Nina Simone - Emergency Ward!
Nina Simone – vocals (all tracks), piano (A1-B1) [click here to see more vinyl featuring Nina Simone]
Sam Waymon - vocals (A1)
Lisa Stroud - polyrhythms (A1)
Bethany Baptist Church Junior Choir of South Jamaica, New York - vocals (A1)
Orchestration, choral arrangement & conductor : Weldon Irvine Jr.
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Live (A1, B2) & Studio (A2, B1)
Record Press : Pallas
Label : Speakers Corner
Original Label : RCA
Recorded November 18, 1971 at Fort Dix New Jersey (A1, B2) and RCA Studio in New York City (A2, B1)
Engineered by Ed Begley
Produced by Nina Simone, Andrew Stroud and Weldon J. Irvine Jr.
Originally released in 1972
Reissued in 2006
Tracks:
Side A :
- My Sweet Lord
- Today is a Killer
Side B :
- Poppies
- Isn't It a Pity
Reviews:
“This unusual record from 1972 is Nina Simone's statement on the Vietnam War. The cover is a collage of news clippings from the conflict, and the song selection and arrangement, though dealing with matters more spiritual than political, reflect the events of the day. The entire first side consists of a powerhouse medley of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and a poem by David Nelson called "Today Is a Killer," set to music by Simone. The Harrison song is transformed into a sweaty gospel workout that takes its rhythm from the Capitols' "Cool Jerk" and its call-and-response vocal arrangement from the Reverend James Cleveland. Simone artfully alternates the celebratory romp with slow, somber passages featuring her improvised lyrics and passages from the Nelson poem. Even as it passes the 18-minute mark, the medley never loses power, and it remains one of Simone's finest moments. After the triumph of the first side, the flip is only a slight letdown. "Poppies" is melodically vague, but Simone's strong delivery sells it, while George Harrison's "Isn't It a Pity" gets an intense, drawn-out treatment, mostly featuring just Simone's piano and voice. The cover of Emergency Ward! claims it was recorded in concert, but only the first side appears to be live, and even that is riddled with sloppy edits. Though it is one of the stranger records in the Simone oeuvre, Emergency Ward! is consistently thrilling.” AllMusic Review by Mark Richardson
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 , Discogs : 4,3 / 5