Southern trees bear a strange fruit/
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root.

“Strange Fruit” was written in 1939 and first performed by Billie Holiday. That version is fantastic too, but I prefer Nina Simone’s version. Simone’s arrangement is much rawer. The instrumental is minimal allowing you to concentrate on the lyrics. And the lyrics are heart-breaking and powerful. The author sees black men and women hanging from trees in the South and likens them to Strange Fruit—to rot, and for the crows to pick at. The song is eighty years old and it still feels so powerful.

Many things are special about Simone’s version, but notice that she plays the song almost in free time. She allows breaks in between the lyrics in order to emphasize certain phrases and also breaks in between the piano notes for emphasis.

She is amazing at piano—perhaps the best in rock/soul, but she doesn’t go crazy with a ton of frills and complicated piano playing. Likewise, she has a voice that is just as powerful and beautiful as all the divas, but she uses restraint and simplicity when she emotes. She is probably the best at covering songs that there is.

Strange Fruit Lyrics

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.

Pastoral scene of the gallant South-
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth.
Scent of magnolia, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck.
For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop.
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Songwriters: Abel Meeropol

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes/
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord.

“Fortunate Son” is a great Creedence Clearwater Revival protest song about the patriotism that was fueling the Vietnam War. Fogerty says that it is the millionaires and their greed that drive the wars. Their money allows them to keep a distance from the terrors of war so that it remains easy to send the poor folk to endless wars thousands of miles away. Their money protects their sons from going.

Interestingly, Fogerty complains about the rich people’s tax avoidance. Back then the rates for the rich for much higher for the rich and it was still an “outrage”. Somehow, since this song was released, wealth inequality has grown several times worse. Ultimately, he thinks that the solution to all this is to send the senators sons to fight in the war. It is a good solution. Something tells me we’d have a lot more peace if that was what was law.

“Fortunate Son” is more successful as a protest song than some of Dylan’s anti-war songs because it is much more accessible. It rocks, it has a good beat, good lyric and is much more literal than Dylan’s Masters of War. Ultimately it just sounds better. That is the ultimate gate that keeps a song from being relevant or not.  This ended up being one of CCRs most lastingly influential song.

Fortunate Son Lyrics

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they’re red, white and blue
And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer “More! More! More!” yoh

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, one

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no

Songwriters: John C Fogerty

Four Dead in Ohio…
Soldiers are cutting us down.

Neil Young’s “Ohio” is the true story of four students shot dead in the middle of a college campus by US soldiers. How did it happen? For those that don’t know the history of Neil Young’s “Ohio”, read more about the Kent State shootings in 1970. Soldiers shot four students there. It was a crazy time. Part of the power of the song comes from the backdrop of the song. But of course, the song would not be remembered if not for the strong melody–as there are many protest songs.

Interestingly, the song names “Nixon” in it. You would think that the song loses its timeliness by inserting so much politics into it, but it has the opposite effect. We remember what events caused Young to write this song that still resonates all this years later.

“Ohio” was also recorded as a CSNY record and it has all the staples: beautiful harmonies, tons of guitars, emotional songs and great songwriting. I have argued that The Beach Boys have the best harmonies but if you think it is CSNY I think that is a fine choice as well.

“Ohio” is both one of Neil Young and CSNYs harder rock songs. You can hear the anger in Young’s voice. This was the end of an age of protest songs in American rock music. Springsteen would produce some years later, R&B would take up the mantle in the 70s and the UK punk scene would produce some in the 80s but looking back, this was the end of an era.

Ohio Lyrics

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know? Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know? Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.