Nina Simone records
LamarTinson
507 Posts
So what are your favorites? I got one, 'Sings The Blues', and like it a lot. She's got a bunch of releases, just wondering what the real good shit is. Thanks. Peace out.
Comments
I'M GOING BACK HOME on high priestess.
her cover to 'right on' might be my favorite sleeve of all time, just the black and white boxes.
The charly lable reissue has saeveral unreleased tracks from those sessions which are incredible. There several other covers for this LP.
it has the most gorgeous, heart-wrenching and profound song about love on it called 'but beautiful'.
what's the deal with it? what year? have any of you cats seen it?
can you not just die when you hear 'but beautiful'?
Very useful page with extensive discography etc. I have maybe 15 nina lps and like them all in some way. Funkier than a mosquito tweeter on "is It finished" (1974) is probably her funkiest tune and one that i play when i Dj and is an esssential Lp. Las t week I picked up 3 live Lps
Live in Europe (2lp)
Emergency Ward
at Newport
And they have been on high rotation.
I believe you're referring to this record:
It's called Nina Simone, as far as I can tell. It's on the UpFront label (UPF-145), which I believe is a budget label, much like Springboard and Trip. Their motto is "UP FRONT makes available for your listening enjoyment and at prices you can afford."
It looks like there wasn't even enough in the budget for a few more nouns in their motto?
I agree, "But Beautiful" is fucking gorgeous. I just put it on, in fact, and I am now dead!
Nina was my first experience with completism. I had to have all her records. I adore this woman. Jonny was right when he said the more appropriate question is "What Nina records suck?" I haven't found one.
I have this interview LP as well:
A gatefold job, with a stencil of Africa on the cover. It's her talking, but the questioner's voice is muted. I guess so radio stations could simulate the interview with their local personality. Her talking voice is quite amazing.
Her autobiograhy is one of my favorite music-related books.
I saw her in San Francisco a few years before she passed, on her American reunion tour, and she was fearless. Absolute. Age did nothing to her. She was wonderful.
I listen to Nina's Choice most, but others I can't live without include, Sings the Blues, Let It All Out, Wild is the Wind, Sings Billie Holiday, I Put A Spell On You, High Priestess of Soul, and Broadway, Blues, Ballads.
Baltimore
http://www.boscarol.com/nina/html/where/baltimore.html
CTI !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
yup
Thank you for that. Best link I've seen in a long time (well, waxateria is good as was that falling George Bush site).
So, she recorded Work Song over and over, I've always been confused. Who has a favorite version.
For post '75 I have heard 2 records:
Baltimore on CTI, killer, highly recommended. I can't belive I sold the 12" of Baltimore for $1.00 back when I didn't put much value on 12"s.
Nina's Back might be the one that sucks. If I'm wrong stand up and say Nina's back is worth getting. The way I remember it was drum machines and keys forcing her into a groove that did not fit the vocal.
Dan
It's been a few years since I visited the discography site. I used to go there and read the lyrics to "Ne Me Quitte Pas" and "You Can Have Him (I Don't Want Him)" when I was at work. Damn, ouch. She kills me.
But I remember when I got the Nina Simone LP on Up Front, I figured it was a budget re-issue of an earlier record, but I could never figure out which. The discography doesn't list anything for "But Beautiful" except a '94 CD release called the Tomato Collection. Most of the other songs are absent of information on the discography as well. Hmmm. Anyone know anything more about this Up Front recording?
[aside]
At the height of my Nina love, two of my best friends got engaged and asked me to be their wedding DJ. I obliged. Part of my responsibility was to provide the "first dance" song. I gave them a CD full of songs, among them, Nina's "Wild is the Wind" (the version without all the "whooping" in the middle, the bride really wasn't feeling that). They fell victim to my influence, and chose Nina for their dance. I felt a little unsure pushing what I thought was the best first dance song on them, for obvious reasons.
