Released June 24, 1958 Artist Nina Simone Label Bethlehem Records | Length 41:24 Release date 24 June 1958 | |
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Recorded New York City, December 1957 Little Girl Blue
(1958) Nina Simone and Her Friends
(1959) Genres Jazz, Gospel music, Vocal jazz Similar Nina Simone albums, Jazz albums |
Little Girl Blue is the debut album by jazz singer, pianist and songwriter Nina Simone, released by Bethlehem Records. Simone was in her mid-20s at the time, and still aspiring to be a classical concert pianist. She immediately sold the rights for the songs on this album to Bethlehem for $3,000, with the deal eventually costing her royalty profits of more than a million dollars. Simone was dissatisfied by the lack of effort the record company took in promoting her, and after this album she formed a long business relationship with Colpix Records. The album Nina Simone and Her Friends was released after she had left Bethlehem, without her consent, and comprised songs that were left over from the Little Girl Blue recording session. The session was the only one ever recorded for Bethlehem.
Contents
The original 1958 album was released in mono, but a second issue the following year, by Bethlehem Records (SBCP-6028), was stereo.
The album was reissued by Bethlehem in 1992 on CD (Bethlehem 30042), with three additional tracks from the same session: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", "For All We Know" and "African Mailman". This format was released again in 2002, as Jazz as Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club by Charly / Snapper Music (SNAP 216 CD), remastered and with the addition of "My Baby Just Cares for Me (Extended Version)".
Song information
Track listing
- "Mood Indigo" - (Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard, Irving Mills)
- "Don't Smoke in Bed" - (Willard Robison)
- "He Needs Me" - (Arthur Hamilton)
- "Little Girl Blue" - (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
- "Love Me or Leave Me" - (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn)
- "My Baby Just Cares for Me" - (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn)
- "Good Bait" (instrumental) - (Count Basie, Tadd Dameron)
- "Plain Gold Ring" - (George Stone (aka Earl Burroughs))
- "You'll Never Walk Alone" (instrumental) - (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II)
- "I Loves You, Porgy" - (DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)
- "Central Park Blues" (instrumental) - (Nina Simone)
Personnel
Songs
1Mood Indigo4:02
2Don' Smoke in Bed3:12
3He Needs Me2:30