God I love this woman. I enormously regret never having seen her perform live. And I hate it when people start arguing over who has performed a song better. That is not what art is about.
I've always been a fan of the original Sandy Dennis version. You should check it out. She died young. Great singer and songwriter. She recorded this song with the English folk group Fairport Convention. Was really surprised to discover this Nina Simone version, as I'm also a fan of her work but never heard this song. Also heard it on Mater of None.
I was there that night! Amazing visuals as well as the music. She put on a musical play ! Yes she did!!! I knew her personally as well, just coming out of college in '65 she hired my best friend Weldon Irvine as her Musical Director. She and I sang Purple Rain together in my living room. She really enjoyed herself. I love and honor her and am sooo grateful to have been allowed by her to spend the times together. May she have peace and joy in all future incarnations. Love love love you Miss Simone.
my goodness....thank you for sharing this with the world. I will cry. I will. But I will cry in rejoicing and heart for you and all of you out there. .....and lets not forget Ms. Sandy Denny .
--- Intro Transcript -- We are recording tonight and because we are recording we are trying to do some things that actually are too tired to do. But as Faye Dunaway I think it was she she said when Bonnie and Clyde came out and hoped she tried to give people what they wanted. That's a mistake really I know but ah you can't do it but only have to ' You use up everything you got trying to give everybody what they want. But I will learn my lesson soon. And then you will buy more records right cos you gonna see me. Okay let's see what we can do with this lovely lovely thing that goes past all racial conflict and all kinds of conflicts. It is a reflective tune and sometime in your life you will have occasion to say what is this thing called time. You know what is that ' the clock. You go to work by the clock you get your martini in the afternoon by the clock and you have your coffee by the clock and have to get on a plane at a certain time and arrive. It goes on and on and on and time is a dictator as we know it. Where does it go what does it do' Most of all is it alive, Is it a thing that we cannot touch and is it alive? And then one day you look in the mirror - how old - and you say, “Where did the time go?” We leave you with that one.
It is intensely painful to see that one's future has been mostly transmuted into one's past by the mysterious process of time. Yet, time itself is so serene and tranquil it's hard not to think of it as ultimately benign, even as it slowly begins to draw the shroud around us, as it inevitably does. This song captures that perfectly.
They may be gone through that Skin-walk...but you know they are back here with us starting all over again (but even more powerful is some newborn Girl Child on our Earth.....Singing Sublimely what they llearned last time round.... and the bonus is what they did before their art, music and Grace is still here....Wow!
This is what music is about. Truth and questioning, mystic revelation, spiritual sublimity. I bawled like a baby. Nina’s voice is the greatest of all time. I listen to A LOT of music, new and old, but no-one’s poetry contained within their voice stirs my soul like hers.
She took a wonderful song (Sandy Deny) and made it her own. I love her take on it. I thought "yes Nina Simone had to pick this song up and interpret it with sensitivity" She did not let me down.
This is true artistry; she sounded so exhausted in her monologue, but when it came to sing -- she reached inside herself and pulled out this unforgettable music.
precious introspective soul . I love you Nina. Thank you for speaking snd singing my truth. I am never alone with your music it resonates deep in my heart. rip amazingly beautiful woman .
I watched the movie The Dancer Upstairs and heard this piece toward the end, wow! it blew me away. Since then I have bought a few of her pieces, admire Nina greatly. This song is reminiscent of life in all its glory and tragedy, we cast off summer and embrace winter. Like seasons so are our lives, this lady is magic
I had first learned about this song through Judy Collins and I instantly loved it, then I heard the original version by Sandy Denny and I liked it even more, and now I hear Nina Simone's version and her's is the best! This is the way that it has to be sung. How melancholic, haunting and utterly beautiful.
when 'I ain't got, I got life' came out in the 60s I was in my teens.I have been in love with Nena since then.Like all really great stars she had uniqueness that's difficult to put your finger on, even after a lot of thought. She was and is really special.God bless her.
Everyone does it in their way, wonder what Miles or Hendrix would have made of it? In these days of Botox and comic cosmetic surgery, talking about let alone singing about the inevitablity of death is defintley a No-No.
Nina Simone is a legend, Judy Collins sung it beautifully, Eva Cassidy's version is sublime but Sandy's voice brings tears to my eyes on every song she ever sung. Sandy sings as if she is on the verge of heartbreak to quote Thea Gilmore.
