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Once I understood Bach’s music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.

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
How do you explain what it feels like to get on the stage and make poetry that you know sinks into the hearts and souls of people who are unable to express it.
NINA SIMONE

Explanation Expression Feeling Poetry Soul Stage Yourself
I love the classics but there are many new ideas to be made into reality. I’d rather be concerned with my own thing. There are many masters of classical piano so I’ll leave it to them.
NINA SIMONE

Classics Love Master Myself
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
You have to learn to get up from the table when love is not being served.
NINA SIMONE

Learning Love Serve Table Yourself
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
Life is short. People are not easy to know. They’re not easy to know, so if you don’t tell them how you feel, you’re not going to get anywhere, I feel.
NINA SIMONE

Easy Feeling Life Myself People
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
If I get an idea I put it on tape and somebody else writes it out.
NINA SIMONE

Ideas Myself Writing
I look forward to doing my own show, not someone else’s. That’s always been my dream.
NINA SIMONE

Dreams Myself Show
Since I was three I’ve been playing the piano. I’ve been onstage.
NINA SIMONE

Instrument Myself Play
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
It is difficult to retain your standards with the pressure of trying to make money, which always has its rules. It’s hard to walk the tightrope of doing what you think is your best and making money at it.
NINA SIMONE

Difficult Hard Money Rule Standard Yourself
You’ve got to learn to leave the table When love’s no longer being served”.
NINA SIMONE

Learning Serve Yourself
I feel what they feel. And people who listen to me know that, and it makes them feel like they’re not alone.
NINA SIMONE

Alone Feeling Listening Myself People
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 don’t like drug addicts and she sounds like a cat.
NINA SIMONE

Addiction Cat Drugs Myself Sound
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
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” a song that was written for Simone, she confronted the band’s lead singer, Eric Burdon. “So you’re the honky,” she said, “who stole my song and got a hit out of it?
NINA SIMONE

Herself Leadership Misunderstanding Singing Writing Yourself
It’s a good time for black people to be alive.
NINA SIMONE

Alive Black People Time
Music has been a burden and a joy for as long as I can remember.
NINA SIMONE

Burden Joy Music Myself Remember
I know I’m different, but I don’t think about it.
NINA SIMONE

Different Myself Thinking
Once I understood Bach’s music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.
NINA SIMONE

Dedication Introduction Music Myself Teacher World
To be young, gifted and black!
NINA SIMONE

Black One Liner Young
Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.
NINA SIMONE

Black Definition Myself People
What is love but a prelude to sorrow with heartache ahead for your goal.
NINA SIMONE

Goal Love Sorrow Yourself
I was always a politician from the day the civil rights people chose me as their protest singer.
NINA SIMONE

Day Myself People Politics Singer

Once I understood Bach’s music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.

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Once I understood Bach’s music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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