Take Me To The Water
Nina Simone Lyrics


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Take me to the water
Take me to the water
Take me to the water
To be baptized
None but the righteous
None but the righteous
None but the righteous
Shall be saved
So take me to the water
Take me to the water
Take me to the water
To be, to be baptized
I'm going back home, going back home
Gonna stay here no longer




I'm going back home, going back home
To be baptized

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nina Simone's song Take Me To The Water speak of the spiritual practice of baptism, which is an important ritual in Christianity, where a person is immersed in water or has water poured onto them, symbolizing a cleansing of sins and a rebirth into a new life. The repetition of the phrase "take me to the water" emphasizes the urgency within the singer's desire to be baptized, as they believe only the righteous will be saved.


The following lines, "I'm going back home, going back home, gonna stay here no longer," express a longing for a return to a place of spiritual purity and a desire to leave behind negative aspects of their past life. By being baptized, the singer is seeking a fresh start and an opportunity for redemption. The song's message can be interpreted beyond the Christian context, as it expresses a more universal desire for forgiveness and renewal.


Overall, the lyrics to Take Me To The Water deliver a powerful message of hope, redemption, and transformation through the act of baptism.


Line by Line Meaning

Take me to the water
I am asking to be taken to the water


Take me to the water
I am requesting that I be taken to the water


Take me to the water
I am asking again to be taken to the water


To be baptized
I want to be baptized in the water


None but the righteous
Only those who are morally right will be rewarded


None but the righteous
Only those who are morally upright will be saved


None but the righteous
No one besides those who are morally just will be saved


Shall be saved
Only they will be saved from their sins


So take me to the water
So I ask to be taken to the water


Take me to the water
I again request to be taken to the water


Take me to the water
I am again asking to be taken to the water


To be, to be baptized
I desire to be baptized in the water


I'm going back home, going back home
I am returning to my place of origin


Gonna stay here no longer
I will no longer remain in this current place


I'm going back home, going back home
I am returning to my place of origin


To be baptized
In order to be baptized




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NINA SIMONE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Storydiva1

This recording was done at the University of Massachusetts,1970. I was one the 300 that Nina is talking about. Thank YOU, Nina!

@MaryCapron

What was the last song she sang? the video stops before she sings it

@tiaraashlee4026

This comment deserves so many more likes

@nancyedpinoza7164

Gracias 🙏

@unclegil2

Wow!

@miriamcardoso5123

Wow... It must have been amazing ❤

5 More Replies...

@no1cares4u

Nina isn't an artist ...she is art ❤

@howardstrauss5337

She said she was a gift from God

@fabiofmetal

Yeaaaaaaaaah... Natural Nature`s force!!!! Kind of TORNADO!!!! Uooooooow!!!!

@bodaka619

She really is one of the most beautiful souls to ever walk the earth. Her emotional expression is almost unparalleled. Some artists are capable of creating monuments of endeavour as potent as the feeling you get standing atop a great mountain. She produced mountains.

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