(Spittin’ Rain. That’s what my grandmother would call this morning’s brand of noncommital precipitation.)
Today’s Track: “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” – Nina Simone. There is no woman in modern music more demanding of your attention than the formidable Nina Simone. Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in 1933. As early as ten years old, she showed tremendous promise as a pianist and a vocalist. At seventeen, she moved north to Philadelphia. Briefly, she attended the Juliard School of Music, but lack of funds prohibited further study. Her gaze shifted to the the nightclubs of Atlantic City. Her classical training informed her entry into jazz and blues.
This 1970 recording of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” is (much like Monday’s entry) spare and contemplative. Simone accompanies herself on piano, taking her time with the verses. You have to wonder … what is weighing on her mind? Something personal? Something universal?
(I promise that tomorrow’s offering won’t be nearly as heavy.)
“I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” originally appeared on the 1970 RCA album, Nina Simone and Piano!