That was such a cool shout out/dedication Meredith! I'll add - sending positive thoughts to the same folks in the radiology dept at BMC. Stay safe and thanks in advance for the service you are so generously providing to your community. Please stay healthy, Erma (in GA)
What a lovely song! My wife and I came across it years ago and made it our wedding anniversary song. We play it only once a year on our anniversary night and dance slowly remembering, yet, another year passing... "I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving". Played it tonight, our 24th together, and will "until it's time to go"....
She performed this exactly 19 years before my birthday, on 26 October 1969. And I found out just about now. I've loved this song for as long as I've known it. And what a birthday gift, dear heart. I love you so, so much, you amazing woman. Thank you for the best birthday gift, and the best eulogy of all time.
Transcript: Sometime in your life, you will have occasion to say, “What is this thing called time?” What is that, the clock? You go to work by the clock, you get your martini in the afternoon by the clock and your coffee by the clock, and you have to get on the plane at a certain time, and arrive at a certain time. It goes on and on and on and on. And time is a dictator, as we know it. Where does it go? What does it do? Most of all, is it alive? Is it a thing that we cannot touch and is it alive? And then, one day, you look in the mirror - you’re old - and you say, “Where does the time go?” WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES Across the morning sky, all the birds are leaving How can they know that it’s time to go? Before the winter fire, I’ll still be dreaming I do not count the time Who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving Ah, but then you know that it’s time for them to go But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving For I do not count the time Who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? But I am not alone as long as my love is near me And I know it will be so till it’s time to go All through the winter, until the birds return in spring again I do not fear the time Who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes?
Ten years, I knew it was coming up but it had not dawned on me yet until your kind reply Jean Seb. Indeed, who knows where the times goes... I am grateful to all of you that posted thoughtful comments over the years and I am truly happy that so many have enjoyed this simple compilation. It made me happy to pull it together and it is still such a thing of beauty to me - the 8 minutes when I can relish her voice, her emotions, the music and even the background audience. How I wish I had that chance... We need more beauty in the world right now and I am delighted that Miss Simone can shine so brightly. Also, for those that came here from The Dancer Upstairs, I would love for you to know that the movie was my introduction to Nina and thus the impetus for this video. Crossing fingers the link stays up for another 10 years! Erma
The problem is we're confusing dimensions, seeking a temporal phenomenon in a spatial dimension, we should really ask WHEN does the time go, and the answer is it goes NOW!
So much of her experience and music revolved around race, i love that she recognized this as something for us all. I can sing along with mississippi goddamn but its not my experience. Loss of time, on the other hand, is something that smacks us all in the gob.
Its my all time favourite record , originally by Sany Denny . I like rock & EDM , But this song sends me . much love people & spend your time with people you love and care about & feel the same about . time spent well is far more precious than money and a flashy car Xx
Saw Ms. Nina do a show in Miami not long before she passed. She needed help walking to the piano, a bit. Even at that, she was angelic and completely owned that crowd that night. One of the Greats. So blessed to have seen her do a show. Beautiful tune. There's only one Nina, a true chanteuse. Nobody like here around these days. Rest well Nina.
Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving But how can they know it's time for them to go? Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming I have no thought of time For who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving I do not count the time For who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? And I am not alone while my love is near me I know it will be so until it's time to go So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again I have no fear of time For who knows how my love grows? And who knows where the time goes?
I did not know the song, but then once I herd it at the end of a movie soundtrack by Nina, I do not remember the movie, but I went straight away to the internet and downloaded the song , it was then that I discovered it by other Artist. it is so melancholy it just brought tears to my eyes. I love it.
thank goodness i saw the dancer upstairs..i would never have heard this amazing song..funny..the first song i heard from her was 'sugar in my bowl' from another movie..title i cant remember
Wonderful song written by Sandy Denny. Judy Collins also does a great version which is Featured in the Academy award winning film 'The Subject was Roses', staring Patricia Neal. Love this song.
Such a strong, warm, grasping echoing whisper of awesome wonder (Nina perfected in this--another MASTERPIECE)!!!. Nina Simone was one of God's Wonderfully Mysterious Works....PERFORMED!
