The track originally appeared on Nina Simone’s 1967 RCA Victor release Sings The Blues. Written by Nina’s friend Langston Hughes, an activist, poet, writer, and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. She dedicates the song to Mr. Hughes who passed away in 1967. If you are unfamiliar with Langston, then you can start by googling him and then just go from there. I highly recommend you make sure you have enough time, this is a man who accomplished much in his 60 some years on this Earth. If you look up Renaissance Man in a dictionary, Mr. Hughes picture is just to the right of it.
Back to the song, taken from Nina Simone’s 1976 Live at Montreux performance. A time some would call a valley in a life defined by peaks and valleys. But if you watch this entire performance, you’ll see a stripped down Nina. The entire concert plays like a conversation between Nina and her audience. Emotions run high with the songstress as they usually do. I’m sure you can dig the entire performance up on Youtube as well, so take some time and get up close and personal with one of America’s most gifted singers of, well of ever.
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