Pastel Blues

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Pastel Blues is a studio album by Jazz singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone. It was recorded in 1964 and 1965 in New York City and released in 1965 by Philips Records. The name Pastel Blues is somewhat deceiving because the songs on the album incorporate different musical styles besides the blues, such as jazz, soul and folk music.

Information about songs on this album

• "Be My Husband" was written by Andrew Stroud, Simone's husband and manager at the time. She sings it a cappella with her handclapping and a hi-hat as her only accompaniment. The song was later retitled as "Be Your Husband" and covered by Jeff Buckley on Live at Sine-é (2003). The song was also covered by Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan on Rice's Live from the Union Chapel, sung by Hannigan while other band members beat on the backs of guitars and other instruments.
• "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" was originally sung by Bessie Smith. She was a blues singer in the 1920s/1930s and her songs had a great influence on Simone.
• "Tell Me More and More and Then Some" and "Strange Fruit" were originally sung by Billie Holiday.
• "Sinnerman" is one of Simone's most famous songs. Simone learned the lyrics of this more than 10 minute song when it was used on revival meetings by her mother to help people confess their sins. An earlier version of this song exists, recorded live at The Village Gate, but was never used on the Colpix album Nina at the Village Gate (1962). "Sinnerman" has been featured in various films, commercials and remixes, including The Thomas Crown Affair, Cellular, the Absinthe Films snowboarding video Futureproof, in episodes of the TV shows Scrubs, Sherlock, Person of Interest and The Blacklist, the David Lynch film Inland Empire, the video game Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, remixes by Hip-hop producer Kanye West, and Felix da Housecat (for Verve Record's Verve Remixed series). Bob Marley & The Wailers also recorded a slightly different version in 1966.

Track listing

1. "Be My Husband" (Andy Stroud) – 3:20
2. "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Jimmy Cox) – 2:38
3. "End of the Line" (John Edmondson, Cynthia Medley) – 2:54
4. "Trouble in Mind" (Richard Jones) – 2:40
5. "Tell Me More and More and Then Some" (Billie Holiday) – 3:08
6. "Chilly Winds Don't Blow" (Hermann Krasnow, William Lovelock) – 4:01
7. "Ain't No Use" (Rudy Stevenson) – 3:00
8. "Strange Fruit" (Lewis Allan) – 3:29
9. "Sinnerman" (Traditional; arranged by Nina Simone) – 10:19

Personnel

• Nina Simone – piano, vocals, arranger
• Al Schackman – guitar, harmonica
• Rudy Stevenson – guitar, flute
• Lisle Atkinson – bass
• Bobby Hamilton – drums

Charts

Chart 1965	Peak position
Billboard 200	139
Billboard R&B Chart	8