''Nina Simone Sings Ellington'' is the fourth studio album by American singer and pianist
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...
. The album contains songs that were originally composed and recorded by
Duke Ellington. Simone is complemented by the Malcolm Dodds Singers.
About the cover
The cover photo features just Nina Simone's head in full colour. Nina says about this picture in her autobiography ''
I Put a Spell on You
"I Put a Spell on You" is a 1956 song written and composed by Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, whose own recording of it was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was also included in Robert ...
'' (1992)
[Simone, Nina; Cleary, Stephen. ''I Put a Spell on You'', 1992 Da Capo Press ] that the picture was originally a full size picture of Simone's body. However, because Nina was pregnant with her daughter Lisa at that time, the photographer tried various positions to hide Nina's stomach. He failed in this most probably, and that is why just Simone's head was used out of the full picture.
A leftover shot of Nina from this session, featuring a pose from her chest up, was later used on her 1966 album, ''
Nina Simone with Strings
''Nina Simone with Strings'' is an album by Nina Simone. The album was released after she had left Colpix Records. The tracks on the album were assembled by combining unreleased material with recordings of strings.
In the UK, the album's version ...
''.
Track listing
# "
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
"Do Nothing till You Hear from Me" (also written as "Do Nothin' Til You Hear from Me") is a song with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Bob Russell. It originated as a 1940 instrumental ("Concerto for Cootie") that was designed to highlight t ...
" (
Bob Russell) - 2:50
# "
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" is a pop and jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster published in 1941. It was introduced in the musical revue ''Jump for Joy'' by Ivie Anderson, who also provided the v ...
" (
Paul Francis Webster) - 4:06
# "Hey, Buddy Bolden" (
Billy Strayhorn) - 2:28
# "Merry Mending" - 2:35
# "
Something to Live For" (Strayhorn) - 2:55
# "You Better Know It" - 2:24
# "I Like the Sunrise" - 3:01
# "
Solitude" (
Eddie DeLange
Eddie DeLange (''né'' Edgar DeLange Moss; 15 January 1904 – 15 July 1949) was an American bandleader and lyricist. Famous artists who recorded some of DeLange's songs include Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Duk ...
,
Irving Mills) - 3:45
# "The Gal from Joe's" (Mills) - 2:08
# "
Satin Doll
"Satin Doll" is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953, the song has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, 101 Strings, Terry Callier, and Nancy Wilson. Its chord progressio ...
" (instrumental) (
Johnny Mercer, Strayhorn) - 3:37
# "
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as "now legendary" and "a pro ...
" (Mills) 2:33
All songs composed by
Duke Ellington, lyricists and co-composers indicated.
References
{{Authority control
1962 albums
Nina Simone albums
Albums arranged by Nina Simone
Colpix Records albums