Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on 21st February 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina, USA, one of eight children. Like a number of other black singers in the U.S., she was inspired as a child by Marian Anderson, and began singing at her local church, also showing great talent as a pianist. Her public debut, a piano recital, was made at the age of ten. Her parents, who had taken seats in the front row, were forced to move to the back of the hall to make way for white audience members. This incident contributed to her later involvement in the civil rights movement.
Simone's mother, Mary Kate Waymon (who lived into her late nineties) was a strict Methodist minister; her father, John Divine Waymon, was a handyman and sometime barber who suffered bouts of ill-health. Mrs Waymon worked as a maid, and her employer, hearing of Nina's talent, provided funds for piano lessons for the little girl. Subsequently, a local fund was set up to assist in Eunice's continued education.
At seventeen, Simone moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she taught piano and accompanied singers. She was able to begin studying piano at New York City's prestigious Juilliard School of Music but lack of funds meant that she was unable to fulfill her dream of becoming America's first Black classical pianist. She later had an interview to study piano at the Curtis Institute, but was rejected. Simone believed this rejection, which fueled her hatred of racism, was because she was black.
Simone turned to blues and jazz after getting her start at the Midtown Bar & Grill on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, taking the name Nina Simone in 1954; "Nina" was her boyfriend's nickname for her, and "Simone" was after the French actress Simone Signoret. She first came to public notice in 1959 with her wrenching rendition of George Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy" (from Porgy and Bess), her only Top-Forty hit in the United States. This was soon followed by the single "My Baby Just Cares for Me" (this was also a hit in the 1980s in the United Kingdom when used for television advertisements for Chanel No 5 perfume).
Throughout the 1960s, Simone was involved in the civil rights movement and recorded a number of political songs, including "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" (later covered by Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway), "Backlash Blues", "Mississippi Goddam" (a response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama killing four black children), "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free", and Kurt Weill's "Pirate Jenny", from The Threepenny Opera, re-cast in a southern town.
In 1961, Simone recorded a version of the traditional song "House of the Rising Sun", which was then covered by folk-blues artist, Dave Van Ronk, and later recorded by Bob Dylan, where it was picked up by The Animals and became their signature hit. Other songs she is famous for include "I Put a Spell on You" (originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins), The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun", "Four Women", Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody", and "Ain't Got No (I Got Life)". The latter, from the musical Hair, was her debut in the UK charts, reaching number two in 1968, and a remixed version of the recording by Groovefinder was a UK Top Thirty hit in 2006.
Broadway musicals also supplied several hits for Simone: "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "Love Me or Leave Me", "Feeling Good", and "Ne Me Quitte Pas". Also "You Can Have Him" on the LP Live at Town Hall recorded when she was twenty-six years old; at the end of this operatic performance, which displays her great skill as an actress as well as a musician, she whoops with joy. This single recording encapsulates her extraordinary power, wit, flexibility, sensuality and occasional menace.
In 1987 Nina experienced a resurgence in popularity when "My Baby Just Cares for Me", a track from her first Bethlehem Records album (1958) became a huge hit in the UK and elsewhere. Nina's versatility as an artist was evident in all her music, which often had a folk-music simplicity.
In a single concert, she moved easily from gospel-inspired tunes to blues and jazz and, in numbers like "For All We Know", to numbers infused with European classical stylings, and counterpoint fugues.
Throughout most of her career she was accompanied by percussionist Leopoldo Flemming and guitarist and musical director Al Shackman.
In 1971, Simone left the United States following disagreements with her agents, record labels, and the tax authorities, citing racism as the reason. She returned in 1978 and was arrested for tax evasion (she had withheld several years of income tax as a protest against the Vietnam War). She lived in various countries in the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe, continuing to perform into her 60s. In the 1980s, she performed regularly at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London. In 1995, Simone reportedly shot and wounded her neighbour's son with an air pistol after his laughing disturbed her concentration.
She had a reputation in the music industry for being volatile and sometimes difficult to deal with, a characterization with which Simone strenuously took issue.
Though her onstage style could be somewhat haughty and aloof, in later years, Simone particularly seemed to enjoy engaging her adoring audiences by recounting sometimes humorous anecdotes related to her career and music and soliciting requests. Simone's regal bearing and commanding stage presence earned her the title the "High Priestess of Soul."
