Monday, March 16, 2009

Suggest A Song Monday-Four Women

Good morning! Welcome back to Suggest A Song Monday. First, I want to give shout-outs to all who participated last week; there were some nice songs in there! I responded to all of you in the comments so check it out if you haven't already. Much love to Lina, MrsMaryMack, JamaicanBellaDonna, karrieb, TKB, and Vesper!

Here are the rules: I suggest a song that I love and that I think you would love. You listen to it. Tell me what you think in the comments. Then, you also recommend one song to me and I will listen to it and tell you what I think. You don't have to limit yourself to a particular genre, just any one song that you love.

Today we have Four Women by Nina Simone. Accompanied by a somber piano, Nina gives us a brief glimpse into the open doors of four black women's life stories. I wish like anything I could have had the chance to see her perform live; she is a definite musical force. I love the crescendo near the end of the song after the piano break; with the last woman's story. Let me know what you think!


Four Women - Nina Simone

My skin is black/My arms are strong/My hair is wooly/My back is strong/Strong enough to take the pain/Inflicted again and again/What do they call me?/My name is Aunt Sarah//My skin is yellow/My hair is long/Between two worlds/I do belong/My father was rich and white/He forced my mother late one night/What do they call me?/My name is Saffronia//My skin is tan/My hair is fine/My hips invite you/My mouth, like wine/Who's little girl am I?/Anyone who has money to buy/What do they call me?/My name is Sweet Thing//(piano break)/My skin is brown/My manner is tough/I'll kill the first mother I see!/My life has been rough/I'm awfully bitter these days/Because my parents were slaves/What do they call me?/My name is PEACHES!

8 jewels of thought:

LaMaraVilla said...

Whoa, her voice is so strong, I loved this, made my scalp and neck tingle (shivers...) This will definitely be added to my iPod.

My suggestion this week is Susanna and the Magical Orchestra's "Love Will Tear Us Apart". The song has been done many times but I think she did it best, her voice is like Xanax for my soul...

Lina said...

I love Nina Simone...her voice is exceptionally unlike any other person, and she is very hard to imitate. I have two songs. If we're going for the old-school, Im going with Otis Redding's My Lovers Prayer. But on the other side of that, a person that I feel also can't be imitated, and whom I love is MeShell N'degeocello's Relief: A Stripper Classic.

Mrs. Mary Mack said...

Sometimes I hate the fact that had women like Nina Simone, and Lady Day been around in 2008, some fool wouldn't give them recording contracts because their voices are so different from what we consider to be "good singing" now. Sad...but probably true.

Okay I suggest another young lady by the name of Emily King- Business Man it's a political song, but speaks truth. Reminds me of My Petition by Jill Scott.

Admin said...

I'm going to have to do this later on when I can crank the music LOUD! xo

Admin said...

You can post an entire song using Seeqpod. www.seeqpod.com. Click on the embed options...and use the URL at the bottom, and copy and paste into blogger post. :) They have about 75% of songs I'm looking for.

Love Nina Simone. This song is relaxed but lots of tension through the lyrics.

I recommend: Boy With a Coin by Iron & Wine.

achoiceofweapons said...

I sang in a jazz show where Nina was honored. Cool song.
Try this one on for size.

Love- Alone again or
You may have to look under Arthur Lee and Love.
Stop by my blog soon.
Jaycee

Chanel said...

i suggest hometown glory by Adele. great somg. kind of somber, but beautiful

Gem said...

JBD: I imagine being at a beach-house watching an incoming storm when I hear this song.

Lina: Girl! Relief is sexy! I had never heard this one before. Very nice!

MMM: I like the melody of this song. It makes me sad to think about all the talent being over looked.

Vesper: I've been able to find most songs on www.imeem.com but will def. give seeqpod a try; thanks! Boy w/a Coin is groovin.

MistaJayCee: Awesome, what did you sing? Thank you for your song pick and I will visit your blog soon.

Chanel: Adele always has this somber quality in her voice and the music. I really like it.

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