SUNDAY NO COVER “ DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD“ NINA SIMONE
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Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
I was getting ready to do another post on the outstanding singer/pianist Nina Simone when I learned that her recording of this song is the original. Released in 1964, a year before the Animals' monster hit. It was apparently written by Horace Ott, with Bennie Benjamin and Sol Marcus. Ott's inspiration was his future wife, Gloria Caldwell, whose name is on the credits instread of Ott's because of a silly conflict b/t ASCAP and BMI. It first appeared on Simone's 1964 album Broadway-Blues-Ballads, which features Horace Ott's and Hal Mooney's orchestras.
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Comments (7)
I did not know that. After hearing this...the question begs to be asked of Eric Burdon.....Why?
Yeah. I think those guys chose to perform many of the best songs they heard here in the US. They played with John Lee Hooker and Sonnyboy Williamson in the UK and when they traveled to the US, it's my understanding that they listened and bought a bunch of records. I haven't seen anything that says how they were introduced to THIS song. Eric Burden Quoted in Rolling Stone said, "It was never considered pop material, but it somehow got passed on to us and we fell in love with it immediately."
Pop/Rock Star Rule #1: Never let Veracity interfere with Opportunty.
The Animals' version is quite powerful in the opinion of someone I know (myself, actually). Sure, it lacks certain qualities of Simone's, but hers lacks certain qualities of the Animals'. It was reported that Simone was upset about their version being a hit. She covered a lot of other people's records; why couldn't other people cover her records? She would have been a good member of a burglary ring because she was good at finding
a fenceoffense. I love her records.The Wrath of Nina! Spike, you just reminded me of Mississippi Goddamn. Then I noticed it has recently been posted! Moreover, there's great song posted there in a comment too. http://mog.com/SerenityLife/blog/1787310
I agree that the Animals really did a more compelling performance of the song. What's hers, a bossa nova? The Animals get under the grit of it and cry it out.
(Gotta hand it to you, Spike, for finding a good use for that strike-through feature.)
Spike, I just came across something that might shed some light on her negative attitude about covers on Wikipedia:
Also known as The High Priestess of Soul, she paid great attention to the musical expression of emotions. Within one album or concert she could fluctuate between exuberant happiness and tragic melancholy. These fluctuations also characterized her own personality and personal life, amplified by bipolar disorder with which she was diagnosed in the mid-1960s, but kept secret until after her death in 2003.[1] According to Nadine Cohodas, Simone's biographer, Ms. Simone was first diagnosed with multiple personality disorder and later with schizophrenia.[2]
Also, note the new player up there below her picture to replace the old, disabled one.
Revisiting your blog post on Nina! I'm in a Nina Simone mood. Thank you, Spike! xo