High Priestess of Soul

High Priestess of Soul
Studio album by Nina Simone
Released	1967
Recorded	New York, 1965–1966
Genre	Jazz, blues, folk, R&B
Length	35:51
Label	Philips
Producer	Hal Mooney
Nina Simone chronology
Wild Is the Wind (1966)Wild Is the Wind1966 High Priestess of Soul (1967) Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967)Nina Simone Sings the Blues1967

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Pitchfork	9.2/10[2]

High Priestess of Soul is a studio album by jazz singer, pianist and songwriter Nina Simone. The songs are accompanied by a large band directed and arranged by Hal Mooney. The album contains popular songs (such as "Don't You Pay Them No Mind") and African American gospel and folk related songs written by Simone herself (such as "Take Me to the Water" and "Come Ye"). After this album title –an attempt to broaden her appeal by management execs– Nina Simone was sometimes titled “the high priestess of soul”, although she completely rejected the title herself because it placed a label on her as an artist. However, according to her daughter, Simone, she never hated that moniker.^[3]

Information about songs on this album

• The songs "I Hold No Grudge" and "He Ain't Comin' Home No More" were co-written by Andy Badale, the pseudonym of Angelo Badalamenti, who later became known as the composer of the soundtracks for the films of David Lynch. Simone recorded also "Another Spring" by Badalamenti and Clifford for her album Nina Simone and Piano released 1969.
• An earlier recording of the soul-jazz hit "Work Song" by Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown, Jr. had been featured on Forbidden Fruit (1961, also featured on the compilation Nina’s Choice from 1963). In 1966 Simone recorded the song once again With Strings.
• The last track "I Love My Baby" is a composition by Andy Stroud to whom Simone was married from 1960 until 1970. His company Stroud Productions also produced many of her albums.

Track listing

Charts

References