Black Gold (Nina Simone album)

Black Gold
Live album by Nina Simone
Released	1970
Recorded	live at Philharmonic Hall, New York City October 26, 1969
Genre	Vocal, jazz, pop, folk
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Stroud Productions (Andrew Stroud)
Nina Simone chronology
To Love Somebody (1969) Black Gold (1970) Here Comes the Sun (1971)

Black Gold is a live album by Jazz singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone recorded in 1969 at the Philharmonic Hall, New York City. She got a 1971 nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, but lost to Aretha Franklin.

The album is especially notable because it features the civil rights anthem song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black". The performance that night also included a calypso version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" (which Simone had recorded on To Love Somebody), but there was no room for it on the album.

With the release of the album also came an LP called An Evening with Nina Simone. It was a recorded interview about the album. The questions were provided in written form, so that radio DJ's could ask the questions and play Simone's recorded answers, as if she were in the studio.^[2]

Information about songs on this album

• "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair", the album features two versions of the song, the first sung by Nina, the second sung in a modified version by her guitarist, Emile Latimer.
• "Ain't Got No-I Got Life", a live reprise of the hit single from 'Nuff Said! (1969).
• "Westwind", a song Simone learned from her friend, the African singer Miriam Makeba.
• "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", Nina wrote this song, with lyrics by Weldon Irvine in memory of her late friend Lorraine Hansberry, writer of Raisin in the Sun. The song was also released as a studio recording single, which became a top 10 R&B hit.^[3] It became a Civil Rights anthem. Nina is joined by the singing male duo The Swordsmen. It was covered by various artists, among them Aretha Franklin (Young, Gifted and Black, 1972), Donny Hathaway, Dionne Warwick and Bob & Marcia.

Simone introduces the song by saying:

"It is not addressed to white people primarily. Though it doesn't put you down in any way...it simply ignores you. For my people need all the inspiration and love that they can get."

Track listing

Personnel

• Nina Simone - vocals, piano, arrangements

Technical

• Ed Begley - recording engineer
• Jack Medkiff - cover design

References

Nina Simone
Studio albums	Little Girl Blue Nina Simone and Her Friends The Amazing Nina Simone Forbidden Fruit Nina Simone Sings Ellington Broadway-Blues-Ballads I Put a Spell on You Pastel Blues Nina Simone with Strings Wild Is the Wind High Priestess of Soul Nina Simone Sings the Blues Silk & Soul Nina Simone and Piano To Love Somebody Here Comes the Sun Baltimore Fodder on My Wings A Single Woman
Compilation albums	Nina's Choice The Soul of Nina Simone The Very Best of Nina Simone
Live albums	Nina Simone at Newport Nina at the Village Gate Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall Folksy Nina Nina Simone in Concert Black Gold Live at Ronnie Scott's The Great Show Live in Paris Emergency Ward!
Live and studio albums	Nina Simone at Town Hall Let It All Out 'Nuff Said! It Is Finished
Remix albums	Remixed and Reimagined
Related articles	I Put a Spell on You (book) What Happened, Miss Simone?
Songs and singles "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" "Alone Again (Naturally)" "Angel of the Morning" "Ballad of Hollis Brown" "Baubles, Bangles, & Beads" "Black Is the Colour (Of My True Love's Hair)" "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" "Cherish" "Cotton-Eyed Joe" "Do Nothing till You Hear from Me" "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" "Exactly Like You" "Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It)" "Feeling Good" "Fine and Mellow" "For All We Know" "Four Women" "Go Limp" "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" "Here Comes the Sun" "The House of the Rising Sun" "I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)" "I Loves You, Porgy" "I Put a Spell on You" "I Shall Be Released" "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" "If I Should Lose You" "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" "It Might as Well Be Spring" "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" "Just Like a Woman" "Lilac Wine" "Little Girl Blue" "The Look of Love" "Love Me or Leave Me" "Mississippi Goddam" "Mood Indigo" "The More I See You" "Mr. Bojangles" "My Baby Just Cares for Me" "My Sweet Lord" "My Way" "Ne me quitte pas" "Nobody" "Nobody's Fault but Mine" "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" "The Pusher" "Rich Girl" "(In My) Solitude" "Satin Doll" "Sea Lion Woman" "Sign o' the Times" "Since I Fell for You" "Sinnerman" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Something Wonderful" "Spring Is Here" "Strange Fruit" "Summertime" "Suzanne" "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" "That's All" "That's All I Want from You" "The Times They Are a-Changin'" "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" "To Love Somebody" "Trouble in Mind" "Turn! Turn! Turn!" "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" "Wild Is the Wind" "Willow Weep for Me" "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To"
Book:Nina Simone