Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Live in New York, c. 1968)

For those not subscribed to my channel, I upload very few videos that aren't related to Bob Dylan. But I managed to get my hands on this footage and couldn't help sharing it with the world. This is one of the best live performances I've seen by any artist. It was filmed sometime between 1968 and 1969 at the Village Gate nightclub in New York City.

I hadn't listened to much of Nina Simone until I watched the Netflix documentary "What Happened, Miss Simone?" This performance kicked open the door to my soul. The film had only short clips of it though, so I scoured the internet for the full version. To my disappointment, all the available videos seemed to be VHS bootlegs (terrible visual and audio quality). I finally found this beautifully clear version after many months of searching.

I could not upload the entire performance due to copyright issues, but the most moving part of the song is completely intact; at 1:20, Simone has her band and the entire audience singing "'Cause I know" (in reference to the lyric "Then I'd sing, 'cause I know / How it feels to be free") while she improvises incredible lines ("I wouldn't know myself / I'd have new hands / I'd have new visions / My eyes would be open"). And her eyes tell you she means every word of it (especially at 3:00). Watch this from the beginning without any distractions. If you really tune into this performance, it might kick open the door to your soul too.

Although this performance is just as much visual one as it is a musical one, I highly recommend you listen to the full version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQq8dG_RKXs&t=46s.

LYRICS:
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 every man should be free

I wish I could give
All I'm longin' to give
I wish I could live
Like I'm longin' to live
I wish I could do
All the things that I can do
And though 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 'cause I know
How it feels to be free

Love & Peace,
~SP