LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

180 gram audiophile vinyl

No slouch as a songwriter herself, Nina Simone ably picked a variety of compositional classics from the new Rock era for her 1969 LP To Love Somebody. Opening with a beautiful, introspective version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne," Simone shows an obvious affinity for social statements with the Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" and a trio of Dylan standards: "I Shall Be Released," "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," plus a dramatic, meditative "The Times They Are A-Changin'."

The album title is taken from the Bee Gees song "To Love Somebody". Her cover of the song became her second British hit single after "Ain't Got No-I Got Life". Also "I Can't See Nobody" is a song by the Bee Gees. "Revolution" (parts 1 & 2) was Simone's third subsequent single released in the UK, after "Ain't Got No-I Got Life" and "To Love Somebody" both became hits. The song was released around the time of the same titled song by The Beatles and, although it has a similar hook ("Don't you know it's gonna be - all right") and structure, most of the lyrics differ.

Side A
1. Suzanne
2. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)
3. Revolution (Part I)
4. Revolution (Part II)
5. To Love Somebody

Side B
1. I Shall Be Released
2. I Can't See Nobody
3. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
4. The Times They Are A-Changin'