Nina Simone (1933-2003) was an American composer, pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger and civil rights activist.
Albums This is a list of Simone's official albums, both studio and live, issued with her explicit co-operation.
+ List of albums, with selected information Year Title Peak chart positions Type Label Certifications US USR&B USJazz NLD UK 1959Little Girl Blue ― ― ― ― ― StudioBethlehem RecordsThe Amazing Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ―Colpix RecordsNina Simone at Town Hall ― ― ― ― ― Live and studio 1960Nina Simone at Newport ― ― ― ― ―Live1961Forbidden Fruit ― ― ― ― ―Studio 1962Nina at the Village Gate ― ― ― ― ―LiveNina Simone Sings Ellington ― ― ― ― ―Studio1963Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall ― ― ― ― ―Live 1964Folksy Nina ― ― ― ― ―Nina Simone in Concert 102 ― ― ― ―Philips RecordsBroadway-Blues-Ballads ― ― ― ― ― Studio 1965I Put a Spell on You 99 ― 10 ― 18Pastel Blues 139 8 18 ― ― 1966Let It All Out ― 19 ― ― ―Live and studioWild Is the Wind 110 12 ― ― ―Studio1967High Priestess of Soul ― 29 ― ― ―Nina Simone Sings the Blues ― 29 37 ― ―RCA RecordsSilk & Soul158 24 ― ― ― 1968'Nuff Said! ― 44 ― 8 11 Live and studio 1969Nina Simone and Piano ― ― ― ― ―StudioTo Love Somebody ― ― ― ― ―1970Black Gold149 21 ― ― ―Live 1971Here Comes the Sun190 ― ― ― ―Studio ARIA: Gold 1972Emergency Ward ― ― ― ― ― Live and studio1974It Is Finished ― ― ― ― ― Live1978Baltimore ― ― ― ― ―StudioCTI Records1982Fodder on My Wings ― ― 22 ― ―Carrere1985Nina's Back ― ― ― ― ―VPILive & Kickin ― ― ― ― ―Live 1987Let It Be Me ― ― ― ― ―VerveLive at Ronnie Scott's ― ― ― ― ―Hendring-Wadham1993A Single Woman ― ― 19 ― ―StudioElektra Records "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Additional album releases
+ List of albums, with selected information Year Title Peak chart positions Type Label Certifications US USR&B USJazz AUS FRA NLD UK 1960Nina Simone and Her Friends ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Compilation - Studio Bethlehem Records 1963Nina's Choice ― ― ― ― ― ― ― CompilationColpix Records 1964Serenade of Soul ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Demo 1956 Almor 1964Starring Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Demo 1956 Spinorama 1965Sincerely Nina ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Compilation - Studio & LivePhilips Records 1966Nina Simone with Strings ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Compilation - Studio (strings added) Colpix 1970Gifted & Black ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Demo 1957 (strings added 1970) Canyon Records (Stroud Productions)The Best of Nina Simone 189 ― ― ― ― ― ―CompilationRCA Records / BMG 1972 Live in Europe ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Live Trip RecordsSings Billie Holiday – Lady Sings the Blues ― ― ― ― ― ― ―LiveStroud Recordings1973Live at Berkeley ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Gospel According to Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ―1974Portrait of Nina ― 40 ― ― ― ― ―Compilation Trip1977Lamentations ― ― ― ― ― ― ―LiveVersatile 1979A Very Rare Evening ― ― ― ― ― ― ―PM Records1984Backlash ― ― ― ― ― ― ―StarJazz 1987My Baby Just Cares for Me ― ― ― 47 ― 13 56 Reissue of Little Girl Blue Charly Records BPI: Gold FRA: Gold1987The Nina Simone Collection ― ― ― ― ― ― ―CompilationDeja Vu1988Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Mercury PMB: Platinum1989Nina Simone - Compact Jazz ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Mercury1992The Best Of The Colpix Years ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Roulette / Blue Note / EMI1994The Rising Sun Collection ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Live EnjaVerve Jazz Masters, Vol. 17 ― ― 32 ― ― ― ― CompilationPolyGramThe Essential Nina Simone, Vol. 2 ― ― 41 ― ― ― ―Sony LegacyFeeling Good: The Very Best of Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Verve / Polygram TV1995Nina Simone – Anthology (The Colpix Years) ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Rhino1996After