Nina Simone was a great fighter for justice. Listening to the words of Strange Fruit always brings a shiver when we hear about the horror she describes. And hear what she says about her duty to reflect the times she lives in.
But for me, the song that means most to me, because I’ve known it almost as long as I can remember is I Wish I Knew. As a teenager it was a jazzy theme tune to Barry Norman’s TV programme Film 64. Then I danced to it as the signature tune of Dick Heckstall-Smith’s great band, Big Chief in the 70s. And only in the noughties did I realise it had inspiring words and was sung by the wonderful Nina Simone. A small group was singing it in harmony at a concert held at Richmond Parkshot’s Jazz Saturday School. And more recently – thanks to Patsy Gilbert (who arranged it for us) and Mary Bourne of Singing It Back – I’ve loved singing it in 4 part harmony too.
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free.
I wish I could break all the chains holding me.
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
Say ‘em loud, say ‘em clear for the whole round world to hear.
I wish I could share all the love that’s in my heart.
Remove all the bars that keep us apart.
I wish you could know what it means to be me,
Then you’d see, and agree that everyone should be free.
I wish I could give like I’m longing to give.
I wish I could live like I’m longing to live.
I wish I could do all the things that I can do
And tho’ I’m way overdue I’d be starting anew.
Well I wish I could be like a bird in the sky.
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly.
Oh I’d soar to the sun and look down at the sea,
Then I’d sing ‘cos I know
Then I’d sing ‘cos I know
Yes I’d sing ‘cos I know How it feels to be free
Words by Dick Dallas, music by Billly Taylor
It’s easy to look back warmly on the achievements of the civil rights movement in the US, and the end of apartheid in S Africa. But there’s still a long way to go. Think of Assam’s tea-pickers, cotton pickers in Uzbekhistan (text (3mins), video (9mins)), the persecution of China’s 10 million Muslim Uighurs, and the Palestinians behind the wall in Gaza.