Nina

I love Nina Simone. Something really deep and emotional and personal is touched and emboldened in me every time I listen to her. Among all her works, several collections of which I own, her beautiful rendition of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (circa 1964) is one that I could listen to endlessly, and feel the same emotions each time. Something about the words, which of course have been sung before and since, and the way she delivers the song, slower than the original version, but also with such emotion and honesty that makes me humble and admitting of being human. My beloved Iranian performer, Farhad, also sang the same song, and followed Nina Simone’s version of it. His performance is good and poignant, to great emotional effect. Some days I wonder whether music will ever be made to touch our souls like this again. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (1964) Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus, Bennie Benjamin Baby you understand me now If sometimes you see I'm mad Doncha know that no one alive can always be an angel? When everything goes wrong you see some bad Well I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood Ya know sometimes baby I'm so carefree with a joy that's hard to hide Then sometimes it seems again that all I have is worry And then you burn to see my other side But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood If I seem edgy I want you to know I never meant to take it out on you Life has its problems and I get more than my share but that's me one thing I never mean to do Cos I love you Oh babyI'm just human Don't you know I have faults like anyone? Sometimes I find myself alone regretting some little fooling thing some simple thing that I've done I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood I try so hard So don't let me be misunderstood