In 1993, she settled near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. She had been ill with cancer for several years before she died on 21st April 2003 in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rouet.
Simone was the recipient of a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2000 for her song "I Loves You Porgy." She has also received fifteen Grammy Award nominations. On Human Kindness Day 1974 in Washington, D.C., more than 10,000 people paid tribute to Simone. Simone received two honorary degrees in music and humanities, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Malcolm X College. She preferred to be called "Dr. Nina Simone" after these honors were bestowed upon her. Only two days before her death, Simone was awarded an honorary degree by the Curtis Institute, the music school that had refused to admit her as a student at the beginning of her career.
In 2002, the city of Nijmegen (The Netherlands) named a street after her, the Nina Simonestraat. Simone lived in Nijmegen between 1988 and 1990.
Simone was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
In 2010 a statue in her honor was erected in Trade Street, Tryon, North Carolina, her place of birth.
*Official site
Alone Again
Nina Simone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my sister came into the room
She refused to say how my father was
But I knew he'd be dying soon.
And I was oh so glad, and it was oh so sad
That I realized that I despised this man I once called father.
In his hanging on, with fingers clutching
Blinded eyes still searching
For some distant dream that had faded away at the seams.
Dying alone, naturally.
I was his favourite child, I had him a little while
Just as long as I could play the piano and smile a little smile
Just when I needed him most, he was already a ghost
And for all my life there where promises and they always have been broken
Leaving me alone with all my troubles
Not ever once touching me and saying
"Daugther, I'll help you get over."
Now he's fadig away and I'm glad to say,
He's dying at last. Naturally.
It's a very sad thing to see that my mother with all her heart
Believes the words that the Bible said "Til death do us two part".
For her that was forever and ay, he decided her night and day
How could some English words so small affect someone so strangely?
Taking her away from us, her soul included
She might es well be gone with him, all the children are excluded.
Loneliness is hell, I know so well,
For I'm alone. Naturally.
I waited three weeks for him to die
I waited three weeks for him to die
Every night he was calling on me
I wouldn't go to him.
I waited three weeks for him to die
Three weeks for him to die.
And after he died, after he died
Every night I went out, every night I had a flight.
It didn't matter who it was with
'Cos I knew what it was about.
And if you could read between lines, my Dad and I close as flies.
I loved him then and I loved him still, that's why my heart's so broken.
Leaving me to doubt God in His Mercy
And if He really does exist then why does He desert me?
When he passed away I smoked and drank all day,
Alone. Again. Naturally.
The song Alone Again Naturally by Nina Simone is a heart-wrenching ballad that captures the raw emotions of the singer after losing her father. The song starts with the memory of a particular afternoon when the singer's sister came into the room and refused to disclose the condition of their father. However, the singer knew that he would be dying soon. As the song unfolds, it becomes evident that the singer despised her father, although he was her favorite child. The father had made countless promises to help his daughter but never fulfilled them, leaving her alone to deal with her troubles.
The lyrics continue to describe the father's condition in his dying days, clinging to life with his fingers while his body had wasted away. Even in his final moments, his blinded eyes were still searching for a dream that had already faded away. The singer expresses mixed emotions of sadness and relief that her father was finally dying naturally. The death of the father is an occasion for the singer to reflect on her relationship with him, which was complicated and difficult.
The song is a poignant commentary on life and death, love and loss, and the complexity of human relationships. Nina Simone's soulful voice captures the essence of the lyrics, creating a melancholy and introspective atmosphere that lingers long in the memory of the listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember this afternoon
The singer recalls a particular afternoon.
When my sister came into the room
The singer's sister entered the room during this memory.
She refused to say how my father was
The sister declined to give an update on the singer's father.
But I knew he'd be dying soon.
The singer was aware that her father was close to death.
And I was oh so glad, and it was oh so sad
The singer simultaneously felt pleased and sorrowful.
That I realized that I despised this man I once called father.
The singer acknowledged that she hated her father despite once revering him as a parent.
In his hanging on, with fingers clutching
The singer notes her father's struggle to stay alive.
