The range of musical genres on one album, her vocal quality, and how the whole thing hangs together make this one of my favorites. Jazz, blues, musical theater, and pop come together in a way that highlights the unique quality of each – and puts on full display the ability of the artist to move from one genre to another. Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You is what a life well lived sounds like – varied, heartfelt, and full of every emotion.
While I was familiar with two of the songs on this album, I was well into my thirties before I listened to the whole thing. I’m inclined to think that was a good thing; my twenty year old self wouldn’t have appreciated the spirit of this album. Some things require a bit of age and life experience to appreciate…
I Put a Spell on You, Nina Simone, recorded in 1964 and 1965, released by Philips Records in 1965
What album do you think requires a little age to appreciate?
(Etta James’s At Last! was a close second to this one…)
I love how you find in one song the whole of a good life–
“Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You is what a life well lived sounds like – varied, heartfelt, and full of every emotion.”
I’ve had “Backlash Blues” on my playlist for a long while. I have to add this one–it is spellbinding.
It’s quite an album. Nina Simone’s “Nina Simone Sings the Blues” is another amazing album. Backlash Blues is another amazing song – thanks for reminding me of it. Peace, Johnna
I didn’t know the album–just loaded it into my Spotify Library.