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
Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair
Nina Simone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His face so soft and wondrous fair
The purest eyes
And the strongest hands
I love the ground on where he stands
I love the ground on where he stands
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Of my true love's hair
Oh I love my lover
And where he goes
Yes, I love the ground on where he goes
And still I hope
That the time will come
When he and I will be as one
When he and I will be as one
So black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
The song "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" by Nina Simone is a haunting and beautiful ballad that explores the depth of love and devotion. The lyrics describe the physical beauty of the singer's true love, focusing on his black hair, wondrous fair face, pure eyes, and strong hands. She expresses her love for the ground that he stands on, and hopes for a time when they can be together as one.
At its core, this song is about the undeniable power of love, and the intense longing for a deeper connection with another person. The imagery of the black hair conveys a sense of mystery and magic, suggesting that the singer is entranced by her love's essence and by the way he moves through the world. The repetition of the phrase "I love the ground on where he stands" underscores the idea that the physical world itself is infused with the spirit of love, and that the singer's passion extends far beyond the boundaries of her own body.
Simone's unique voice adds additional richness and intensity to the song, as she infuses her performance with soulful emotion and a deep sense of longing. Overall, "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" is a powerful declaration of love, and a testament to the timeless nature of true connection and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Black is the color of my true love's hair
I associate the color black with my true love's hair above all other colors, thus it is symbolic of my love for him.
His face so soft and wondrous fair
My true love's face is not only handsome but also gentle and kind, earning my affection further.
The purest eyes
The eyes of my true love are honest, innocent, and true. I cherish this quality in him.
And the strongest hands
My true love's hands are strong, capable and dependable, qualities that make him admirable and attractive to me.
I love the ground on where he stands
I love everything about my true love, including his mannerisms and presence, and it matters to me where he is and what he is doing.
Oh I love my lover
I feel immense love for my true love and find great joy in our relationship.
And where he goes
I take interest in my true love's travels and possibly miss him when he is away.
Yes, I love the ground on where he goes
I care about my true love's journey and want him to be happy wherever he may be, as it reflects on our love.
And still I hope
Despite my love and satisfaction, I still long for something more from our relationship.
That the time will come
I am optimistic that in the future, something good will come from our relationship, strengthening our bond.
When he and I will be as one
I long for a deeper, more intimate connection with my true love, where we are united as one.
Black is the color of my true love's hair
I reiterate the first line to emphasize my love and admiration for my true love's appearance, as well as its significance to our relationship.
Black is the color of my true love's hair
I repeat the first line again to really emphasize the symbolic importance of the color black as it relates to my true love.
Black is the color of my true love's hair
I repeat the first line one more time to leave a lasting impression of the importance of my true love's hair color.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NINA SIMONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ednahenriquestecolo9009
Black is the color of my true love's hair
His face so soft and wondrous fair
The purest eyes
And the strongest hands
I love the ground on where he stands
I love the ground on where he stands
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Of my true love's hair
Of my true love's hair
Oh I love my lover
And where he goes
Yes, I love the ground on where he goes
And still I hope
That the time will come
When he and I will be as one
When he and I will be as one
So black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
@deborahparker9361
I sincerely cannot find a word in the English language that describes Ms. Simones genius..well absolutely mfing amazing..
@furqaanali8908
An Empress sent directly from Firdaus strictly for a righteous black ⚫️ god.....divinely wonderful and a spiritual marvel to listen 🎶 too...
@ednahenriquestecolo9009
Black is the color of my true love's hair
His face so soft and wondrous fair
The purest eyes
And the strongest hands
I love the ground on where he stands
I love the ground on where he stands
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Of my true love's hair
Of my true love's hair
Oh I love my lover
And where he goes
Yes, I love the ground on where he goes
And still I hope
That the time will come
When he and I will be as one
When he and I will be as one
So black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Black is the color of my true love's hair
@jbramirez6003
True Artistry
@the2ndcoming135
Facts. Proved his point💆🏽♂️
@j.willgooseesq.2223
This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever recorded. Thanks for uploading it here
@israelsmithleejones9105
Nina , uma força da natureza , eterna. Voz diamante bruto, corta feito farpas. Perfeita.
@ausyralia
Like a voice from the Angels in Heaven - so beautiful. What a special unique and spiritual voice. Oh this song!! ❤❤❤
@leechong5335
Thank you very much Nina so true and very deep warm voice thank you for sharing 🌼 🌺 👍🏾👌🏾❤️
@fisix7264
she appreciates it