Megan

=    = =   = =   = =     = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =    = =  P r o t e s t      = = = = = =  = =   = =   = =   = =   = =   = =   = =   = =   = =   = =  A protest song is a song which protests against problems in a society. = =  The songs can cover lots of different problems and deal with loads of issues  = = and concerns. The oldest protest song on record is “The Cutty Wren” from = = the English peasants’ revolt of 1381 against feudal oppression. Many popular = = artists have written or sung protest songs, like Bob Marley and Bob Dylan. = =  = =   = =   =


 * What is the protest song "Strange Fruit"

about? **



The song "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday is a protest song.

“Strange Fruit” began as a poem written by Abel Meeropol, who was a Jewish high-school teacher. The poem was written toexpress Meeropol’s horror of the photograph he saw of the lynching of two black men.He published the poem in a magazine in1937. He then set “Strange Fruit” to music. The song gained a certain success as a protest song in and around New York.Meeropol, his wife, and black vocalist Laura Duncan performed it for the first time at Madison Square Garden.A man then heardthe song and introduced it to Billie Holiday. The song became a regular part of Holiday's live performances.She recorded “Strange Fruit” and it soon became Holiday's biggest selling record. Though the song was usually played at her live performances, Holiday's accompanist Bobby Tucker recalled that Holiday would break down every time after she sang it  

The Meaning. The "strange fruit" referred to in the song are the bodies of African American men which were hung during a lynching. They contrast the pastoralscenes of the South with the ugliness of racist violence. The lyrics were so chilling that Holiday later said "The first time I sang it, I thought it was a mistake. There wasn't even a patter of applause when I finished. Then a lone person began to clap nervously. Then suddenly everyone was clapping and cheering."ImpactIt was insisted that Holiday finishes all her songs with “Strange Fruit” because it leaves such a huge impact. Just as the song was about to begin, waiters would stop serving, the lights in club would be turned off, and a single pin spotlight would illuminate Holiday on stage. During the musical introduction, Holiday would stand with her eyes closed, as if she were evoking a prayer. The song ultimately became the anthem of the anti-lynching movement.

__**     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.
 * __   Lyric   s

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. 
 * What is the effect of a protest song? **

Lots of people hear the songs so it makes them think about what is going on and what other people views are about it.  What are the lyrics to some protest songs? SYSTEM OF A DOWN > BOOM <   ** **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 90%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Ive been walking through your streets, Where all you moneys earning, Where all your biuldings crying, And clueless neckties working, Revolving fake lawn houses, Housing all your fears, Desensitized by tv, Overbearing advertising, God of consumerism, And all your crooked pictures, Looking good, mirrorism, Filtering information, For the public eye, Designed for profiteering, Your neighbour, what a guy.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: #e42525; FONT-FAMILY: Impact, Charcoal, sans-serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #230101"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace">

Boom, boom, boom, boom, Every time you drop the bomb, You kill the God your child has born. Boom, boom, boom, boom.

Modern globalization, Coupled with condemnations, Unnecessary death, Matador corporations, Puppeting your frustrations, With the blinded flag, Manufacturing consent Is the name of the game, The bottom line is money, Nobody gives a f * ** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">**4000 hungry children die per hour, From starvation, While billions spent on bombs, Create death showers.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, Every time you drop the bomb, You kill the God your child has born. Boom, boom, boom, boom Boom/boom/boom/boom/boom/boom/boom

Why must wee kill our own kind...

Boom, boom, boom, boom, Every time you drop the bomb, You kill the God your child has born. Boom, boom, boom, boom Boom/boom/boom/boom/boom/boom/boom/boom Every time you drop the bomb.**

** This song is rebelling against - ** Militarism! A song about rampant military spending while there are starving children all around the world.

Twisted Sister

We're Not Gonna Take It    <span style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Oh We're Not Gonna Take It no, We Ain't Gonna Take It oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

we've Got The Right To Choose And there Ain't No Way We'll Lose It this Is Our Life, This Is Our Song we'll Fight The Powers That Be Just don't Pick Our Destiny 'cause you Don't Know Us, You Don't Belong

oh We're Not Gonna Take It no, We Ain't Gonna Take It oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

oh You're So Condescending your Gall Is Never Ending we Don't Want Nothin', Not A Thing From You your Life Is Trite And Jaded boring And Confiscated if That's Your Best, Your Best Won't Do

oh..................... oh..................... we're Right/yeah we're Free/yeah we'll Fight/yeah you'll See/yeah

oh We're Not Gonna Take It no, We Ain't Gonna Take It oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> oh We're Not Gonna Take It no, We Ain't Gonna Take It oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> no Way! oh..................... oh.....................   we're Right/yeah we're Free/yeah we'll Fight/yeah you'll See/yeah

we're Not Gonna Take It no, We Ain't Gonna Take It we're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

we're Not Gonna Take It, No! no, We Ain't Gonna Take It we're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

just You Try And Make Us we're Not Gonna Take It come On no, We Ain't Gonna Take It you're All Worthless And Weak we're Not Gonna Take It Anymore now Drop And Give Me Twenty we're Not Gonna Take It oh Crinch Pin no, We Ain't Gonna Take It oh You And Your Uniform we're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

** This song is rebelling against -  **  Authority figures!

This band scored big with its rebellion against everything, and nothing in particular. The song was inspired by the Sex Pistols and the Christmas carol 'O Come, All Ye Faithful. '



References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit http://www.spinner.com/2007/07/13/20-protest-songs-that-mattered-no-20/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest_song

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/billie+holiday/strange+fruit_20017859.html http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/system+of+a+down/boom_20134794.html http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/werenotgonnatakeitlyrics.html

By Megan Hodgson. I am amazing.