| "To be Young, Gifted and Black" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Nina Simone from the album Black Gold | ||||
| Released | 1970 | |||
| Recorded | album recording live at Philharmonic Hall, single was a studio recording | |||
| Genre | Soul, Blues, Gospel, Civil Rights Anthem | |||
| Label | RCA Records | |||
| Writer | Weldon Irvine | |||
| Composer | Nina Simone | |||
| Producer | Stroud productions | |||
| Cover versions | ||||
| Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway | ||||
| Black Gold track listing | ||||
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"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 Raisin in the Sun. The song was originally recorded by Simone for her 1970 album Black Gold; released as a single, it became a Top Ten R&B hit and a Civil Rights anthem. 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 charts). The Jamaican rocksteady/reggae trio The Heptones recorded a version for Coxson Dodd's Studio One label in 1970.
Elton John recorded a version of "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" prior to his solo success. Intended to be released as a low budget sound-alike version of the original, it was later reissued on the compilation album Covers as Sung by Elton John.