httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
Ms. Holiday sings one of the most gut wrenching songs of the civil rights struggle. Her label, Columbia, refused to record Strange Fruit due to fears of a negative reaction from the South. However, they did agree to a one session opt out of her contract in order to record this track.
I didn't know that history. Seems I have this song on two Columbia compilations though. Maybe they bought the rights to the recording later?
Checking it out, one's on Verve and so is the other.
Those recordings from the 50s are great, so I guess that's my bias.
Well they're even the same recordings of the song. (And four others.)
Oh well, I have Songbook on Cassette and was hoping for a CD with similar recordings and found that with Lady Sings.
NPR on the man who wrote the song.