Young, Gifted and Black

About Young, Gifted and Black

"To Be Young, Gifted and Black" is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. It was written in memory of Simone's late friend Lorraine Hansberry, author of the play A Raisin in the Sun, who had died in 1965 aged 34. The song was originally recorded and released by Simone in 1969. The song was also featured on her 1970 album Black Gold and was considered an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. Released as a single, it peaked at number eight on the R&B chart and number 76 on the Hot 100. Simone sang it to a group of children on the PBS TV series Sesame Street on February 18, 1972. Notable cover versions of the song were recorded by Donny Hathaway (on his 1970 album Everything Is Everything), Aretha Franklin (on her 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black) and Bob and Marcia (whose 1970 recording reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart and number 15 in Ireland). Jamaican rocksteady/reggae trio The Heptones recorded a version for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label in 1970. American singer Meshell Ndegeocello included a version on her 2012 tribute album Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone.  more »

Year:

1992

3:32

97 Views

Playlists:

#3

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To be young
Gifted, and black
Oh, what a lovely precious thing
Oh, when you're, yes, yes, when you're
When you're young, yeah, thank you, Jesus, gifted and black
Open your heart, is all I need

In this whole world, you know
There are millions of boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and black
With their souls intact, and that's a fact

You are young, gifted and black, we must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you (you) yours is the quest that's just begun

When you feelin' real low
Here's a great truth you should remember and know
That you're young, gifted, and black
You got your soul intact, oh, and that's a fact

(You're young, gifted, and black)
Oh, it's a mighty sweet thing, yes, it is now
(Young, gifted, and black)
Oh, my sisters
(Young, gifted, and black)
You're young and you're black, you got your soul intact
You got the future, don't you know it's a fact?
(Young, gifted, and black)

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Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and pianist. In a recording career that has spanned over half a century, Franklin's repertoire has included gospel, jazz, blues, R&B, pop, rock and funk. more »

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