The Power of Symbolism: The Meaning Behind The Song “Blood On The Leaves” by Kanye West
Kanye West has never been one to shy away from controversy in his music. One of his most controversial and heavily analyzed songs is “Blood On The Leaves” from his 2013 album “Yeezus”. The song features a sample of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit”, a haunting ballad about lynchings in the American South. “Blood On The Leaves” tackles themes of infidelity, relationship struggles, and materialism, but it’s the sample that carries the most weight in the song’s deeper meaning. Let’s take a closer look at the power of symbolism in “Blood On The Leaves”.
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The Significance of “Strange Fruit”
“Strange Fruit” was written by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish schoolteacher, in 1937 after he saw a photograph of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana. Meeropol was disturbed by the image and wrote “Strange Fruit” as a poem. He later set the poem to music and performed it under the pseudonym “Lewis Allan”. Nina Simone’s version of the song is one of the most well-known and haunting.
The lyrics of “Strange Fruit” describe the bodies of lynched black men hanging in the trees “like strange fruit” and the bitterness of the “southern trees” that bear this deadly fruit. The song was a powerful response to the systemic racism and violence against black people in America, and it has since become a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Meaning of “Blood On The Leaves”
The sample of “Strange Fruit” in “Blood On The Leaves” creates a powerful parallel between the violence and racism of the past and the struggles of modern-day relationships. The song is a reflection on the breakdown of Kanye’s own relationship with Kim Kardashian, as well as the more general struggles he sees in contemporary relationships.
The lyrics of “Blood On The Leaves” describe a man who cheats on his partner and then pays for an abortion. The choice of words in the chorus suggests that this is a pattern of behavior: “Now you sittin’ courtside, wifey on the other side / Gotta keep ’em separated, I call that apartheid.” The use of the term “apartheid” here is notable, since the term is typically associated with the racial segregation in South Africa. Kanye’s comparison of his own relationship struggles to apartheid suggests that he sees himself and Kim as a symbol of larger societal issues.
The title of the song, “Blood On The Leaves”, reinforces this idea. The image of blood on leaves is reminiscent of the blood of lynchings on the branches of southern trees. But in Kanye’s song, the blood is a metaphor for the fallout of his infidelity. The message is that his personal struggles are not just his own, but that they are a product of larger societal forces.
The Recontextualization of “Strange Fruit”
Some critics have accused Kanye of trivializing the meaning of “Strange Fruit” by using it in a song about personal relationships. After all, “Strange Fruit” is a powerful protest song that speaks to the systemic racism and violence faced by black people in America. By using the sample in a song about cheating and materialism, Kanye risks diluting the message of “Strange Fruit”.
However, it’s worth considering the power of recontextualization. Kanye’s use of the sample brings “Strange Fruit” into a new moment in history and adds to its ongoing legacy. The song is taken out of its original context and used to address a different set of issues, but it’s impact remains the same. In a way, it’s a tribute to the enduring relevance of “Strange Fruit” that it can be used in such a different way and still resonate.
The Power of Symbolism
At its core, the meaning of “Blood On The Leaves” is about the power of symbolism. The sample of “Strange Fruit” is a powerful symbol of the violence and racism that’s still prevalent in American society. By sampling the song, Kanye is able to tie his own personal struggles to larger societal issues, and in doing so, he creates a powerful piece of art.
In the end, the meaning of “Blood On The Leaves” is up for debate. Some might see it as a powerful social commentary, while others might see it as a trivialization of a powerful protest song. But regardless of where you stand, what cannot be denied is the power of symbolism and the way that it can be used to create something new, powerful, and enduring.
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