美国名人 女歌手、作曲家、钢琴表演家 妮娜·西蒙.docx

美国名人女歌手、作曲家、钢琴表演家妮娜西蒙NinaSimoneWasaSingerandActivistintheCivilRightsMovementofthe1960splaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:22repeatByCatyWeaver2006-9-16VOICEONE:mFaithLapidus.VOICETWO:AndmSteveEmberwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPeopleinAmerica.TodaywetellaboutsingerNinaSimoneandplaysomeofhermusic.Shewasalsoactiveinthecivilrightsmovementofthenineteensixties.(MUSIC:"Young,GiftedandBlack")VOICEONE:NinaSimonewroteandperformedthesongyoujustheard.Itiscalled"Young,GiftedandBlack."Inthenineteensixties,amajorblackcivilrightsgroupdeclareditthenationalsongofblackpeopleinAmerica.NinaSimonewasveryyoungwhenhermusicalabilityfirstappeared.Shecouldplaysongsonthepianowhenshewasthreeyearsold.Shelearnedbylisteningtomusicandthensearchingforthecorrectpianokeys.Inabookaboutherlife,NinaSimonewrotethateverythingthathappenedtoherasachildinvolvedmusic.Shesaidherfirstmemorywasofhermothersinging.ShesaidhermotheralwayssangChristiansongsaroundthehouse.Thatinfluenceshowsupyearslaterintherecordingof"IfYouPrayRight"onMizSimone'salbum"Baltimore."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:NinaSimonewasbornEuniceKathleenWaymoninnineteenthirty-threeinthesoutherntownofTryon,NorthCarolina.Herparentsownedseveralbusinessesthere.HermotherwasalsoaMethodistminister.Thefamilyoftenlivedinabighouseandmadegoodearnings.However,difficulteconomictimesintheUnitedStateshurtthefamily'sbusinesses.Thefamilyhadtomovetosmallerhomesastheirfinancescontinuedtoshrink.VOICEONE:Intime,Eunice'smotherwenttoworkcleaninghouseforawhitewomaninthetown.ThewomanknewaboutNina'spianoplaying.ShesuggestedthatMissusWaymonsendherdaughtertoapianoteacherforlessons.WhenMissusWaymonsaidthefamilydidnothavethemoney,heremployersaidshewouldpayforthegirl'sfirstyearoflessons.NinaSimonewrotethatshegrewtoloveherfirstpianoteacher,awhitewomanfromEngland.Infact,theteacherhelpedsetupfinancialassistanceforNina'slessons.NinaSimonealsowroteabouthowmuchshelikedhermother'semployer.Shewrotethat,asachild,sheexpectedallwhitepeopletobeaskindastheywere.VOICETWO:EuniceWaymonhadherfirstpublicperformancewhenshewaseleven.Manypeopleinthetownhadgivenmoneytohelppayforlessonsfortheyoungpianist.MizSimonewrotethatitwasexpectedshewouldperformtoshowthemwhattheirmoneyhadproduced.Theperformancewasatthetownhall.Eunicewasatthepiano.Shelookedatherparentsjustbeforeshewastoplay.Shesawthembeingforcedfromtheirseatsinthefront.Awhitefamilywantedtositintheirplace.Herparentsdidnotresist.Theyounggirlstoodupandspoke.Shesaidnoonewouldhearherplayifherparentswerenotreturnedtotheirseats.Theywereandtheconcertbegan.VOICEONE:NinaSimonewrotethatherwholeworldchangedinthatmoment.Shesaidnothingwaseasyanymore.Shewrotethatracismbecamerealforherliketheturningonofalight.NinaSimonecontinuedtostandupandspeakout.OneofhermostfamoussongsexpressedherangeraboutthetreatmentofblackpeopleinAmerica."MississippiGoddam"wasreleasedinnineteensixty-three.MizSimonewrotethesonginreactiontoextremeviolenceagainstblackAmericans.TheincidentsincludedthemurderofacivilrightsactivistinMississippiandthekillingsoffouryounggirlsinAlabama.(MUSIC:"MississippiGoddam")VOICETWO:EuniceWaymongraduatedfromhighschoolatthetopofherclassinnineteenfifty.ShemovedtoNewYorkCitytoattendthefamousJuilliardSchoolofMusic.Shehadbeenawardedmoneytopayforoneyearattheschool.Afterthatfirstyear,Eunicehadtosupportherselffinancially.Forawhilesheworkedasapianoplayerforpeoplestudyingsinging.ThenshelearnedofsummerjobsinAtlanticCity,NewJersey,thatpaidmoremoney.ShewenttoAtlanticCityandgotajobplayingpianoatadrinkingplace.Onhersecondnight,shewastoldshehadtosingalso.Eunicehadneversunginpublicbefore.NinaSimonelatertoldareporterthatshedecidedjusttotrytosoundlikethefamoussingerBillieHoliday.Shegotthejob.NinaSimonerecordedanumberofsongsmadefamousbyBillieHoliday.SomeofMizSimone'sversionsalsobecamepopular,likethissong,"Don'tExplain."(MUSIC)VOICEONE:EuniceWaymonbecameNinaSimonebecauseofthejobatthedrinkingplace.Shesaidshechangedhernamebecauseshedidnotwantherparentstoknowwhatshewasdoing.Butshecouldnothidehercareerforverylong.Innineteenfifty-eight,NinaSimonerecordedherfirstalbum.Itwascalled"LittleGirlBlue."OnesongbecameatopradiohitinAmerica.Itis"ILovesYou,Porgy"fromGeorgeGershwin'soperaz"PorgyandBess."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:NinaSimonebecameveryactiveinthecivilrightsmovementinthenineteensixties.Shecametobeknownasaprotestsinger.Shewasalsocalledthe"HighPriestessofSoul."Butshedidnotlikeeitherdescription.NinaSimoneoftensaidshehatedtobelinkedwithanyonekindofmusicormessage.Shesangitall-blueszjazz,Christianspirituals,rockandrollandpop.MizSimonewasmarriedtwotimes.Shehadadaughter;Lisazwhoisalsoasinger.NinaSimonelefttheUnitedStatesinnineteenseventy-three.ShesaidshewasangryaboutthetreatmentofblackpeopleinAmerica.ShelivedintheCaribbeanandAfricabeforesettlinginFrance.Shediedthereattheageofseventyintwothousandthree.OneofNinaSimone'smostpopularsongswas"IPutaSpellOnYou."Shetookthetitleforthebookshewroteaboutherlife,publishedinnineteenninety-two.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramw