Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me

Nina Simone’s “Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me” on Double Play captures the jazz pianist and vocalist at her most defiant—a Duke Ellington standard transformed into a vehicle for her unmistakable contralto and sharp political consciousness. Released during her most prolific period, the track showcases her ability to bend bebop and swing into something far more personal, layering classical training with blues sensibility. Simone’s interpretation strips away easy charm, replacing it with the kind of urgency that made her a voice of the civil rights movement.