Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit"

Originally a poem by Abel Meeropol (aka "Lewis Allan"), "Strange Fruit" was conceived as a reaction to a photo published in 1930 of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana.  An All Things Considered piece chronicled the event on its 80th anniversary in 2010.  The third young man targeted that day--James Cameron, a 16-year-old--escaped alive.  He went on to found the National Black Holocaust Museum (originally in Milwaukee, now residing online).

Holiday's haunting, definitive version of the song was recorded 73 years ago today.
 

Bright Eyes, "Lua"

2Pac & Snoop Dogg, "Hail Mary" and "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" ("Live" at Coachella 2012)

If you have been living on the bright side of a cave the last few days, you've likely already seen this (or at least heard about it).  Still, it deserves its own Tuna Day.  How far we've come since Leia's plaintive cry for help.
 

Common, "The People"

Elliott Smith, "Somebody That I Used to Know"

Not to confuse you, but a great, slightly older song by the same name...

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: Walk Off the Earth, "Somebody That I Used To Know" (Gotye Cover)

Courtesy of Shon, here's another one that millions and millions of people have gotten hip to before the Tuna did.  Regardless, both the cover by WOTE and the original are pretty great in their own ways.  Enjoy!

"Hey, that reminds me of..." SATURDAY: The xx, "Islands"

We've got our Open Request Sunday, and we just wrapped up a month of cover songs.  Now--just when you thought the Tuna Supercommittee couldn't introduce any more gimmicks--may we present a weekly (?) dose of songs that kind of remind us of other songs.  The inaugural selection comes from the Londoners of The xx, whose "Islands" makes us imagine what would result if "Tape Song" and "L.E.S. Artistes" had a baby, then slipped it some Ritalin.  Enjoy!

Jennifer O'Connor, "Exeter, Rhode Island"

Maura and I caught Jennifer when she opened for Hotel Lights a few years ago, and promptly bought two of her albums.  This one can be found on Over the Mountain Across the Valley and Back to the Stars.  If you ever get the chance to see her live, I would highly recommend it.  Enjoy!

Paul Revere & The Raiders, "Kicks"

I can't decide which is better: the high-stepping guitarists facing off or the faces the drummer makes for the camera.  Enjoy!

Dire Straits, "Lady Writer"