The Nina Simone cover Phoebe Bridgers called an “absurdly great song”
A pivotal figure in the resurgence of indie folk, Phoebe Bridgers holds a deep appreciation for the folk icons of yesteryears in her music preferences. Ranging from Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen to Elliott Smith, she gravitates toward poetic lyrics and gentle, understated guitar-centred melodies. Consequently, it’s unsurprising that one of her favourite artists of all time also happens to be the iconic Nina Simone.
Renowned as one of the most exceptional vocalists in history, Simone was a resolute performer and an artist of immense stature. Despite her undeniable brilliance, her life and career trajectory could have taken a different course if not for the pervasive prejudice she encountered. However, she transformed the injustices she faced, using her exceptional artistry to shed light on societal issues with a remarkable blend of grace and courage, effecting change through her music.
During her early journey into the music world, Simone aspired to explore the classical realm that had deeply resonated with her since childhood. Unfortunately, her ambitions to pursue a classical path were thwarted by racial discrimination when seeking admission to Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute.
As her daughter, Lisa Celeste ‘Simone’ Stroud, would aptly remark: “Can you imagine putting in five hours of practising every day for five to seven years and you get to your audition, and they reject you, and it’s not because you weren’t good enough but because of how you look?”
Along with Simone, many artists have interpreted Leonard Cohen’s works in their own style, yet few have encapsulated his essence quite as beautifully. In 1969, the jazz vocalist released an uplifting rendition of Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’ on her album To Love Somebody. Her cover transformed the track into a wholly distinct rendition from Cohen’s sombre original, infusing it with hopeful piano melodies and improvised vocalisations. Simone undeniably claimed the song as her own, to the extent that Bridgers perceives it as hers.
“I love this so much because it has two of my favourite things of all time on it, Leonard Cohen’s lyrics and Nina Simone’s voice and interpretation,” Bridgers told The Line of Best Fit. “It’s the most unreal, absurdly great song. His lyrics are insane, but I feel like it’s her song, just like Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’. I feel that ‘Suzanne’ is Nina Simone’s. I love Leonard Cohen’s version, but Nina Simone brings a whole different thing to it. I also love when people don’t change the gender when they’re singing someone else’s song.”
Adding: “It’s how clearly the band is following her off-the-cuff vocals, it’s a beautiful version and that whole record To Love Somebody is amazing, it’s a covers album, and she does another one of my favourites ‘I Shall Be Released’ by Bob Dylan. She covered ‘Here Comes the Sun’ too, and that’s unreal, it’s like the ‘Suzanne’ version where it’s ‘That’s my favourite version now’, ‘Jelly Roll’ is amazing too.”
Bridgers also recalled hearing Cohen’s track first but being “blown away” when she later heard Simone’s version: “It was a little bit frustrating at first, knowing that song so well and then listening to someone doing a totally different thing with the vocals, because I always want to sing alone, but now I feel the opposite, every time I hear an interpretation of the song I want to sing the crazy Nina Simone stuff.”
Bridgers found herself admiring Simone’s departure from the original rendition. Her appreciation for this version stems from the apparent improvisational elements within the track, as she enthusiastically expresses, “It’s a beautiful version.”
