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

Nina Simone

Everything that happened to me as a child involved music. It was part of everyday life, as automatic as breathing.
NINA SIMONE

Breathe Children Life Music Myself
I would like you to know, I am a doctor of music.
NINA SIMONE

Doctor Music Myself Yourself
Greed has driven the world crazy. And I think I’m lucky that I have a place over here that I can call home.
NINA SIMONE

Crazy Drive Home Myself World
I play piano, by ear. Yes, I write songs and good ones.
NINA SIMONE

Instrument Myself Writing
Many times I feel different like a different person.
NINA SIMONE

Different Feeling Person Time
Talent is a burden not a joy. I am not of this planet. I do not come from you. I am not like you.
NINA SIMONE

Burden Myself Planet Talent
Desegregation is a joke.
NINA SIMONE

Joke Segregation
It doesn’t matter to me what is going on today because my music encompasses every kind of mood that exists in human beings. That’s my stick.
NINA SIMONE

Existence Kind Music Myself
My singing, if you want to call it that is merely another medium of expression. Just an instrument I play. That’s how I see my voice.
NINA SIMONE

Call Expression Instrument Myself See Singing Voice
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

Music Myself People Play
You can’t help it. An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.
NINA SIMONE

Artist Help Reflection Time
I’m just human, I have faults like anyone.
NINA SIMONE

Human Mistake Myself
I believe in racial memory too. I’m sure I’ve got ancient African blood in me that has something to do with what I am.
NINA SIMONE

Blood Identity Memories Myself Race
Funk, gospel, blues is all out of slavery times, out of depression, out of sorrow.
NINA SIMONE

Depression Slave Sorrow Time
My job is not done. I address my songs now to the third world. I am popular all over Asia and Africa and the Middle East, not to speak of South Africa, where I’m trying to go to see Nelson Mandela.
NINA SIMONE

Address Job Myself Popular See Song
You can’t be different if you look at it. Being gifted is different. I had that in my piano playing. I’m very thankful for that. I’m very aware of that. The style and what I fed is just me. I never worked at it. It just happened.
NINA SIMONE

Awareness Different Gift Myself Thankful Work

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

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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