"To Be Young, Gifted and Black" | |
---|---|
Song by Nina Simone | |
from the album Black Gold | |
Released | 1970 |
Recorded | October 26, 1969 |
Venue | Philharmonic Hall, New York City |
Genre | Soul, blues |
Length | 9:34 |
Label | RCA |
Composer(s) | Nina Simone |
Lyricist(s) | Weldon Irvine |
Producer(s) | Stroud Productions |
Official audio | |
"Nina Simone - To Be Young, Gifted and Black (Audio)" on YouTube |
"To Be Young, Gifted and Black" is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. Simone introduced the song on August 17, 1969, to a crowd of 50,000 at the Harlem Cultural Festival, captured on broadcast video tape and released in 2021 as the documentary film Summer of Soul.[1][2] Two months later, she recorded the song as part of her concert at Philharmonic Hall, a performance that resulted in her live album Black Gold (1970). Released as a single, it peaked at number 8 on the R&B chart and number 76 on the Hot 100 in January 1970.[3] A cover version by Jamaican duo Bob and Marcia reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970.[4]
The title of the song comes from Lorraine Hansberry's autobiographical play To Be Young, Gifted and Black.[5][6] The song is considered an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement.[7]
British Hit Singles & Albums
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