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To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that's not what I play. I play black classical music.
Nina Simone
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Nina Simone
Age: 75 †
Born: 1933
Born: February 21
Died: 2008
Died: April 21
Composer
Jazz Pianist
Recording Artist
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Tryon
North Carolina
Eunice Kathleen Waymon
High Priestess of Soul
Means
Black
Music
Play
Mean
Classical
People
Dirt
Jazz
White
More quotes by Nina Simone
There's no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.
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That's a very high goal to have, study eight hours a day to be a concert pianist.
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I tell you what freedom is to me: no fear.
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How do you explain what it feels like to get on the stage and make poetry that you know sinks into the hearts and souls of people who are unable to express it
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I would like a man now who is rich, and who can give me a boat - a sailboat. I want to own it and let him pay for it. My first love is the sea and water, not music. Music is second.
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Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.
Nina Simone
There are all kinds of things that can be done. You can change rhythms, you can change chords, you can change whole concepts. But it will only work, on a record or in a performance, if you can make the people buy it.
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I was not reluctant to become a singer. Singing has been an activity I've done my whole life, without thought.
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I love the classics but there are many new ideas to be made into reality. I'd rather be concerned with my own thing. There are many masters of classical piano so I'll leave it to them.
Nina Simone
Desegregation is a joke.
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What is love but a prelude to sorrow...with heartache ahead for your goal.
Nina Simone
I play piano, by ear. Yes, I write songs... and good ones.
Nina Simone
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.
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Many times I feel different like a different person.
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I made wine from the lilac tree/Put my heart in its recipe/It makes me see what I want to see/And be what I want to be
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I believe the time will come when the whole definition of pop music will change. It will get to the point where a song will not be a good song until it has a high level of creativity in writing and performance. In other words, in order to be popular, songs will have to meet these high standards.
Nina Simone
You have to learn to get up from the table when love is not being served.
Nina Simone
I love to travel to hear different kinds of music.
Nina Simone
My love is like the wind and wild is the wind. Give me more than one caress, satisfy my hungriness. Let the wind blow through your heart for wild is the wind.
Nina Simone
You don't have to live next to me / Just give me my equality.
Nina Simone
