I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
| "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Nina Simone | |
| from the album Silk & Soul | |
| Released | 1967 |
| Genre | Gospel, Jazz |
| Length | 3:06 |
| Label | RCA Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Taylor, Richard Carroll Lamb (Dick Dallas) |
"I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" is a jazz song written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas. Taylor's original version (as "I Wish I Knew") was recorded on November 12, 1963, and released on his Right Here, Right Now! album (Capitol ST-2039) the following year. His 1967 instrumental take was later used as the theme music for the Film... review programme series on BBC Television.
Taylor said: "I wrote this song, perhaps my best-known composition, for my daughter Kim. This is one of the best renditions I’ve done, because it is very spiritual."[1]
Cover versions
The song served as an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in America in the 1960s.[2] It was used as the theme for the 2004 Olympics, and as the music for Coca-Cola (2004, featuring Sharlene Hector of Basement Jaxx) and Swisscom (2012) commercials. A widely played version was recorded by Nina Simone in 1967 on her Silk & Soul album
Other artists who have covered the song include Illinois Jacquet (1968), John Denver (1969), Jools Holland (1997) and Emeli Sandé (2012)
References
- ↑ Billy Taylor Discography
- ↑ Anderson, Sheila E. How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed, Allworth Communications, Inc. p. 67 (2005) - ISBN 1-58115-416-X
External links
- "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free". American Treasures of the Library of Congress. July 27, 2010.
