Ron's World Music of Love And Hope: 2021

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Isn't It a Pity

There are plenty of places to start exploring Nina Simone’s music, from the songs that have worked their way into our cultural fabric through soundtracks and TV commercials to the more challenging music she made as she evolved musically, personally, and politically. One thing we’d beg you to check out on the way is her epic expansion of George Harrison’s “Isn’t It A Pity.”

Isn't it a pity

Isn't it a pity

You don't know what I'm talking about yet

But I will tell you soon

It's a pity

Isn't it a pity

Isn't it a shame

Yes, how we break each other's hearts And cause each other pain

How we take each other's love

Without thinking anymore

Forgetting to give back

Forgetting to remember

Just forgetting and no thank you

Isn't it a pity

Some things take so long

But how do I explain

Why not too many people can see

That we are all just the same

We're all guilty

Because of all the tears

Our eyes just can't hope to see

But I don't think it's applicable to me

The beauty that surrounds them

Child isn't it a pity

How we break each other's hearts

And cause each other pain

How we take each other's love The most precious thing

Without thinking anymore

Forgetting to give back

Forgetting to keep open our door

Isn't it a pity Isn't it a pity

Some things take so long

But how do I explain

Isn't it a pity

Why not too many people

Can see we're all the same

Because we cry so much

Our eyes can't, can't hope to see

That's not quite true

The beauty that surrounds them

Maybe that's why we cry God, isn't it a pity

Lord knows it's a pity

Mankind has been so programmed

That they don't care about nothin'

That has to do with care C-a-r-e

How we take each other's love The most precious thing

Without thinking anymore

Forgetting to give back

Forgetting to keep open the door

But I understand some things take so long

But how do I explain

Why not too many people Can see we're just the same

And because of all their tears

Their eyes can't hope to see

The beauty that surrounds them

God, isn't it a pity

The beauty that surrounds them

It's a pity We take each other's love

Just take it for granted Without thinking anymore

We give each other pain And we shut every door

We take each other's minds

And we're capable of taking each other's souls

We do it every day Just to reach some financial goal

Lord, isn't it a pity, my God

Isn't it a pity, my God

And so unnecessary

Just a little time, a little care A little note was written in the air

Just the little thank you,

We just forget to give back

Cause we're moving too fast Moving too fast

Forgetting to give back But some things take so long

And I cannot explain

The beauty that surrounds us

And we don't see it We think things are just the same

We've been programmed that way

Isn't it a pity

If you want to feel sorry Isn't it a pity

Isn't it a pity

The beauty sets the beauty that surrounds us

Because of all our tears

Our eyes can't hope to see

Maybe one day at least

I'll see me And just concentrate on givin',

givin', givin', givin'

And till that day

Mankind doesn't stand a chance

Don't know nothin' about romance

Everything is plastic Isn't it a pity My God.

Harrison wrote the song about the breakup of the Beatles, but Simone moves it somewhere more personal in terms of her own struggles and more global in terms of the civil rights movement and the disillusionment that followed. She makes critical changes to the lyrics — sometimes as simple as changing a pronoun, sometimes profound as adding entire lines that call the motives, morality, and future of all mankind into question — and with little more than her voice and piano, turns a rock song into an expansive mix of all the music she knows, from Bach to the blues to gospel to jazz. She sings she cries, she preaches. And she plays her ass off. It’s a performance as complex and beautiful and challenging as Miss Simone herself.