Ever thought of "pulling a Nina Simone"?

Nina renounced America in protest of it's racism. I can think of other elements of this Country's "personality" that are grounds for renunciation. For me, I'm not so sure yet. I've been reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X - that ain't helping my loyalty much. I wonder what Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz would say about our war on terror were he alive today. I was wondering what DUers felt 'bout this.

Oh here's the biography, if you're interested.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/singerUnid/BE32A33685194C56482569A10013946C

snip
Embittered by racism, Nina renounced her homeland in 1969 and became a wanderer, roaming the world. She lived in Liberia, in Barbados, Switzerland, France, Trinidad, the Netherlands, Belgium and UK at various times. In 1970 she and Stroud split up, and Nina attempt to manage herself and work with her brother Sam Waymon. In 1974 she leaves RCA.

In 1978 Nina was arrested, and soon released, for withholding taxes in 1971-73 in protest at her government's undeclared war in Vietnam. The same year she make the LP Baltimore for the CTI label and in 1982 the LP Fodder on my Wings for a Swiss label. In 1985 she records Nina's back and Live and Kickin in US.
snip

...when I can say wholeheartedly, "Yes."

:grr:

I only wish now I had done it 25 years ago when I was younger. Most countries don't encourage immigrants past a "certain age." :(

hmmmm

Her songs Mississippi Goddam and Strange Fruit are two of the strongest statements for civil rights ever made.

Nina Simone was an awesome and courageous artist.

STRANGE FRUIT

Southern trees
Bearin' strange fruit
Blood on the leaves
And blood at the roots
Black bodies
Swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin'
From the poplar trees
Pastoral scene
Of the gallant south
Them big bulging eyes
And the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolia
Clean and fresh
Then the sudden smell
Of burnin' flesh
Here is a fruit
For the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather
For the wind to suck
For the sun to rot
For the leaves to drop
Here is a
Strange and bitter crop

:shrug:

Still a powerful performance by Nina.

On edit after some research:
Strange Fruit was written by Lewis Allen, Sonny White.

Mississippi Goddam was written by Nina.

and Billie did sing it. Ninas version is AMAZING though. You should make every effort to hear it.

"I wrote "Strange Fruit" because I hate lynching, and I hate injustice, and I hate the people who perpetuate it."

-Abel Meeropol (a.k.a. Lewis Allan), 1971.

her "Little Girl Blue."

but nina's version was very powerful also. billie took some heat for doing that song, but at the time, it was a truly brave and powerful commentary on a very ugly 'american pasttime.'

Despite the current junta in Washington, we're still the best country the world has. Unless you know of a better one? Seriously, if you do, please tell me its name, and I'll go there immediately!

she was also an exceptionally talented musician and pianist who studied at Julliard.

I saw her perform in Greenwich Village in the late fifties I think--can't remember exactly when, and I cannot remember where--Village Gate? I remember her though. Awesome. After than I did not keep up much with her.

I found this biography. An amazing woman, musician and entertainer.



http://ninasimone.com/nina.html

I met her daughter Lisa a few times. She is a regular in the New York theatre scene and sometimes sings with the Chicago based band Liquid Soul. She goes by the stage name "Simone." not to be confused with the dance mix singer from the "Queer Eyes for the Straight Guys" theme. That is a different Simone.

She's not quite as political as her mother, but has just as powerful a singing voice.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

...been lurking on DU for about a year now. Glad this place is here.

I'm in the middle of PA and sometimes think I'm the only Democrat with 100 miles. It's nice to know I can log on to read DU and realize I'm not some kind of freak for being my political views.

I didn't know that about her.

I think people have a right to pick their battles. If she didn't want to spend her time fighting racism and militarism in the US after a while, that's her perogative.

Wonder if Randall Robinson also renounced his citizenship -- or just 'quit' when he left for St Kitts (he wrote a book Quitting America).

It's still worth fighting for.

thanks for your opinion!

:toast:

because of the virulent racism here (and some who continue to do so). nina's stance was perhaps more publicized than many, but she was not unique in her disdain for american racism. josephine baker, chester himes, jame baldwin, richard wright...to name a few, and many other artists and musicians found life a lot more tolerable outside the USA.
and yes...i've definitely thought about doing what nina did.

n/t

;-) i shoulda stayed over the myself :hi: