The album opens with its title track, "A Single Woman," the song easing in before Nina come in on vocals. "I live alone/That hasn't always been easy to do," she tells us, and we hear the honesty and the experience in her voice. "They seem to say/Wasn't yesterday a better day?" Ah yes, I think many folks are looking back to better days because the present is such a horrible mess. There is a big swell of strings in the second half, and there is an interesting ending to the song, where it seems to be over before its final moment. "A Single Woman" was written by poet Rod McKuen, who recorded the song as "The Single Man." Frank Sinatra covered it on his A Man Alone album. That's followed by another song written by Rod McKuen, "Lonesome Cities," this one with a very different vibe. It has a lighter, more playful feel. Frank Sinatra also included this song on A Man Alone. "There's a few more handsome men that I'd like to know/Just a few more handsome men is down the road I go/Maybe when I've seen it all, seen all there is to see/I'll find out I still cannot run away from me," Nina sings. It is interesting, for in the first song she was looking backward, and here she looks forward, and both seem exactly right. No matter what we've experienced, there is more to see, more to do. That's what the message seems to be here, and her voice is the perfect one to deliver it. Michael Melvoin delivers some delightful stuff on piano.
On this album, Nina Simone revisits "If I Should Lose You," a song she included on her 1966 record Wild Is The Wind. "If I should lose you/The stars would fall from the sky." The passion, the blues, the ache, the love are all present in her delivery. "With you beside me/No wind in winter would blow/Baby, with you beside me/A little rose would bloom in the snow." This track features some really nice work by Gerald Albright on tenor saxophone, and by John Chiodini on guitar. That's followed by "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," a song mostly associated with Peggy Lee. At the beginning of the track, Nina dedicates the song to the memory of Errol Barrow. She delivers a gorgeous rendition, the string section figuring prominently. "Love's Been Good To Me" is another song of reflection on a life that has been lived, truly lived. "Still in all, I'm happy/The reason is, you see/Once in a while along the way/Love's been good to me." These songs that look back have been hitting me harder these days. Perhaps it's because as we get older, there is more to look back upon. It's so good to have a voice like Nina Simone's as a companion on this strange journey, to smooth things, to make everything a little better as we get older. It all goes so quickly, doesn't it? This song is one of my personal favorites on this album.
Nina Simone delivers a striking and dramatic rendition of "Papa, Can You Hear Me," a song for all of us who have lost our fathers. It was written for Yentl, and because I detest Barbra Steisand, it's not a song I was all that familiar with. But as done by Nina Simone, it's a song worth hearing. "Papa, can you help me not be frightened?" And while the track might bring tears to your eyes, again, Nina Simone somehow makes it okay. "Can all the words and all the music/Help me to face what lies ahead?" We'll see, we'll see. That's followed by "Il N'y A Pas D'amour Heureux," which is sung in French. Nina Simone delivers a beautiful performance. I don't speak French (my junior high teacher would be so disappointed to hear that) and don't know what she's saying, but am moved nonetheless. Because, really, while we might not understand the words, we understand perfectly her voice, her emotion. This track also features some wonderful work by Frank Marocco on accordion. This track seems to be coming to its conclusion, but then continues.
"Just Say I Love Him" is another song that Nina Simone is revisiting, and I absolutely love the rendition on this album. In fact, it's one of my favorite tracks, featuring some excellent guitar work and an incredible vocal performance. The ache, the yearning, the regret, the understanding are all present in her delivery. "Say I was a fool to leave him/Tell him how much a fool can care." Nina Simone had previously recorded this song for her 1961 album Forbidden Fruit. Things then brighten with "The More I See You," which has a more cheerful vibe, the music kind of swinging. There is a delightful energy to Nina's vocal performance. The track also features some cool stuff by John Clayton on bass. And Jack Sheldon delivers a wonderful lead on trumpet. The original album concludes with another upbeat number, "Marry Me." "You should marry me/I know you don't agree/There's no two ways about it/I should marry you/But I haven't a clue/Of just what to do about it." Those lines make me smile, especially the way Nina Simone sings them. This track also contains some nice work on piano, and more good stuff on bass. This song has a false ending, playfully starting up again after a brief pause to conclude with a fun instrumental section.
Bonus Tracks
The bonus tracks begin with a wonderful rendition of The Beatles' "The Long And Winding Road," with the orchestra backing her. That's followed by an interesting rendition of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," featuring piano and vocals. Listen to the great passion as she sings, "Please get out of the way now if you can't lend a hand." This track is less than a minute long, just a portion of the song. Nina Simone then gets funky with her cover of Prince's "Sign O' The Times," and delivers those lyrics with power and soul and anger and compassion. This is wild, and quite a bit different from everything else on this disc. She laughs on "If it's a boy," and adds, "We'll call it Nina if it's a girl." She really gets into this one, letting loose toward the end. This is fantastic. If you are a Prince fan, you really ought to check out this rendition.
I love baseball, even now, when the powers that be have done their best to ruin the game (the addition of a pitch clock, the runner on second base in extra innings, etc.), and I love songs about baseball (have you guys heard The Baseball Project yet?). Here Nina Simone delivers a delicious, delightful song about Jackie Robinson. Titled "Baseball Boogie," it's just under a minute long. Nina then counts in her rendition of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter," another fun one. She seems to be having a great time, and we can't help but do the same while listening. "A lot of kisses on the bottom/I'll be glad I got 'em." I dig that lead on guitar in the middle. This is another track with a false ending, before the band starts grooving again. After that, she revisits "Do I Move You," a delicious original blues number that she originally included on Nina Simone Sings The Blues. "Are you ready for this action?" Hell, yes! This is so damn good. She gets loose, and again is having a great time. This track contains some really good stuff on keys. It's another of the disc's highlights.
Then we get the first of the previously unreleased tracks, an alternate take on "The Times They Are A-Changin'." I guess there hadn't been a plan on covering the entire song, just a section, for this take is also less than a minute long. Nina then gets into reggae with an excellent cover of "No Woman No Cry." I love how she dives into different musical realms on this disc, and excels in all of them. This track was included on the 2008 edition of the album. By the way, for another version of this song, check out The Montreux Years, released in 2021. This disc's final three tracks were all previously unreleased. The first of those is a different take of "Do I Move You." It is so good to have this extra take included; it too features some great work on piano. I love this. We then get an alternate take of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter." She counts this take in too. This take also contains a really good guitar lead. The disc concludes with an instrumental version of "Baseball Boogie."
CD Track List
- A Single Woman
- Lonesome Cities
- If I Should Lose You
- The Folks Who Live On The Hill
- Love's Been Good To Me
- Papa, Can You Hear Me?
- Il N'y A Pas D'amour Heureux
- Just Say I Love Him
- The More I See You
- Marry Me
- The Long And Winding Road
- The Times They Are A-Changin'
- Sign O' The Times
- Baseball Boogie
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
- Do I Move You (take 2)
- The Times They Are A-Changin' (alternate take)
- No Woman, No Cry
- Do I Move You (take 1)
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (alternate take)
- Baseball Boogie (instrumental)
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