Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit"

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I doubt you will ever hear a song as powerful as this one. When Ms. Holiday would perform it in clubs (ignore the TV studio audience here), no one would clap -- the audience would sit there in awe. Moved. Thunderstruck.

See what you think.

"Sandy, The Aurora is Rising Behind Us"

Recently I've been listening to a great old Bruce Springsteen album, one that's a very good cheer-me-up record, The Wild, the Innocent & The E Street Shuffle (1973) -- Bruce's last album before Born to Run hit and super-stardom soon followed.

It's like seven little operas, each containing their own story, their own sound and spirit, all crowned by the band's signature song in it's early days, Rosalita.

And as a happy 4th of July wish, here's a little treat from the record. Enjoy some independence wherever you find it.