Strange Fruit

Southern trees, bare us strange fruit Blood on the leaves, blood at the roots Black bodies swingin', in the southern breeze All that strange fruit hangin', hangin' from the trees Check it out, here's a story that's true (aight) They had me locked up, for this crime I didn't do This white girl identified me, as a rapist Had me wishin' I was Harry Houdini, the great escapist But wait it's, more check it out the plot thickens (aight) Cause shorty started tellin' more tales than Charles Dickens She said I kidnapped her, trapped her, slapped her Then after, I tapped her, I fled through the pasture Nah, not me 'cause, knew I'd get acquitted But seemed every white face in town knew I did it Or done it, shit about a hundred, approachin' white figures Bearin' triggers screaming, "kill that nigger!" I'm gettin nervous just a little concerned 'Cause in the south where I'm from niggaz will get burned 'Cause them whitey's on some next shit, some hang you by your neck shit Oh well, I'm in jail man, I figure I'm protected (right) Southern trees, bare us strange fruit Blood on the leaves, blood at the roots Black bodies swingin', in the southern breeze All that strange fruit hangin', hangin' from the trees Yeah, should have expected not to trust the police Them cops ain't even yell "freeze!", they just gave the mob the keys (uh) They beat me like I stole somethin', pistol-whipped me like a stickup Tied my hands behind my back, tied my feet to the bumper Of a pickup, truck, now I'm gettin shucked like corn Bein' drug through the town, face down To the gravel, my clothes and skin unravel I guess I'm guilty, the lynch mob dropped the gavel They took me to a tree, hung me naked by my wrists When I beg and I plead I can't take it like this They shoved a pole in my mouth (what?) cause you see down south Lynchin' was a show, everybody came out See the mothers brought they daughters, to come and check the slaughters And fathers brought their sons, to see how it was done, they brought Everyone, from the old to the young Cause it really was nothin' to see a nigga get hung, word Southern trees, bare us strange fruit Blood on the leaves, blood at the roots Black bodies swingin', in the southern breeze All that strange fruit hangin', hangin' from the trees Yeah, I hung bloody, down by the muddy Water of the Mississippi for my slaughter The order in this court was plantation mutilation I felt the cool sensation of a knife point Slicin' through the joint of each toe, each finger Each thumb and, face it that's for touchin' on a white woman My screams and tears brought more celebration and cheers Than twelve o'clock on new year's A girl couldn't see, someone raised her higher So she could watch them breakin' out my teeth with the wire pliers My one desire was to meet my messiah but they wouldn't let me die-ah Sayin', "nigger we gon' fry ya in the fire" I prayed that death was movin' near; that's when They castrated me and kept my nuts as souvenirs (uh) Gasoline cleaned my wounds like liquor Saw the match flicker, begged 'em do it quicker Ah yes, the smell of burning flesh A hundred angry bullets, penetrate my chest Sweet death long awaited, I hang as a monument A warning simply stated for a people that they hated But nowadays, the table's turned like a wrench (aight) 'Cause white folks no longer have a reason to lynch (why?) 'Cause when it comes down to it (uh huh) there's no need to pursue it When you got a million niggaz round the country that'll do it, think!