Nina Simone on the Brain!

First, I just have to comment on Dr. Sexson's musical selection this semester. Not only has he introduced me to a handful of artists I've never even heard of, he has brought Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone into the classroom. I love Nina Simone, obviously the song 'Feelin' Good' because I'm pretty sure everyone likes that song, but I was particularly impressed with 'Sinner Man' as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you Dr. Sexson for incorporating some modern (or not so modern) musicians into our classroom discussions.

Thomas Wells made the connection between 'Sinner Man' and the song 'Get By' by Talib Kwele, which is awesome. Kanye West sampled Simone's song for that particular track, and I think it's great someone in the class likes this music! I've been getting in to it more and more....especially Common... but like Wells said, enough about Hip Hop. That's not the reason for my blog either.

Here are the lyrics for SinnerMan:

Oh Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Where you gonna run to?
All on that day
Well I run to the rock, please hide me
I run to the rock,please hide me
I run to the rock, please hide me, Lord
All on that day
But the rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I ain't gonna hide you guy
All on that day
I said, Rock, what's a matter with you rock?
Don't you see I need you, rock?
Lord, Lord, Lord
All on that day
So I run to the river, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
All on that day
So I run to the river, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
All on that day
So I run to the Lord, please hide me Lord
Don't you see me prayin'?
Don't you see me down here prayin'?
But the Lord said, go to the devil
The Lord said, go to the devil
He said, go to the devil
All on that day
So I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
Ran to the devil, he was waitin'
All on that day
I cried -
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[8x]
Bring down,
(Power to da lord),
[4x]
POWER!!!
(power to da lord)
[12x]

(Instrumental)

Oh yeah, Woh yeah, Woh yeah
Well I run to the river, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
All on that day
So I ran to the Lord
I said, Lord hide me, please hide me
please help me
All on that day
He said, child, where were you
when you oughta been prayin'?
I said,Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
All on that day
Sinnerman you oughta be prayin'
Oughta be prayin', Sinnerman
Oughta be prayin',
All on that day
I cried -
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[12x]
Go down
(Power to da Lord)
[3x]
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[3x]
Power, Power, Lord
Don't you know I need you Lord
Don't you know that I need you
Don't you know that I need you
Power, Lord!

The song obviously depicts Revelations 16 where the bowls of wrath are poured out placing judgment on every human being. The people in Revelations turn away from God when they should have been praying, which the song shows in its lines. When the people face judgment they turn away from God when they should have looked to him, or at least I think that's what the song entails. The connection between this song and the Book of Revelations is obvious, I know, but I wanted to have a blog about it because I always love to make a musical connection with the Bible if I can. I have found, in my experience, it has helped me to understand the Bible more deeply, which is why I have been so thrilled that Dr. Sexson has been bringing music to class. :)