3/2/2024 0 Comments Nina simone compositionsMost of Simone's original compositions like "Four Women" were labeled "protest songs" because of their unqualified condemnation of racism. I've long admired Nina Simone's outspoken political beliefs. "My manner is tough / I'll kill the first mother I see / My life has been rough / I'm awfully bitter these days / Because my parents were slaves / What do they call me?" And with a bittersweet sense of humor and determination that encapsulates black female life, Simone screams the answer, "My name is Peaches!" The last of the four women is the toughest of them all. Without overstatement, we can picture and understand how each woman has struggled with her sense of beauty in a culture whose standard is defined by blonde hair and blue eyes. Simone skillfully introduces us to four black women of differing skin tones and experiences. Take the song "Four Women," an original Simone composition presented with a simple, hypnotic arrangement. Through her life and music she epitomized the essence of the black American - and especially the black female - experience. Nina Simone was much more than a "smoky-toned jazz and blues singer," as many writers have characterized her. ![]() The best way to capture the cultural legacy of someone like Simone is to listen to her music. Nina Simone's voice has been a comforting and familiar presence in my life for as long as I can remember, and since hearing the news of her death on April 21, I've been listening to her songs almost exclusively and with sad but fresh ears.
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