Strange Fruit

by Billie Holiday · posted by chibluesteve

How hard is it?

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How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

Tabbed for C Tenor

  5   5    5    5   5   <-5    -5 
Southern trees bear a strange fruit,
  5   5   5     5    5   -5   -5 -5   -5
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
 -5  -5 -5  -6  -6  -6  -6  <7  <7    7
Black body swinging in the southern breeze,
  5       5    -4  -4  -4  -4   5  5    5
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

<-9 9 <-9  -9   -8 -9   8  7     7 
Pastoral- scene of the gallant south,
-4   4  4    4    4   4   -5 -5   -5
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
<-9   9  <-9 -9 -8 -9  -8   <-7   7 
Scent of magnolia---, sweet and fresh,
-5  -5  -5 -5   -6   -6  7  7    -8
And the sudden smell of burning flesh.

 5   5  5   5    5   5   <-5 <-5  -5
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,
-5  -5   -5  -5 -6 -6   -6  -6   <7  <7  7
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
 7   7   7  7   7    7  7 <-7 <-7  -7
For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop,
 5   5  5    5     5  <-5 -5  7
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Play on a harmonica— watch which holes to blow & draw, with sound