Nina Simone - I Got It Bad

Year Released: Nina Simone recorded "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" multiple times throughout her career. A prominent and highly regarded version appeared on her 1965 album, I Put A Spell On You.
Genre: Vocal Jazz, Blues, Soul.
Detailed Description Containing Key Facts: "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" is a classic jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, written for the 1941 musical Jump for Joy. Nina Simone, the "High Priestess of Soul," brought her inimitable vocal style and profound interpretive genius to the song. Her versions are characterized by her deep, resonant voice, impeccable phrasing, and the emotional intensity she infused into every lyric. She often performed it with a sparse, blues-inflected piano accompaniment, allowing the raw vulnerability and quiet desperation of the lyrics to shine through. Simone's rendition strips away any Broadway showiness, transforming it into a powerful, introspective lament about unrequited or painful love. Her ability to convey complex emotions with such authenticity made her interpretations of standards uniquely her own, solidifying her status as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists of the 20th century, transcending the boundaries of jazz, blues, and soul.