Nina Simone - "Sinnerman" -(1965 video, information, lyrics, & comments)

DRUNGSTA, Jul 30, 2013

From the album ''Pastel Blues''

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" (also known as "Oh, Sinnerman".

This post also presents information about Nina Simone and the lyrics for that song. Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

The content of this post is included for historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to original composer/s of this song and thanks to Nina Simone for her legacy. Thanks to all of those who were associated with this recording and/or this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
 -snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/nina-simone-sinnerman-with-lyrics.html for the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Nina Simone - Sinnerman (with lyrics)"

****

INFORMATION ABOUT NINA SIMONE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Simone
"Nina Simone (/ˈniːnə sɪˈmoʊn/ NEE-nə sim-OHN;[1] born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. Her piano playing was strongly influenced by baroque and classical music, especially Johann Sebastian Bach,[2] and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice.[3][4]

 The sixth of eight children born into a poor family in North Carolina, Simone initially aspired to be a concert pianist.[5] With the help of a few supporters in her hometown, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.[6] She then applied for a scholarship to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where, despite a well received audition, she was denied admission,[7] which she attributed to racism. In 2003, just days before her death, the institute awarded her an honorary degree.[8]

 Early in her career, to make a living, Simone played piano at a nightclub in Atlantic City. She changed her name to "Nina Simone" to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play "the devil's music" or so-called "cocktail piano".[7] She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, which effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist.[9] She went on to record more than 40 albums between 1958 and 1974, making her debut with Little Girl Blue. She released her first and biggest hit single in the United States in 1959 with "I Loves You, Porgy" which peaked inside the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[5] Simone also became known for her work in the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s,[10] and she later fled the United States and settled in France following the assassination of her friend Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.[11] She lived and performed in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.[12] In 1991, Simone published her autobiography, I Put a Spell on You (taking the title from her famous 1965 album), and she continued to perform and attract audiences until her death.[13]

 Rolling Stone has ranked Simone as one of the greatest singers of all time on various lists.[14][15]

****
LYRICS AND INFORMATION ABOUT NINA SIMONE'S "SINNERMAN"

Oh, Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?

Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?

Where you gonna run to?

All on that day

 

Well I run to the rock, please hide me

I run to the Rock, please hide me

I run to the Rock, please hide me, Lord

All on that day

 

But the rock cried out, I can't hide you

The Rock cried out, I can't hide you

The Rock cried out, I ain't gonna hide you guy

All on that day

 

I said, "Rock, what's a matter with you, Rock?"

"Don't you see I need you, Rock?"

Lord, Lord, Lord

All on that day

 

So I run to the river, it was bleeding

I run to the sea, it was bleeding

I run to the sea, it was bleeding

All on that day

 

So I run to the river, it was boiling

I run to the sea, it was boiling

I run to the sea, it was boiling

All on that day

 

So I run to the Lord, please hide me Lord

Don't you see me praying?

Don't you see me down here praying?

 

But the Lord said, "Go to the devil"

The Lord said, "Go to the devil"

He said, "Go to the devil"

All on that day

 

So I ran to the devil, he was waiting

I ran to the devil, he was waiting

Ran to the devil, he was waiting

All on that day

 

I cried, power

(Power to the Lord)

Power

(Power to the Lord)

Power

(Power to the Lord)

Power

 

Bring down

(Power to the Lord)

Bring down

(Power to the Lord)

Bring down

(Power to the Lord)

Bring down

(Power to the Lord)

-snip-
https://genius.com/Nina-simone-sinnerman-lyrics, About Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" , by The Raconteur, 2014
" “Sinnerman” is a traditional African-American spiritual song whose roots in music history go back to the turn of the century.

Simone’s version is often considered the most famous, being a glorious ten minute jazz epic that she would often use as a closer during live performances. The lyrics detail a man wrought with sin who runs from the judgement of God and the terror of his past sins."

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r57J0jPyZRs

1. @octaviano.merecias, 2022
"One of the most amazing songs that speak to the soul of people who understand compassion, justice, and love for music and people."

**
2. @andyb7581, 2022
"perhaps one of the most underrated legendary performers - you can see all the pain she experienced comes out in her music"

**
Reply
3. @liammurphy2725,2023
"Underrated by who?"

**
Reply
4. @andyb7581, 2023
"if you ask the average music fan if they know who Nina Simone is - i would bet majority have never heard of OR could not name one song.. that is what i mean???" ** Reply 5. @andyb7581,2023
"if you ask the average music fan if they know who Nina Simone is - i would bet majority have never heard of OR could not name one song.. that is what i mean???"

**
6. @kodjojj,2023
"This is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. "

**
7. @thedogshouse994, 2023
"My mother played Nina Simone all the time when I was growing up, she is still a musical genius, a giant among small time musicians of the last century!! No one compares to her!!!"

**
8.@jbydlmdmIaw, 2023
"She was a musical genius. She made this song her own, and a million times better than the original."

**
Reply
9.@RetroKingOG, 2023
"This wasn’t an original?"

**
Reply
10. @johnjohnson4628, 2024
"There were so many cover versions of this spiritual that it would take too long to list them all but I loved them all including Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, Kingston Trio, The Weavers and The Seekers. And no, this is not the original recording. But still wonderful." ** Reply 11.@rickdesper, 2024
"@RetroKingOG  Sinnerman is a very old spiritual. Nina Simone didn't write this song. It dates back centuries."

**
12. @yagsmoodley6654, 2024
"Genius lady, live forever in those minds and memories who love u forever ️️️"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcomeften considered the most famous, being a glorious ten minute jazz epic that she would often use as a closer during live performances. The lyrics detail a man wrought with sin who runs from the judgement of God and the terror of his past sins.