Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life, it's a way of being, a way of thinking. Nina Simone More Quotes by Nina Simone More Quotes From Nina Simone My people have very subtle slang, inflections and ways of saying things that has little to do with words. If you're from the same place, you'll feel the jargon and know exactly what's happening. Same with any neighborhood cat. What he sees and hears and feels and lives makes him what he is. That's what blues is. Nina Simone jargoncatpeople It's a good time for black people to be alive. Nina Simone blackalivepeople I think the rich will eventually have to cave in too, because the economic situation around the world is not gonna tolerate the United States being on top forever. Nina Simone vaccinesforeverthinking 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 pressuretryingthinking 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 madeteacherworld Through music you can become sad, joyful, loving, you can learn. You can learn mathematics, touch, pacing... Oh my God! Ooh... Wow... You can see colors through music. Anything! Nina Simone loving-youwowcolor I applied for a scholarship to Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. I knew I was good enough, but they turned me down. And it took me about six months to realize it was because I was black. I never really got over that jolt of racism at the time. Nina Simone philadelphiablackracism I think the rich are too rich and the poor are too poor. I don't think the black people are going to rise at all; I think most of them are going to die. Nina Simone blackpeoplethinking Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life, it's a way of being, a way of thinking. . . . the new inventive phrases we make up to describe things - all that to me is jazz just as much as the music we play. Nina Simone musicplaythinking 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 misunderstoodmusicsong How can you be an artist and not reflect the times? Nina Simone artist The allusion was that I was actually naked. I loved that. It always, kind of shocked people enough that they became mine immediately. Nina Simone nakedkindpeople Tomorrow, I might be in a different mood and you wouldn't recognize my voice. Nina Simone voicedifferentmight That is why we fly from the inner void, since God might steal into it. It is not the pursuit of pleasure and the aversion for effort which causes sin, but fear of God. We know that we cannot see him face to face without dying, and we do not want to die. Nina Simone aversioneffortdying 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 singingsongjobs I demand perfection in what I do, and I practice very hard before I give a concert-sometimes three to six hours a day. Nina Simone determinationpracticesuccess It was always Marx, Lenin, and revolution - real girl's talk. Nina Simone revolutiongirlreal 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 freedomexcellenceyears The Beatles are lucky, very lucky. But what has happened to them has nothing to do with them, in a sense. They came along at the right time. Attention was focused on them. They've had the chance to grow in almost any direction they wanted. Very lucky. They are not exceptionally talented. Nina Simone luckychanceattention I'm sorry that I did not become the world's first black classic pianist. I think I would have been happier. Nina Simone blacksorrythinking
