black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that’s not what I play. I play black classical music.

Nina Simone

I had spent many years pursuing excellence, because that is what classical music is all about… Now it was dedicated to freedom, and that was far more important.
NINA SIMONE

Dedication Excellence Freedom Music Myself Pursue
This is the world you have made yourself, now you have to live in it.
NINA SIMONE

Live World Yourself
We have ordered things so long in a certain way, we are numb. Nobody dares question it. This is what is wrong, symbolically, with America.
NINA SIMONE

Dare Order Question Symbol Wrong
I look forward to doing my own show, not someone else’s. That’s always been my dream.
NINA SIMONE

Dreams Myself Show
I’m sorry that I did not become the world’s first black classic pianist. I think I would have been happier.
NINA SIMONE

Happiness Musician Myself Sorry World
Every day has its emotional difficulties. I miss my mother whether I’m singing her music or not.
NINA SIMONE

Day Difficult Emotional Music Myself
I was not reluctant to become a singer. Singing has been an activity I’ve done my whole life, without thought.
NINA SIMONE

Activity Life Myself Singer
Theory and harmony broadened my mind in music. I know what music is made of.
NINA SIMONE

Mindset Music Myself Theory
Music is a gift and a burden I’ve had since I can remember who I was.
NINA SIMONE

Burden Gift Music Myself Remember
I don’t like to go to strange places. I was in Italy for about five hours on my way to Africa.
NINA SIMONE

Myself Place Strange Time Travel
The worst thing about that kind of prejudice is that while you feel hurt and angry and all the rest of it, it feeds you self-doubt. You start thinking, perhaps I am not good enough.
NINA SIMONE

Angry Enough Kind Prejudice Worst Yourself
I think the rich will eventually have to cave in too, because the economic situation around the world is not gonna tolerate the United States being on top forever.
NINA SIMONE

Economics Forever Myself Rich Thinking
It’s logical that people from bad times will reflect their feelings in their communication. Music is part of the communication. If you lived it, you can do it.
NINA SIMONE

Bad Communication Live Logic People Reflection Time Yourself
I know I’m different, but I don’t think about it.
NINA SIMONE

Different Myself Thinking
I think if I were over there in America, protest music would be more important. But I’m not going.
NINA SIMONE

Important Music Myself Thinking
It’s a good time for black people to be alive.
NINA SIMONE

Alive Black People Time

To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that’s not what I play. I play black classical music.

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To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that’s not what I play. I play black classical music.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Nina Simone Quotes