Nina Simone - Sinnerman May 2026

: Some critics view the song as an exploration of identity and the "creative destruction" required for personal growth and transformation.

: The recording features Simone on piano and vocals, Al Schackman and Rudy Stevenson on guitar, Lisle Atkinson on double bass, and Bobby Hamilton on drums.

: The song is an African American traditional spiritual that dates back to the early 20th century.

: Simone learned the song as a child from her mother, a Methodist minister, who used it at revival meetings to help people confess their sins.

: Before recording it for Pastel Blues , Simone often used "Sinnerman" to close her sets in Greenwich Village, intending to "shake people up" so they would leave the club "in pieces". Musical Composition

Crying to the Lord: Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" - VoegelinView