What makes a great song, according to Nina Simone
Aside from exuding sheer musical excellence, Nina Simone has become one of the industry’s most well-respected masters. Trained in classical music from an early age but rejected due to racial discrimination, Simone embarked on a journey of utmost authenticity, channelling grace and courage through her exceptional artistry.
In her early foray into the world of music, Simone became drawn to the emotional aspects of classical music. However, her admission to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia was rejected, forcing her to reconsider her musical path. 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?”
Simone’s principles were clear from the beginning: she refused to perform at church if her parents were only allowed to sit at the back, and she only sang about what she cared about or believed in. This positioned her as one of the most powerful voices regarding important issues, notably the Civil Rights Movement, when figures like James Baldwin recognised her as a steadfast and unwavering figure in the good fight.
Simone’s passion for inciting change and crafting music were two realms that were fearlessly intertwined. As she once said of the role of an artist: “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their choice — but I choose to reflect the times and the situations in which I find myself. That, to me, is my duty. At this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, I don’t think you can help but be involved.”
Therefore, when discussing creating a great song, it’s no surprise that answering such a potentially complex question came naturally to her. In 1984, at Ronnie Scott’s in London, she explained her take on musical excellence and the appeal of classical music: “The structure. The cleanliness. The tone. The nuances. The implications. The silences. The dynamics all have to do with sound and music. It’s as close to God as I know. The cleanliness of classical music; not all of it, some of it’s too cold.“
Simone also discussed her personal favourites, picking out a specific list of jazz innovators who left an unmatched mark on the musical landscape. “Bach was a master,” she said. “Many jazz masters knew what they were doing. Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, who is still with us, he’s a great master. Miles Davis is a master. Duke Ellington was unquestionably one. Art Blakey is one. I wish to God I could play with him. One of the greatest pianists in the world is Oscar Peterson”.
Simone’s ability to follow her instinctual creativity resulted in her becoming one of the biggest musical pioneers. She saw the music industry for what it truly was and stands today as one of the industry’s most legitimate heroes. As Nick Cave once wrote: “The great Nina Simone was a living grievance machine — her race, her gender, her misused talents (she wanted to be a classical pianist) — and this rage infused all her work, and is what makes it so multi-layered.“
He continued: “Even her most beautiful love songs, which I count as some of the most incandescent works of art ever recorded, were marinated in a sense of resentment and contempt for the workings of the world. It is this exhilarating collision of opposing forces — love and scorn — that makes Nina Simone’s existential and political protestations so compelling.”
