Nina Simone is one of the greatest American black musicians, who clawed her way to fame and success through sheer talent and hard work, despite the various roadblocks put in her way by segregation, racism, and misogyny that dominated and still dominates the public scene in the US. She was born in 1933, during her youth and adulthood she managed to see the worst that the American society has to offer to women of color who try to make a name for themselves in music (Menconi 30). Having lived through segregation, racism, and sexism of the 1940s-1960s, he became an idol for racial and social justice.
She is an inspirational figure to many, including myself, showing that an unflinching spirit and an unwillingness to give up can make it through anything. She was denied access to Curtis Institute of Music, and played in bars and on the streets to get by and pursue her calling (Gaines 14). In the end, she became renowned in many styles of music, from jazz to classical and pop, with no institutional barriers bringing her down (Gaines 5). Whenever I read her story and listen to her music, I think that compared to her troubles and hurdles she had to jump through, my personal barriers are pathetically small. Therefore, I have no excuse but to persevere through and reach out for my dreams. Nina Simone’s story and music inspires me to fight. I connect with the artist not only through her music but also through knowledge of what she experienced and fought for, opposing marginalization of minorities and systematic racism in music.
Some of the primary themes in Simone’s art are the themes of personal freedom and liberation. One of my favorite songs of hers that demonstrates that is “Just in Time.” The song speaks about living in the moment, and how a single day in someone’s life can change a lifetime forever (“Nina Simone – Just in Time (Lyrics)”). Its deeper meaning, translated both through words, music, and the overall mood, seeks to describe how people become so caught up in their lives and daily routines that they forget where they are going in the first place. It reaffirms the main purpose in life – the pursuit of happiness, and how it should not be sacrificed in the name of what others and the society demand of you (“Nina Simone – Just in Time (Lyrics)”). The song shows that, if a person would allow themselves to live in the moment just once, it may become one of the fondest memories yet, and may even help build a much happier future.
Personally, this song always made me think about my life decisions. It helped me re-evaluate my goals and desires and separate those that come from within from those forced upon me by family and the society, with their sets of expectations and rules that do not necessarily align with mine. It set me on a journey of self-discovery and deep reflection. It also offered me a good way to evaluate my relationships with people – to let go of those I kept merely out of habit or personal gain, and relate to people I truly liked, enjoying our moments together as though it was my last day on this Earth.
For this reason, the song “Just in Time,” was used during the final scenes of the film titled “Before Sunset” – the third film in the award-winning “Before” trilogy, which has the subjects of personal freedom and liberation as centerpieces of their storytelling. The film itself tells a tale of two people – Jesse and Celine, that were meant to be together, but chose to distance from one another for various reasons, from careers to personal fears about the longevity and quality of the relationship (“Before Sunset”). The final scene, which features the song, describes the two having an evening date with one another for the last time, before going separate ways. The man, Jesse, has to board a plane soon after, but for the sake of this moment of happiness, he chooses to miss the plane and stay with his beloved for longer, enjoying happiness for the first time in 9 years.
This scene of personal choice to willfully ignore the restraints and obligations of the real world resonates well with the sensual ending of the previous part of the trilogy – “Before Sunrise.” It was when Jesse and Celine first met, one on the run from his old life, and the other – questioning her life choices to marry a person, who, in 10-20 years, would turn out to be the “same boring, unmotivated guy” (“Before Sunrise”). The two make a choice to enjoy a night together before departing to their own commitments, with a broken promise and a twinge of bitter-sweet regret. They were brave enough to live in the moment and experience personal liberation, but did not dare to go through with it all the way. These films were eye-opening for me, as they showed me two people who could have been happy all their lives, but waddled through the muck of mundanity with people they never really cared about. It is why the ending in “Before Sunset” was so enjoyable for me – they finally made a choice, and the song “Just in Time” highlighted that moment perfectly.
References
“Before Sunrise,” Youtube. 2016. Web.
“Before Sunset,” Youtube. 2018. Web.
Gaines, Malik. Black Performance on the Outskirts of the Left: A History of the Impossible. NYU Press, 2017.
Menconi, David. Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music, from Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk. The University of North Carolina Press, 2020.
“Nina Simone – Just in Time (Lyrics),”Youtube. 2014. Web.