it's a great and effective piece of music.
>
> Generally I like the more cheery songs of Holiday.  I forgot to mention a
> fave from c. 1940...her version of  "I Hear Music" on a purple Okeh.
>
> Speaking of downers,  why did anyone every record Gloomy Sunday?  What is
> WITH that thing?
>
>
> Taylor

I remember asking my mom, who was a BH fan in the 1940s, if (in the
years she had her own records) she'd had 'SF' on a record or liked it.
 No on both counts.  Such a strange and terrible song, she said.  On
the other hand Mom liked BH's record of 'Jim' and had the Okeh 78 of
it then.