His body now just eighty-eight pounds
The singer's father had become very skinny due to his deteriorating health.
Blinded eyes still searching
Despite his vision loss, the singer's father appeared to be observing something in the distance.
For some distant dream that had faded away at the seams.
The object of the singer's father's searching had slipped away from him.
Dying alone, naturally.
The singer's father passed away without his family around him.
I was his favourite child, I had him a little while
The singer implies that her father favored her over her siblings for a short time.
Just as long as I could play the piano and smile a little smile
The singer suggests that her musical abilities and outward happiness may have influenced her father's affection.
Just when I needed him most, he was already a ghost
The singer's father was absent when she needed support.
And for all my life there where promises and they always have been broken
The singer asserts that her father made many promises to her that he never kept.
Leaving me alone with all my troubles
The aftermath of her father's broken promises caused the singer significant distress.
Not ever once touching me and saying
The singer's father failed to offer her physical affection and emotional comfort.
"Daugther, I'll help you get over."
The singer conveys that her father never offered to assist her in coping with her problems.
Now he's fadig away and I'm glad to say,
The singer is relieved that her father is dying.
He's dying at last. Naturally.
The singer emphasizes that her father is passing away in the expected, ordinary way.
It's a very sad thing to see that my mother with all her heart
The singer expresses sympathy for her grieving mother.
Believes the words that the Bible said "Til death do us two part".
The singer's mother adheres to the biblical vows of marriage that dictate a couple remains together until one partner dies.
For her that was forever and ay, he decided her night and day
The singer suggests her father dominated her mother's life.
How could some English words so small affect someone so strangely?
The singer questions how a few words could so significantly shape her mother's life choices.
Taking her away from us, her soul included
The singer feels that her father's influence caused her mother emotional pain and that his absence from their lives harmed her soul.
She might es well be gone with him, all the children are excluded.
The singer indicates that her mother's preoccupation with her father leaves her feeling detached from her children.
Loneliness is hell, I know so well,
The singer expresses that loneliness can be extremely difficult to endure.
For I'm alone. Naturally.
The singer acknowledges that she is alone, much like when her father passed away.
I waited three weeks for him to die
The singer waited for her father to pass for a significant period.
I waited three weeks for him to die
The sentiment of the singer's prolonged waiting is repeated.
Every night he was calling on me
During her father's final weeks, he reached out to her frequently.
I wouldn't go to him.
The singer chose not to engage with her dying father.
And after he died, after he died
The singer subsequently reflects on her father's death.
Every night I went out, every night I had a flight.
The singer indicates that she found solace in leaving her home every night following her father's death.
It didn't matter who it was with
The singer was not concerned with the company she kept during these outings.
'Cos I knew what it was about.
The singer had a clear understanding of why she needed these nightly excursions.
And if you could read between lines, my Dad and I close as flies.
The singer suggests that her relationship with her father was complex and veiled.
I loved him then and I loved him still, that's why my heart's so broken.
The singer shares that she still loved her father despite the complicated nature of their bond, and his death has left her heartbroken.
Leaving me to doubt God in His Mercy
The singer expresses that her father's passing caused her to question God's kindness.
And if He really does exist then why does He desert me?
The singer questions the existence of God in light of her current emotional state.
When he passed away I smoked and drank all day,
The singer admits to engaging in unhealthy behaviors after her father's death.
Alone. Again. Naturally.
The song concludes with the singer emphasizing that, as her title suggests, she is alone once again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Raymond Edward O'Sullivan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theodoraparisi3664
I remember this afternoon
When my sister came into the room
She refused to say how my father was
But I knew he'd be dying soon
And I was oh so glad, and it was oh so sad
That I realized that I despised this man I once called Father
In his hanging on, with fingers clutching
His body now just eighty-eight pounds
Blinded eyes still searching
For some distant dream, that had faded away at the seams
Dying alone, naturally
I was his favourite child, I had him a little while
Just as long as I could play the piano and smile a little smile
Just when I needed him most, he was already a ghost
And for all my life there were promises,and they always have been broken
Leaving me alone with all my troubles
Not ever once touching me and saying
"Daughter, I'll help you get over."
