Who were Young Gifted and Black in the sixties
To Be Young, Gifted and Black the song were recorded by Donny Hathaway (on his 1970 album "Everything Is Everything"), Aretha Franklin (on her 1972 album "Young, Gifted and Black") and Bob and Marcia (whose 1970 recording reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart and number 15 in Ireland). Jamaican rocksteady/reggae trio The Heptones recorded a version for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label in 1970. American singer Meshell Ndegeocello included a version on her 2012 tribute album "". Elton John recorded a version of "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" prior to his solo success. Intended to be released as a low-budget sound-alike version of
To Be Young, Gifted and Black To Be Young, Gifted and Black "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. It was written in memory of Simone's late friend Lorraine Hansberry, author of the play "A Raisin in the Sun", who had died in 1965 aged 34. The song was originally recorded and released by Simone in 1969, also featuring on her 1970 album "Black Gold", and was a Civil Rights Movement anthem. Released as a single, it peaked at number eight on the R&B chart and number 76 on the Hot 100. Notable cover versions of