See Line Woman

"Sea Lion Woman" (also "Sealion Woman", "Sea-Line Woman", "See heLyin' Woman", "She Lyin' Woman", "See-Line Woman", or "C-Line Woman") is a traditional African American folk song originally used as a children's playground song.

History

The song was first recorded by folklore researcher Herbert Halpert on May 13, 1939. Halpert was compiling a series of field recordings for the Library of Congress in Byhalia, MS, when he ran across Walter Shipp, a minister, and his wife Mary, a choir director of a local church. Halpert recorded Shipp's daughters, Katherine and Christine, singing a spare version of "Sea Lion Woman" that defined the basic rhymes and rhythm of the song.

The exact origins of the song are unknown but it is believed to have originated in the southern United States. According to Tom Schnabel of KCRW,''The Real Meaning to Nina Simone's Classic Song, "See-Line Woman"'' by Tom Schnabel, posted July 9, 2013 on KCRW Rhythm Planet website
/ref> he was told that Nina Simone's "See-line Woman" was a 19th-century seaport song about sailors coming into port (e.g. Charleston or New Orleans) and prostitutes waiting for them, lined up along the dock, hence the term 'sea line' (a line of women by the sea) or alternatively, 'see-line' (women standing in a line to be seen). In this account, their dress colors allegedly signified the specific services they offered.

Nina Simone popularized the song as "See-Line Woman". Her original studio recording was first released in 1964 as the single B-side of "Mississippi Goddam", a song that marked her turn to political engagement with Civil Rights protest songs. On the single's label "See-Line Woman" is credited as having been written by George Houston Bass and arranged by Simone. The song was then part of her album ''Broadway-Blues-Ballads'' of the same year, and it was featured again as a single the next year, this time as an A-side coupled with "I Love Your Lovin' Ways". She often performed the song in concert, and, according to Tom Schnabel, Simone occasionally altered her lyrics.

Song versions

Most versions of the song cover Nina Simone's lyrics and arrangement with syncopated hand-claps (or percussion) and more than one back-up voice for the response.

An early cover of Simone's version was recorded in 1967 by the Australian beat band the Easybeats as the closing track for their album ''Good Friday''.

In 1987, Irish rock band Hothouse Flowers released a live recording of the song (credited only to G. H. Bass) on a 12" maxi edition of their first single, "Love Don't Work This Way", a year before their first album.

Nina Simone's version of the song was prominently covered by Feist for her 2007 album ''The Reminder''. "Sea Lion Woman" was Feist's original title for this song but on the album it was shortened to "Sealion". It charted through digital downloads under the title "Sea Lion Woman" and peaked at No. 94 on the ''Billboard'' Canadian Hot 100 chart.

The folk-rock group Ollabelle rearranged the song in 2006 as a rock version for their album ''Riverside Battle Songs''.

American experimental band Xiu Xiu covered the song as "See Line Woman" on their 2013 Nina Simone tribute album Nina.

The song was also covered by singers Katie Melua (featuring Arno) and Brooke Fraser (from New Zealand), among others.

An instrumental version of the song was recorded by jazz saxophonist Yusef Lateef on his 1967 Atlantic album ''The Complete Yusef Lateef