To Be Free

Album Description:
Nina Simone was one of those controversial figures American pop music puts forward from time to time, with the notable exception that she started her controversy earlier in the 1960s than, say, Bob Dylan. To see this African-American woman get angry about the racial situation in her country, right there on stage, was a shock to people who'd come to hear her sing "I Loves You, Porgy." Not that she cared; she figured that it was the artist's job to deliver the truth, and if the truth hurt, so be it. Of course, events wound up proving her right, but she never stopped being prickly about one thing or another. It was just part of who she was, and part of why her music has endured while that of some of her contemporaries has faded: she's still contemporary.

To Be Free:The Nina Simone Story is a 3 CD Career Retrospective (1957-1993) including her work for Bethlehem, Colpix, Philips, RCA, CTI and Elektra, PLUS a DVD featuring the 1970 Emmy-nominated never-before-released documentary.This package includes 54 songs, 8 previously unreleased tracks, including some never recorded elsewhere.The box includes all chart hits (U.S. and U.K.) and her most famous signature songs.An added bonus are liner notes which include track-by-track commentary from Simone biographer, David Nathan, and introduction by Ed Ward, NPR's "rock & roll historian", and never-before-seen photos from her family archives, recording sessions and performances.

Album Description:
3 CD + DVD (NTSC/Region 0) set. Sony BMG. 2008.

Disc 1:

1. Mood Indigo
2. I Loves You, Porgy
3. My Baby Just Cares For Me
4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
5. You Can Have Him (Live)
6. Wild Is The Wind (Live)
7. Trouble In Mind (Live)
8. When Malindy Sings/Swing Low Sweet Chariot (Live) [previously unreleased]
9. See-Line Woman
10. Pirate Jenny (Live)
11. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
12. I Put A Spell On You
13. Ne Me Quitte Pas
14. Feeling Good
15. Four Women
16. My Man's Gone Now
17. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
18. To Love Somebody
19. Sunday In Savannah (Live)
20. Backlash Blues (Live)

Disc 2:

1. Mississippi Goddam (Live)
2. In The Morning
3. Ain't Got No-I Got Life [previously unreleased in the U.S. - alternate version]
4. Do What You Gotta Do
5. Seems I'm Never Tired Loving You
6. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
7. The Times They Are A-Changin'
8. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)
9. The Other Woman (Live)
10. I Think It's Going To Rain Today (Live)
11. Save Me (Live)
12. Revolution (Live)
13. To Be Young, Gifted And Black
14. Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair (Live)
15. Westwind (Live)
16. Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Live)
17. Suzanne (Live) [previously unreleased in the U.S.]

Disc 3:

1. No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Live) [previously unreleased]
2. Just Like A Woman
3. Here Comes The Sun
4. Tanywey [previously unreleased]
5. Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Live)
6. My Sweet Lord/Today Is A Killer (Live)
7. Let It Be Me (Live) [previously unreleased]
8. Poppies
9. Mr. Bojangles (Live)
10. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl (Live)
11. Nina (Live) [previously unreleased]
12. Zungo (Live) [previously unreleased]
13. Baltimore
14. A Single Woman

Disc 4:

1. Ain't Got No-I Got Life (DVD content)
2. Pirate Jenny (DVD content)
3. Don't You Pay Them No Mind (DVD content)
4. Milestones(DVD content)
5. Go To Hell (DVD content)
6. Backlash Blues (DVD content)
7. Percussion/Drums/Clapping/Dancing (DVD content)
8. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (DVD content)
9. Precious Lord (DVD content)

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Customer Reviews

Rating: - Nina Simone'To Be Free'
Wondrous overview of Nina Simone's entire career - most of the truly remarkable performances and interpretations are here across 3 CDs and there's a DVD of a famous documentary about her output, ouvre and other big words.
Rating: - Nina Shines
Fans of Nina Simone will be thrilled by this masterpiece.This collection captures the essence of Nina in three CDs covering her entire career including both well-known & lesser known material.Beautifully packaged & easily accessible.
Rating: - A Worthy Collection
I've owned the complete Nina Simone discography for some time, but I wanted this box set specifically for the 8 previously unreleased tracks and the 1970 documentary that I assumed had been lost.

The new material is fantastic.I'd gladly have paid just to hear the new, live recording of "Suzanne" included in this set.It's a brilliant concert piece, equal parts bold and vulnerable.I'd heard Nina sing with her brother Samuel at a 1968 Paris concert on the album Live at the Great ... Read More
Rating: - A must own For Nina Lovers
this is a very "clean" crisp sounding set of recordings, and documents well a brilliant Musician and Vocalist, and the bonus tracks of unreleased material adds to your collection nicely, and with luck we will see more unreleased stuff come out as well as more recordings from Simone on Simone who did a wonderfull retake on some of Nina's Work and gave it a modern flair.

Peace
Rating: - Smoothed out Nina Simone
This is a wonderful collection for Nina Simone to gain more fans. The choices of the versions of songs for this collection, are the smooth more soothing ones. Each song easily fits together on the same album with any of the other songs. The DVD is really just for already fans. (I guess if your buying a box, you must already be a major fan)The mix of the clips of her performances and the interview disturbs the full experience. They should have had the performance then the interview.Do not get me ... Read More