Now he's fading away, and I'm glad to say
He's dying at last, naturally
It's a very sad thing to see that my mother with all her heart
Believes the words that the Bible said "Til death do us two part"
For her that was forever and ay, he deceived her night and day
How could some English words so small affect someone so strangely?
Taking her away from us, her soul included
She might as well be gone with him, all the children are excluded
Loneliness is hell, I know so well
For I'm alone, naturally
I waited three weeks for him to die
I waited three weeks for him to die
Every night he was calling on me
I wouldn't go to him
I waited three weeks for him to die
Three weeks for him to die
And after he died, after he died
Every night I went out, every night I had a fight
It didn't matter who it was with
'Cos I knew what it was about
And if you could read between lines, my Dad and I close as flies
I loved him then, and I loved him still, that's why my heart's so broken
Leaving me to doubt God in His mercy
And if He really does exist, then why did he desert me?
When he passed away, I smoked and drank all day
Alone again, naturally
@syifanadiarahmawati1256
I remember this afternoon
When my sister came into the room
She refused to say how my father was
But I knew he'd be dying soon.
And I was oh so glad, and it was oh so sad
That I realized that I despised this man I once called father.
In his hanging on, with fingers clutching
His body now just eighty-eight pounds
Blinded eyes still searching
For some distant dream that had faded away at the seams.
Dying alone, naturally.
I was his favourite child, I had him a little while
Just as long as I could play the piano and smile a little smile
Just when I needed him most, he was already a ghost
And for all my life there where promises and they always have been broken
Leaving me alone with all my troubles
Not ever once touching me and saying
"Daugther, I'll help you get over."
Now he's fadig away and I'm glad to say,
He's dying at last. Naturally.
It's a very sad thing to see that my mother with all her heart
Believes the words that the Bible said "Til death do us two part".
For her that was forever and ay, he decided her night and day
How could some English words so small affect someone so strangely?
Taking her away from us, her soul included
She might es well be gone with him, all the children are excluded.
Loneliness is hell, I know so well,
For I'm alone. Naturally.
I waited three weeks for him to die
I waited three weeks for him to die
Every night he was calling on me
I wouldn't go to him.
I waited three weeks for him to die
Three weeks for him to die.
And after he died, after he died
Every night I went out, every night I had a flight.
It didn't matter who it was with
'Cos I knew what it was about.
And if you could read between lines, my Dad and I close as flies.
I loved him then and I loved him still, that's why my heart's so broken.
Leaving me to doubt God in His Mercy
And if He really does exist then why does He desert me?
When he passed away I smoked and drank all day,
Alone. Again. Naturally.
@wolfbeard1532
I think I can hear her jewelry clanging as she plays the piano. This is an amazing recording...
@konscious6765
Her voice is like arrow hits heart and injects love compassion and power.
@BlackBu2erfly
Perfect description!!!
@shawnleprechaun482
It was about a year ago that I heard this the first time. And sure enough, it was the saddest version of the saddest song known to man and woman. It broke me for a month, to the point where I thought of nothing but her version of this damn song. That's how much power her spirit has.This year, I woke up. Every day I rise and expand more than the day before. Now I'm in knowing, not faith that we all go on. So now that I am here with this again, standing on this side, alone with God/Dess , this is the most joyous version of the saddest song to man and woman I have ever heard. I'm so grateful for Nina Simone and I know, that if she is not a damn Ascended Master, then nobody is. 🧡 OneLove, Y'all 🧡
@lanmind1024
Nina actually made this song even more heartbreaking.
@ungradphysmath7438
In the end, we end up being alone, naturally....
Ms Simone's music has helped me through some really tough time. If it wasn't for her's "I shall be released", I'd have been still in a real dark place...
Thank you god, for Ms Simone.
@marcoshenriquegabrie
A pretty old song that suddenly sounds brand new before my very ears!
@jessicafalstein
She had something to say and the ability to say it. Nina, Queen.
@alyiselott9764
I heard this song while in Air Force after a crushing breakup. My friends noted my door ‘alone again naturally’. That made me realize the absurdity of my situation. Nina strikes again
@olivieraubrun2130
Fantastique et originale interprétation de la géniale Nina Simone