High Priestess of Soul

High Priestess of Soul
Studio album by Nina Simone
Released	1967
Recorded	New York, 1965–1966
Genre	Jazz, blues, folk, R&B
Length	35:51
Label	Philips
Producer	Hal Mooney
Nina Simone chronology
Wild Is the Wind (1966) High Priestess of Soul (1967) Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Pitchfork	9.2/10[2]

High Priestess of Soul is a studio album by jazz singer, pianist and songwriter Nina Simone. The songs are accompanied by a large band directed and arranged by Hal Mooney. The album contains popular songs (such as "Don't You Pay Them No Mind") and African American gospel and folk related songs written by Simone herself (such as "Take Me to the Water" and "Come Ye"). After this album title –an attempt to broaden her appeal by management execs– Nina Simone was sometimes titled “the high priestess of soul”, although she completely rejected the title herself because it placed a label on her as an artist. However, according to her daughter, Simone, she never hated that moniker.^[3]

Information about songs on this album

• The songs "I Hold No Grudge" and "He Ain't Comin' Home No More" were co-written by Andy Badale, the pseudonym of Angelo Badalamenti, who later became known as the composer of the soundtracks for the films of David Lynch. Simone recorded also "Another Spring" by Badalamenti and Clifford for her album Nina Simone and Piano released 1969.
• An earlier recording of the soul-jazz hit "Work Song" by Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown, Jr. had been featured on Forbidden Fruit (1961, also featured on the compilation Nina’s Choice from 1963). In 1966 Simone recorded the song once again With Strings.
• The last track "I Love My Baby" is a composition by Andy Stroud to whom Simone was married from 1960 until 1970. His company Stroud Productions also produced many of her albums.

Track listing

1. "Don't You Pay Them No Mind" (Richard Ahlert, Robert Scott) – 3:05
2. "I'm Gonna Leave You" (Rudy Stevenson) – 2:15
3. "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (Chuck Berry) – 2:02
4. "Keeper of the Flame" (Charles Derringer) – 3:21
5. "The Gal from Joe's" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) – 2:43
6. "Take Me to the Water" (Nina Simone) – 2:49
7. "I'm Going Back Home" (Rudy Stevenson) – 2:47
8. "I Hold No Grudge" (Andy Badale, John Clifford) – 2:17
9. "Come Ye" (Nina Simone) – 3:34
10. "He Ain't Comin' Home No More" (Andy Badale, John Clifford) – 3:06
11. "Work Song" (Nat Adderley, Oscar Brown, Jr.) – 3:03
12. "I Love My Baby" (Andy Stroud) – 4:00

Charts

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