Written By Mandy Vo
I first came across Little Girl Blue, a couple years ago, when searching for new Christmas songs. This was also my first time listening to Nina Simone, and it changed my life for the better. Nina Simone was mainly an American singer, who displayed her talent through jazz and beautiful blues. She was a civil rights activist as well, and a lot of her music and songs reflected that. Throughout the years of being a Simone listener, I have found that her music and her soul is kind and genuine. Little Girl Blue was my first Nina Simone album and my favorite.
Compared to her other albums, Little Girl Blue is more melancholy. It has a sadder side to it. In this album, she portrays loss and confusion for a particular something. This album remains innocent, while bringing up the loss of her own innocence. Everything about this album is tender and intimate, for example, the album cover. Most of her album covers are close up portraits of her, but she looks gentle in this one. She is sitting on a park bench alone, longing for something more. The whole meaning of this album is to focus on the vulnerable parts of her and her personal life, mentions of trauma and abuse, and her mental health and painful emotions.
Nina Simone is well-known for her powerful and unique voice, which is emphasized in this album. The album is split into two, joyous and sorrowful. Even in her sorrowful songs, her voice breaks through, meaningful rhythms and lyrics. Her dedication in this album is clearly shown through her piano work; she makes an impact without singing anything in “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The first song that I discovered on this album (and my favorite) was “He Needs Me.” This song was different from the other ones in this album, with the soft and almost hesitant piano and voice. This song is about a loved one who does not realize his indifference towards her. She does not sing out of hatred, but instead, understanding and patience. This is what makes Nina Simone special, her music is always compassionate, never angry. The aspects of jazz are really showcased in this album, but especially in this song. “Plain Gold Ring” is similar, talking about a man who she is in love with, but he is with someone else. Her message and voice is forgiving, but the instruments tell another story. It makes you listen to her heartbreak. In her happier and upbeat songs in this album, it centers on hope and resilience. Simone reminds people and the world, in her music, that life moves on and nothing is stuck forever. In a lot of her songs, the music and the tension of the instruments build up, representing that a new life is to come. The pressure and stress is letting go. These have an optimistic feel to them. Some examples of this are “My Baby Just Cares For Me” and “Good Bait.”
The song itself, “Little Girl Blue” reflects the reality of the harsh world, experiences of racism and need for connection. This song talks about emotions of comfort, while trying to provide listeners with comfort. In every single song, there is a meaning for everyone. Little Girl Blue is always my go-to album when I need jazz and a gentle reminder of why Nina Simone will always be one of my favorites.