Index Song Analysis Essay OutlineIntroduction to "Strange Fruit" by Billie HolidayExtended Metaphors in the SongVerse AnalysisConclusionSong Analysis Essay ExampleWorks Cited: Song Analysis Essay OutlineIntroduction to "Strange Fruit" by Billie HolidayOverview of the song's theme and historical context Meaning of the song in the context of civil rights Extended metaphors in the song Comparison between lynching victims and fruit The symbolism of trees and fruit in the song Analysis of the verse Analysis of the lyrics of each verse How Billie Holiday uses metaphors to convey the horrors of lynching Conclusion The importance of "Strange Fruit" as a protest song The use of extended metaphors to highlight the song's dark imagery Sample song analysis essay The song I will analyze is the song Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. The Strange Fruit song is a song about the lynching of blacks in the American South in the first half of the 20th century. Most lynching victims in the 20th century were African American males. The lyrics of Strange Fruit are considered extended metaphors. It was first written as a poem by Abel Meerpol in 1937 and then recorded and popularized by Holiday on April 20, 1939. “This poem, made into a song, was one of the first nationwide protests against cruelty to blacks. It was one of the first steps taken that spurred the civil rights movement. It has a place in history, yet it is not remembered today." In this article I will further analyze the lyrics of Strange Fruit and how Holiday uses extended metaphors in her song. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The song contains very disturbing lyrics with the use of extended metaphors. As previously mentioned, this song protested racism and lynching in the 20th century. Abel Meerpol first wrote the poem after seeing a photograph of two African American boys named Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith who were brutally beaten, murdered by a white mob, and then hung from a tree to die on August 6, 1930. taken by photographer Lawrence Beitler is considered the most famous lynching photograph in history. Abel was then inspired to write a poem about this photograph 5 years later, with Billie Holiday recording it in 1939. I believe the extended metaphors throughout Billie Holiday's song are that she uses metaphors to compare the hanging of the two hanging boys to the tree with fruits like apples hanging on the tree. Fruits are usually hung from trees, but listening to the song and hearing Holiday describe hanging bodies, it's disturbing and very strange hence the title of the song because trees are not meant to be used to hang corpses. The song can also be seen as a metaphor because Billie Holiday cleverly does not use the word lynching throughout the song trying to make us understand the true meaning of the song through her comparisons. In Billie Holiday's first verse, she sings "Southern Trees". bears a strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root, Black body swinging in the southern breeze, Strange hanging fruit referring to the blood of the corpses staining the tree. The poplar symbolizes courage but also symbolizes death due to the strange fruit hanging on the tree. This is ironic given that the poplar, which symbolizes victory and perseverance, is also a tree commonly used for lynching. Billie sings the next verse of “Pastoral scene of the valiant South, The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, Fresh sweet magnolia scent, and the sudden smell of burnt flesh! The pastoral scene.