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
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
Nina Simone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains holding me
I wish I could say
All the things that I should say
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear
For the whole round world to hear
I wish I could share
All the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars
That keep us apart
I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free
I wish I could give
All I'm longin' to give
I wish I could live
Like I'm longin' to live
I wish I could do
All the things that I can do
And though I'm way over due
I'd be starting anew
Well I wish I could be
Like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be
If I found I could fly
Oh I'd soar to the sun
And look down at the sea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I know
I'd know how it feels
Oh, I know how it feels to be free
Yeah, yeah, oh, I know how it feels
Yes, I know, oh, I know
How it feels
How it feels
To be free, Lord, Lord, Lord
The iconic song "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" by Nina Simone is an anthem for freedom and the desire for self-expression. The song states the personal aspirations for freedom from the social and psychological restraints that hold us back from achieving our full potential. Simone's voice and piano playing bring life and emotions to the lyrics of this song.
The chorus "I wish I knew how it would feel to be free" is repeated multiple times throughout the song, which is an expression of the deep desire to break away from societal expectations and limitations. The lyrics "All the chains holding me," and "Remove all the bars that keep us apart" reflect the feeling of being trapped and the struggles of individuals within a society. The song presents the idea that true freedom and individuality cannot be achieved without breaking away from these chains and barriers.
Simone's personal experiences with racism and sexism during the Civil Rights movement highly influenced the song. Her lyrics frequently mention that "every man should be free," a statement that emphasizes the importance of civil and human rights. The line "Then you'd see and agree" highlights the fact that many individuals may not experience such oppression or limitations, but must understand others' plights and support their demands to attain true freedom.
In conclusion, the song, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" by Nina Simone is a powerful statement on the importance of freedom, self-expression, and civil rights. This song is not just a mere song, but, it has become a symbol of aspirations for freedom and change.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I knew how
I wish I knew how to be free.
It would feel to be free
I wish I truly understood what it means to be free.
I wish I could break
I wish I had the power to break free from the chains holding me down.
All the chains holding me
The things that are holding me back in life.
I wish I could say
I wish I had the courage to speak up.
All the things that I should say
All the things I've been meaning to say for a long time.
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear
Speak boldly and with confidence so that everyone can hear.
For the whole round world to hear
So that everyone, everywhere, can hear my message.
I wish I could share
I wish I could share the love in my heart.
All the love that's in my heart
The powerful emotions and feelings of love that I hold within me.
Remove all the bars
Remove all the things that are keeping us apart.
That keep us apart
The things in society that divide us from one another.
I wish you could know
I wish others could understand my experiences and feelings.
What it means to be me
What it's really like to be in my shoes and experience the world the way I do.
Then you'd see and agree
If only you could see things from my perspective, you'd understand.
That every man should be free
Everyone has the right to be free and should be treated as such.
I wish I could give
I wish I had the power to give everything I desire to give.
All I'm longin' to give
All the things I wish I could give to others.
I wish I could live
I wish I had the freedom to truly live my life.
Like I'm longin' to live
The way I truly want to live my life.
I wish I could do
I wish I had the ability to do anything I want.
All the things that I can do
All the things I know I am capable of accomplishing.
And though I'm way over due
Even though it's taken me a long time to get here.
I'd be starting anew
I am ready for a fresh start.
Well I wish I could be
I long to be like this.
Like a bird in the sky
Free to soar above it all.
How sweet it would be
How wonderful it would feel.
If I found I could fly
If I discovered that true freedom was within reach.
Oh I'd soar to the sun
I'd go as high as I possibly could.
And look down at the sea
And see the world from a completely new perspective.
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yeah
I'd be filled with so much joy and happiness.
I'd know how it feels
Finally, I would know what true freedom feels like.
Oh, I know how it feels to be free
All of these things are what being free truly mean to me.
Yeah, yeah, oh, I know how it feels
There's no denying the power of freedom and what it can do for one's soul.
Yes, I know, oh, I know
I'm absolutely sure of what I'm saying here.
How it feels
The deep and powerful emotions that come with true freedom.
How it feels
The feeling of true liberation and independence.
To be free, Lord, Lord, Lord
To be able to live life on one's own terms, free from the constraints of society and others.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dick Dallas, William Eugene Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@muratcivelek8918
I wish I knew how
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains holding me
I wish I could say
All the things that I should say
Say 'em loud say 'em clear
For the whole round world to hear
I wish I could share
All the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars
That keep us apart
I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free
I wish I could give
All I'm longin' to give
I wish I could live
Like I'm longin' to live
I wish I could do
All the things that I can do
Though I'm way overdue
I'd be starting anew.
Well I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be
If I found I could fly
I'd soar to the sun
And look down at the sea
And I sing 'cause I know
How it feels to be free
@expressyourself8000
Dealing with Anxiety and Depression.
This song hits different.
Love to anyone dealing with
Mental health issues.
@kimwoodruff3793
Sending you healing and prayers 🙏
@expressyourself8000
@@kimwoodruff3793 Thank you so much.
@sebastiangruszczynski1610
Here is maybe another one express
Pastor T.L. Barrett & the Youth For Christ Choir - Nobody Knows
@expressyourself8000
@@sebastiangruszczynski1610 I really appreciate it. Thanks!.
@dawsoncollett4503
Me thank you so much !
@Inletguy
In 1974, I had a good friend who was Hendersonville NC’s first black police officer. Bill grew up in Tryon, NC near Nina’s childhood home. I recall a conversation about a black singer he knew from Tryon, Nina Simone. I wish I could have that conversation again and add about a hour to it. Another rare opportunity for a greater education lost.
@urgirl.riri10
Oh
@michelleford5543
I first heard this song about 6 years ago after having my 2nd daughter. I wept. I sung it at the top of my lungs and just bawled my eyes out. Every word pulls at your heart-especially as a woman of color. I didn't know the history behind why this song was written, but I wept. I listened to it over and over again for about 2 months. Who knew that in 1968 when this was written as a tribute to Dr. King's assassination that it would STILL be so relevant today? Let's keep fighting the fight for equality. March. Vote. Protest. Sing. Shout. Cry. Whatever it takes for mankind to reach equality.
@InvestingForTomorrow24
Hi Michelle, I'm a pianist too, though not trained at Juilliard, I've memorized the intro to this song. Now we've seen the out of date and shabby results of a stunted, bigoted leader in the Oval Office. Voted for Obama twice, then Hillary, who I told people was a vastly better choice, though I handed out signs and literature for Bernie. Let's pray for the repair of the last four long years of the republican wrecking machine. Do or die