The wedding was on September 14, 2001, three days after 9/11. The groom's family was coming from Boston. The groom's brother was on the flight that departed just before the hijacked one. After the chaos, his plane was forced to land in Ohio. The groom's other brother (along with his wife and two children) were also forced to land somewhere else (I can't remember now).
Half of the groom's family couldn't make it to San Francisco for the wedding. The youngest brother rented a car and drove across the US in one straight shot. He showed up at the rehearsal all red-eyed and high on speed. The wedding party went from 250 to 100, everyone was freaking out and full of grief and confusion and frustration. I was one of the groomsmen, and the woman I accompanied down the aisle arrived 2 hours before the wedding. Just before we walked down the aisle, I had to whisper to her what we had rehearsed the day before. It was a heavy day.
Immediately following the ceremony, when everyone was gathered in the dining hall, the newlyweds made an announcement thanking everyone for their efforts to make it to the wedding (most guests had flights reserved for the 13th, when no planes were flying, so they had to find alternative transportation). It was a magical little moment. A small group of us, engrossed in the love of the moment, silently sharing our fear and grief. The whole thing made you realize how precious loving someone is, you know.
After dinner, they had their first dance. Norman "Bishop" Williams (of jazz and breakbeat fame) is a friend of the groom, and his trio had played during dinner. I went over to the turntables to get ready, and Bishop was peeping my jazz crate. He gave me the "that's nice, kid." I was in the moment.
I played "Wild is the Wind." My copy is absolutely busted. I found it in a basement. It's skated. I've memorized every tick on the LP. Hearing it over the PA, through 300 watts, was amazing. The ticks and pops were really crackling. I think any other time it would have been kinda embarrassing. But it just somehow fit perfectly with the night. I kept nudging it up louder and louder as they danced. In the middle of the dance, the groom shot a real tender look at me that was so wonderful. In one quick glance he and I sorta said everything we've ever wanted to say to one another. Like, the choice was right. It was beautiful.
Throughout the night, at least 30 people came up to ask me to see the record cover for their first dance. Everyone felt it. That song kills me.
Love me love me love me
Say you do
Let me fly away
with you
For my love is like
the wind
And wild is the wind
Give me more
than one caress
Satisfy this
hungriness
Let the wind
blow through your heart
For wild is the wind
You...
touch me...
I hear the sound
of mandolins
You...
kiss me...
With your kiss
my life begins
You're spring to me
All things
to me
Don't you know you're
life itself
Like a leaf clings
to a tree
Oh my darling,
cling to me
For we're creatures
of the wind
And wild is the wind
So wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
i love that budget one on upfront.
i love her version of baltimore. i don't think the 12" is worth a whole lot there. but damn is it good. haunting.
i love her other record on stroud which is Live in Berkeley. very beautiful stuff.
OK.
thank you for your opinion. it changes the way forever that i will listen to that record.
that's my favorite.
I'm just a man whose intentions are good, please don't let me be misunderstood.
Up Front (like Trip, Springboard) was known for releasing demos.
'Gospel According To Nina Simone'? Never heard of it, and doubt I'll ever find it. Whats the deal on that lp?
Sounds like most of her stuff is quality.. 'preciated.
my favorite live album.
Yeah, that's one of my favorites too. I have it on a dutch Fontana press entitled "Tell Me More", but the US OG is called "Pastel Blues".
Very recommended. She also does a long and haunting version of "Sinnerman" on it that is very powerful.
"Nuff Said" is also very good. Co-sign on the unifying quality arc of Nina Simone's output.
This one of my favorites I picked up in Japan but you would think they could get her name right though.At least they were consistent with NINA SIMON on the back cover on the label and inside the gatefold.
There's a couple of upbeat almost funk numbers on it..
Definately. "It Be's That Way Sometimes" is nice. "Turn Me On" is bittersweet and full of some difficult memories for me.
My copy of this LP isn't the best, unfortunately.
Oh yeah, I've played that one out a lot as a warmup track to get the crowd grooving.