Hours ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Verve1997Released ― ― ― ― ― ― ―RCA Victor Europe ARIA: Gold1997Blue for You – The Very Best Of ― ― ― ― ― ― 12Global Television1997Saga of the Good Life and Hard Times ― ― ― ― ― ― ― RCA1997Ultimate Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ― Verve 1998I Got Life and Many Others ― ― ― ― ― 19 ― RCA2000Bittersweet: The Very Best of Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ―House of Hits2003Four Women: The Nina Simone Philips Recordings ― ― ― ― ― ― ―VerveGold ― ― ― ― ― ― 27Universal / UCJ BPI: Gold BVMI: PlatinumAnthology ― ― 27 ― ― ― ―RCA / BMG HeritageThe Diva Series: Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Verve 2004Nina Simone's Finest Hour ― ― ― ― ― ― Verve / UniversalFeeling Good: The Very Best of Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― 9Verve / Polygram TV BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold2005The Soul of Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Compilation + DVDRCA DualDiscNina Simone Live at Montreux 1976 ― ― ― ― ― ― ― DVDEagle Eye MediaNina Simone Live ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Kultur / Creative Arts TelevisionLove Songs ― ― ― ― ― ― ―CompilationSony BMGJazz Biography Series ― ― ― ― ― ― ―UniversalNina Simone for Lovers ― ― 21 ― ― ― ―Verve2006The Very Best of Nina Simone ― ― ― — 126 ― 6Sony / BMG BPI: 2× PlatinumRemixed and Reimagined ― ― 11 ― ― ― ― RemixRCA / Legacy / SMEForever Young, Gifted, & Black: Songs of Freedom and Spirit ― ― 43 ― ― ― ―RCA / SMESongs to Sing: the Best of Nina Simone ― ― ― ― ― ― 92 CompilationDeluxe BPI: GoldThe Definitive Collection ― ― 28 ― ― ― ―Hip-O2007Just Like a Woman: Nina Simone Sings Classic Songs of the 60s ― ― 50 ― ― ― ―Sony / Legacy / BMG2008To Be Free: The Nina Simone Story ― ― 24 ― ― ― ―Sony / Legacy / BMGHow It Feels to Be Free: Opus Collection ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Sony2009The Definitive Rarities Collection – 50 Classic Cuts ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Artwork Media Friends/Family/French Lessons ― ― 17 ― ― ― ―Stroud Recordings2011The Essential Nina Simone ― ― 10 ― ― ― ―Sony Legacy, RCA, BMG HeritageS.O.U.L.: Nina Simone ― ― 16 ― ― ― ―Sony Legacy2012Greatest Hits ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Sinostate 2013Purple Fields ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Savage RoseFeels Good ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Savage Rose Shout Out Loud ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Savage Rose2014Live in Germany 1989 ― ― ― ― ― ― ―LiveImmortal2014See-Line Woman – The Best Of ― ― ― ― ― ― ― CompilationSpectrum BPI: Silver2015La légende ― ― ― ― 82 ― ― Sony 2016Portrait ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Warner Music / X5 Music GroupThe Other Woman ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Awa 2017At High Altitude ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Cappo DigitalMood Indigo: The Complete Bethlehem Singles ― ― 7 ― ― ― ―Bethlehem / BMGThe Colpix Singles ― ― ― ― ― ― ―RhinoPlatinum Collection ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Not NowHits ― ― ― ― ― ― ―New Continent20187 Classic Albums ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Box SetReel to Reel 2020Work from Home with Nina Simone ― ― 8 ― ― ― ― CompilationUMG RecordingsOld Time Jazz ― ― ― ― ― ― ―Old Time Jazz2021The Montreux Years ― ― 21 ― 134 ― ―BMG Right Management2022Feeling Good: Her Greatest Hits and Remixes ― ― 4 ― ― ― ―Verve Label Group "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Singles Nina Simone's life as a recording artist can be divided into three phases: early period (1957–64, corresponding to her albums with Bethlehem and Colpix); middle period (1964–74, corresponding to her albums with Philips and RCA); and late period (1974–2003, corresponding to her time either without a recording contract or with a multitude of different contracts). Simone died in 2003, and all releases after this are posthumous.
