Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Nina Simone’s 1969 song “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” was taken to church with Aretha’s powerful vocals and piano skills on display in her 1972 gospel version. The song was inspired by the 1968 stage play of the same name, composed of unpublished works from A Raisin in the Sun writer Lorraine Hans...
[Intro]
To be young, gifted and Black
Oh, what a lovely precious thing
Oh, when you're, yes, yes, when you're
When you're young
Yeah, thank you, Jesus
Gifted and Black
Open your heart is all I need
[Verse]
In this whole world, you know
There are millions of boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and Black
With their souls intact, and that's a fact
"You are young, gifted and Black"
We must begin to tell our young
"There's a world waiting for you, you
Yours is the quest that's just begun"
When you're feeling real low
Here's a great truth you should remember and know
That you're young, gifted and Black
You got your soul intact, oh, and that's a fact
[Outro]
You're young, gifted and Black
Oh, it's a mighty sweet thing, yes, it is now
Young, gifted and Black
Oh, my sisters
Young, gifted and Black
You're young and you're Black, you got your soul intact
You got the future, don't you know it's a fact?
Young, gifted and Black
Young—
Young, Gifted and Black was written by Weldon Irvine & Nina Simone.
Young, Gifted and Black was produced by Tom Dowd & Arif Mardin & Jerry Wexler.
Aretha Franklin released Young, Gifted and Black on Mon Jan 24 1972.