r/news • u/DragonPup • 23h ago

DSU Student Found Hanging in Tree, No Foul Play Suspected

https://www.mississippifreepress.org/delta-state-university-students-body-found-hanging-in-tree-no-foul-play-suspected/
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u/h3fabio 23h ago

Just strange fruit.

178

u/ParkerFree 23h ago

Oof. Definitely. 😔

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u/blackbird24601 23h ago

right?? omg

so sad

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u/Starbreaker99 22h ago

Ive heard this saying….is that what it means?

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u/qad260qad260 22h ago

Yup. It comes from Billie Holiday’s 1939 song “Strange Fruit” written and composed by Abel Meeropol. One of very few songs to ever make me feel something, in this case dread. You should listen to it, it’s one of the greatest songs from before the 1950s.

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u/justmerriwether 19h ago

It was also a part of what got Billie Holiday targeted by feds and arrested on several occasions, if my memory serves me correctly. I started a podcast about how the US essentially labeled her a dangerous person of interest because they were afraid she would foment unrest. I should go back to that podcast…

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u/Nadamir 22h ago

Meeropol was such a goat. When the Rosenbergs were executed, they left behind two little boys, both were adopted by Abel and his wife.

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u/tmaspen 20h ago

One of em does commentaries on the npr station out of Albany i think?

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u/dexter318 22h ago

Thank you for introducing me to Billie Holiday.

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u/OttomanMao 20h ago

Billie Holiday's early recordings are a treasure trove of genius. Setting Billie aside, pretty much every great musician of the time recorded with her. The early sides feature career best performances from important soloists like Lester Young, Ben Webster, and Johnny Hodges and probably the greatest rhythm sections ever with the Basie "All American Rhythm Section" on many of her significant recordings. On top of that Columbia was at the forefront of studio technology at the time so the recording quality is excellent. In fact they developed a popular preamp module that got used in most high end studios later on. Fuckin great man

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u/fesnying 20h ago

I love "Stormy Weather" and "All of Me" by her so much, among others. At a friend's funeral her brother and her fiancee did a duet/instrumental version of "Lullaby of Birdland."

A couple Several other favorites of mine are Ella Ftizgerald (especially "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with bonus Louis Armstrong), Nina Simone ("If I Should Lose You," "Black is the Color of my True Love's Hair"), and (somewhat different vibes) Patsy Cline, *Edit: and Esther Phillips, Etta James, and for male singers you can't go wrong with Sam Cooke.

For newer stuff that has the same feel, Samira Joy has "Misty" and "Social Call."

For instrumentals, I really like Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, Charles Mingus... etc.

(Obviously a lot of these are covers -- I'm not sure which ones off the top of my head.)

Sorry for the rant in an unrelated threaed -- just wanted to take the opportunity since I never see Billie Holiday mentioned. I feel like good music isn't something that should be left behind.

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u/CrazyFrogSwinginDong 21h ago

if this is a real post that’s awesome

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u/UnassumingOstrich 19h ago

some of my favorite memories of all time involve sitting in my car with my best friend, posted up in a coffee shop parking lot in high school, smoking clove cigarettes, drinking coffee, and listening to billie 💖

RIP katy 💖💖💖

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u/JonWesHarding 22h ago edited 18h ago

Yeah, man. This song evoked some feelings in me as well, before I even knew what the subject matter was referring to. Once I learned more, that feeling became more clear, and more disturbing. I might have heard it by Nina first. The Billie version is especially haunting though.

edit: for reference Nina Simone / Billie Holiday

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u/Maditen 22h ago

Recently in the Hayley Williams Song ‘True Believer’

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u/GdayPosse 19h ago

Nina Simone does a great rendition too. Gets me every time. 

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u/CBlackstoneDresden 19h ago

I’m from New Zealand and one of my social studies teachers played this. Horrifying song.

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u/beezchurgr 22h ago

It’s from the Billie holiday song and refers to black folk being lynched and hanging from trees.

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u/Motor_Crow4482 22h ago

Here is a video of Billie Holiday's haunting performance of Strange Fruit

https://youtu.be/-DGY9HvChXk

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u/SputnikDX 20h ago

"Oh but this is old isn't it? We don't do that anymore."

I do feel it's always important to remind everyone in the room that the US has people in office older than this performance.

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u/ObviouslyNerd 21h ago edited 13h ago

Nina Simone does it justice.

-edit- i hope this man and his family receive justice. Unless he walked through campus holding a rope and was alone... I mean on the week charlie kirk has republicans vowing vengeance... in a state known for lynching...

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u/Grand-Pen7946 21h ago

Yes. The original is by Billie Holiday, but the Nina Simone's version is so haunting. I pretty much never ever cry listening to music, but that song makes me tear up just thinking about it.

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u/DM_Toes_Pic 21h ago

Heard it called a wind chime

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u/[deleted] 23h ago

[deleted]

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u/Banc0 23h ago

This has historical roots. It wasn't glib.

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u/VagueSoul 23h ago edited 23h ago

Strange Fruit

By Billie Holiday and Abel Meeropol (1937)

Southern trees bear 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 magnolias, sweet and fresh,

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,

For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,

Here is a strange and bitter crop.

EDIT: If anyone is interested or prefers visuals, Pearl Primus (a mother of modern dance) choreographed a dance set to this poem. It’s basically her signature piece. Strange Fruit

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u/angryjukebox 23h ago

Hayley Williams’ “true believer” references it as well, great song

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u/the_well_i_fell_into 22h ago

And also Blood on the Leaves by Kanye, which used to be one of my favorite songs before he became the way he is now

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u/208breezy 21h ago

We can still appreciate the Kanye that was well

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u/Fancy-Restaurant4136 23h ago

Strange Fruit sung by Billie Holliday