Comments on: Nina Simone

By: John Isbell

John Isbell — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I know it’s heresy, but I actually find her “Strange Fruit” more powerful than Billie Holiday’s. I guess Billie’s is more understated.
So many other songs – “Young, gifted and black”, for instance.

By: ryan

ryan — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Such sad news. What an amazing talent she was – her performance of The Other Woman is riveting.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

My vote is for “Sinner Man”.

Guaranteed to put the fear of hellfire into you more than two solid classes of Religious Education with Father Finnegan (and his strap), every week, for seven years.

By: Lilypod

Lilypod — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“I know it’s heresy, but I actually find her “Strange Fruit” more powerful than Billie Holiday’s.”

Somebody said the same thing on a music forum I post on, and where I went for solace after hearing the news on the radio. Simone’s version was described as being far more “chilling”.

I was all set to hear Nina Simone live in concert last year, then she took ill, and the gig was cancelled, never to be rescheduled. I guessed, at the time, that my last chance to hear her had slipped away. :(

By: John Isbell

John Isbell — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The bit that sends a chill down my spine every time is the way she sings “leaves” in “For the leaves to drop.”
“This is a strange – and bitter – crop.”

By: Unfogged

Unfogged — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Nina Simore

Kieran Healy has news of her death and an excellent recommendation. For those of you who haven’t heard her, also be sure to find her recording of “Sinnerman,” which sustains more energy for longer than any song I’ve heard. And if you have no idea who s…