Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Live in New York, c. 1968)

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For those not subscribed to my channel, I upload very few videos that aren't related to Bob Dylan. But I managed to get my hands on this footage and couldn't help sharing it with the world. This is one of the best live performances I've seen by any artist. It was filmed sometime between 1968 and 1969 at the Village Gate nightclub in New York City.

I hadn't listened to much of Nina Simone until I watched the Netflix documentary "What Happened, Miss Simone?" This performance kicked open the door to my soul. The film had only short clips of it though, so I scoured the internet for the full version. To my disappointment, all the available videos seemed to be VHS bootlegs (terrible visual and audio quality). I finally found this beautifully clear version after many months of searching.

I could not upload the entire performance due to copyright issues, but the most moving part of the song is completely intact; at 1:20, Simone has her band and the entire audience singing "'Cause I know" (in reference to the lyric "Then I'd sing, 'cause I know / How it feels to be free") while she improvises incredible lines ("I wouldn't know myself / I'd have new hands / I'd have new visions / My eyes would be open"). And her eyes tell you she means every word of it (especially at 3:00). Watch this from the beginning without any distractions. If you really tune into this performance, it might kick open the door to your soul too.

Although this performance is just as much visual one as it is a musical one, I highly recommend you listen to the full version here

LYRICS:

I wish I knew how

It would feel to be free

I wish I could break

All the chains holding me

I wish I could say

All the things that I should say

Say 'em loud, say 'em clear

For the whole round world to hear

I wish I could share

All the love that's in my heart

Remove all the bars

That keep us apart

I wish you could know

What it means to be me

Then you'd see and agree

That every man should be free

I wish I could give

All I'm longin' to give

I wish I could live

Like I'm longin' to live

I wish I could do

All the things that I can do

And though I'm way overdue

I'd be starting anew

Well I wish I could be

Like a bird in the sky

How sweet it would be

If I found I could fly

Oh I'd soar to the sun

And look down at the sea

Then I'd sing 'cause I know

How it feels to be free

Love & Peace,

~SP