Sing Blackbird: Four Women
- Madalyn McKnight
- Nov 18, 2016
- 1 min read
I love music. Personally, it is my life and I can’t imagine a day without it. What this blackbird is singing today are words and melodies written by my old and faithful friend Nina Simone. Her music inspires, slays, and comforts. She was a talent that this world did not deserve. A true gem. I think it only right for my song of the day to be “Four Women”.
It tells a story of four different black women and their struggles in life. She describes each one in detail and gives their names in the most vivid expression of song I have ever heard.The first line of the song is , “my skin is black, my arms are long; my hair is wooly, my back is strong”. Nina was a dark-skinned, tall, proud kinky crown wearing queen and when I look at her I see myself. She was a force in music and social justice. An activist with an attitude she did not let her struggles with mental illness keep her from being great. And that she most definitely was. Her imperfections gave her space to create and through music she healed the pain she endured from physical and verbal abuse. Her name is power, her face is beautiful, and her spirit is immortal. Her weapon is her piano and her voice is necessary. When I hear her music I am transported in her world.
It’s one of my favorite places to be.
photo credit: ThatMakesThree Nina Simone – Stencil via photopin (license)
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