Black Gold (Nina Simone album)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Black Gold is a live album by American jazz musician Nina Simone recorded in 1969 at the Philharmonic Hall, New York City. She got a 1971 nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, but lost to Aretha Franklin.
The album is especially notable because it features the civil rights anthem song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black". The performance that night also included a calypso version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" (which Simone had recorded on To Love Somebody), but there was no room for it on the album.
With the release of the album also came an LP called An Evening with Nina Simone. It was a recorded interview about the album. The questions were provided in written form, so that radio DJ's could ask the questions and play Simone's recorded answers, as if she were in the studio.
Information about songs on this album
- "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair", the album features two versions of the song, the first sung by Nina, the second sung in a modified version by her guitarist, Emile Latimer.
- "Ain't Got No-I Got Life", a live reprise of the hit single from 'Nuff Said! (1969).
- "Westwind", a song Simone learned from her friend, the African singer Miriam Makeba.
- "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", Nina wrote this song, with lyrics by Weldon Irvine in memory of her late friend Lorraine Hansberry, writer of Raisin in the Sun. The song was also released as a studio recording single, which became a top 10 R&B hit. It became a Civil Rights anthem. Nina is joined by the singing male duo The Swordsmen. It was covered by various artists, among them Aretha Franklin (Young, Gifted and Black, 1972), Donny Hathaway, Dionne Warwick and Bob & Marcia.
Simone introduces the song by saying:
"It is not addressed to white people primarily. Though it doesn't put you down in any way...it simply ignores you. For my people need all the inspiration and love that they can get."
Track listing
Personnel
- Nina Simone – piano, vocals, arrangements
- Emile Latimer – guitar, vocals on "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair"
- Tom Smith – guitar
- Weldon Irvine – organ
- Don Alias – drums, percussion
- Jumma Santos – congas, percussion
- Technical
- Ed Begley - recording engineer
- Jack Medkiff - cover design