Singles: Early period (1959–1964)
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Chart positions Label AlbumUSUSR&B1959 "I Loves You, Porgy" 18 2BethlehemLittle Girl Blue (1959) "Chilly Winds Don't Blow" — —ColpixThe Amazing Nina Simone "Children Go Where I Send You" — —Colpix "He Needs Me" — —BethlehemLittle Girl Blue "Don't Smoke in Bed" — —Bethlehem "The Other Woman" — —ColpixNina Simone at Town Hall 1960 "Mood Indigo" — —BethlehemLittle Girl Blue "For All We Know" — —BethlehemNina Simone and Her Friends "Summertime" (Live - Part II Vocal) — —ColpixNina Simone at Town Hall "You'll Never Walk Alone" — —BethlehemLittle Girl Blue "Since My Love Has Gone" — —Colpix Non-album track "Central Park" — —BethlehemLittle Girl Blue "If Only for Tonight" — —ColpixNon-album track "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" 93 23Colpix "Trouble in Mind" 92 11ColpixNina at Newport1961 "Work Song" — —ColpixForbidden Fruit "Gin House Blues" 113 —Colpix "Come on Back, Jack" — —ColpixNon-album track1962 "In the Evening by the Moonlight" — —ColpixNina at Newport "I Got It Bad" — —ColpixNina Simone Sings Ellington "My Baby Just Cares for Me" — —BethlehemLittle Girl Blue 1963 "Little Liza Jane" — —ColpixNina at Newport "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Colpix Torchlite Series singles
Simone's official final single for Colpix was "Little Liza Jane" in September 1963, as she then moved from that company to a new contract with Philips. However, later that year, Colpix released thirteen 7" singles all at the same time from Simone under a special imprint called the Colpix Torchlite Series.
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Album1963 "Work Song"Forbidden Fruit "Where Can I Go Without You" "Summertime" (Part II – vocal; live)Nina Simone at Town Hall "Exactly Like You" "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me"Nina Simone Sings Ellington "Merry Mending" "I Like the Sunrise" "The Gal from Joe's" "Children Go Where I Send You"The Amazing Nina Simone "You've Been Gone Too Long" "That's Him Over There" "I Can't Get Out of This Mood" "Trouble in Mind" (Short Version)Nina Simone at Newport
Singles: Middle period (1964–1974)
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Chart positions Certifications AlbumUSUSR&BUK1964 "I Loves You, Porgy" — — —The Best of Nina Simone "Mississippi *@!!?*@!" — — — "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" 131 — —Broadway-Blues-Ballads 1965 "I Am Blessed" — — — "I Put a Spell on You" 120 23 49 BPI: SilverI Put a Spell on You "Either Way I Lose" — — —Wild Is the Wind1966 "Why Keep on Breaking My Heart" — — — "I Love You've Lovin' Ways" — — — "Four Women" — — — "Don't You Pay Them No Mind" — — —High Priestess of Soul1967 "Day and Night" — — —Nina Simone Sings the Blues "You'll Go to Hell" 133 — —Silk & Soul "I Wish I Knew" — — — 1968 "To Love Somebody" — — 5To Love Somebody "Why?"—Part 1 — — —'Nuff Said! "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" 94 — 2 "Do What You Gotta Do" 83 43 2 1969 "I Put a Spell on You" — — 28I Put a Spell on You "Revolution"—Part 1 — 41 —To Love Somebody "Suzanne" — — — "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" 76 8 —Black Gold1970 "I Loves You Porgy" — — —Little Girl Blue "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" — — —Black Gold "Whatever I Am" — — —Non-album tracks1971 "O-O-H Child" — — —Here Comes the Sun "Here Comes the Sun" — — —1973 "Anytime, Anywhere" — — —Gospel According to Nina Simone "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" — — —Live at Berkeley "My Sweet Lord"/"Today Is a Killer" — — —Emergency Ward! "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Singles: Late period (1974–2003)
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Chart positions Certifications AlbumUK 1978 "Baltimore" —Baltimore 1979 "The Family" — 1987 "My Baby Just Cares for Me" 5 BPI: SilverLittle Girl Blue 1988 "Mr Bojangles" 96The Artistry of Nina Simone 1994 "Feeling Good" 40 RIAA: 2× Platinum BPI: PlatinumFeeling Good - The Very Best of Nina Simone "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Singles: Posthumous (2003 onward)
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Certifications Album 2003 "Sinnerman" BPI: SilverFour Women – The Nina Simone Philips Recordings
a remix of "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" credited to Nina Simone V Groovefinder reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart in 2006.
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References
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