 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(November 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| "Sinner Man" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single byLes Baxter Chorus and Orchestra withWill Holt | |
| A-side | "Tango of the Drums" |
| Released | 1956 |
| Recorded | 1956 |
| Genre | Gospel,jazz,pop |
| Length | 3:07 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Les Baxter, Will Holt |
"Sinner Man" or "Sinnerman" is a song written byLes Baxter andWill Holt, and often performed in the style of anAfrican American traditionalspiritual song. It has been recorded by a number of performers and has been incorporated in many other media and arts. The lyrics describe a sinner attempting to hide from divine justice onJudgment Day. It was recorded in the 1950s byLes Baxter,the Swan Silvertones,the Weavers and others, beforeNina Simone recorded an extended version in 1965.
The earliest recording of the song to bear the title "Sinner Man" was by theLes Baxter Orchestra in 1956, as the B-side of theCapitol Records single "Tango of the Drums". The lead vocal was by folk singerWill Holt, who shared the credit for writing the song with Baxter. However, the song clearly bears a close resemblance, in both melody and lyrics, to "On the Judgement Day", which was recorded bygospel groupThe Sensational Nightingales in 1954 and released the following year on thePeacock label. The writing of The Sensational Nightingales' song was credited to two of the group's singers,Julius Cheeks and Ernest James.[1][2] Some of the lyrics in "Sinner Man", including "The rock cried out, 'No hiding place'", appear to derive from those in thespiritual, "No Hiding Place Down Here", recorded in 1928 by theOld South Quartette.[3]
A version of "Sinner Man" released in 1956, by Swedish-Americanfolk singerWilliam Clauson, credited Baxter, Holt, Cheeks and James as co-writers.[4] Another gospel group, theSwan Silvertones, released their version of the song in 1957 on theVee-Jay label, and folk singerGuy Carawan issued a version in 1958. Carawan wrote that he had learned the song in 1956 fromBob Gibson.[5]Pete Seeger also refers toBob Gibson as the one who 'taught us' the song, during his live concert at Mandel Hall, Chicago, in 1957.[6] Most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter.[7][8] Further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music groupthe Weavers. The Weavers' performance of the song appears on their compilation albumsGospel andReunion at Carnegie Hall Part 2.
| "Sinnerman" | |
|---|---|
| Song byNina Simone | |
| from the albumPastel Blues | |
| Released | May 20, 1965 |
| Recorded | New York City |
| Genre | Jazz,gospel music |
| Length | 10:20 |
| Label | Philips |
| Songwriter(s) | Traditional |
| Producer(s) | Hal Mooney |
"Sinnerman" (spelled as one word) is one ofNina Simone's most famous songs. She recorded her definitive 10-minute-plus version on her 1965 albumPastel Blues, on which the credit is simply given as "arranged by Nina Simone". Simone learned the lyrics of the song in her childhood when it was used atrevival meetings by her mother, aMethodist minister, to help people confess their sins. In the early days of her career during the early sixties, when she was heavily involved in theGreenwich Village scene, Simone often used the long piece to end her live performances. An earlier version of the song exists, recorded live atThe Village Gate, but was not used on the 1962Colpix albumNina at the Village Gate. It was added as a bonus track to the 2005 CD release.
Simone's version of "Sinnerman" has beensampled byKanye West for theTalib Kweli song "Get By" (2003) from his albumQuality, byTimbaland for the song "Oh Timbaland" (2007) from his albumShock Value, and byFelix da Housecat forVerve Records'Verve Remixed series (Verve Remixed 2 (2003),Verve Remixed Plus (2005)). French rapperAbd al-Malik sampled Simone's version for the title track of his 2006 albumGibraltar. The 2018Hozier featuring Mavis Staples track "Nina Cried Power" from hisNina Cried Power EP and the 2020Celeste track "Stop This Flame" from her albumNot Your Muse also sample the song. In 2021 the song was remixed by American DJ duoSofi Tukker.
Nina Simone's version was used as a soundtrack to the art gallery theft scene in the 1999 filmThe Thomas Crown Affair. Her version is also played during the end credits ofDavid Lynch's 2006 experimental filmInland Empire, and was featured in the 2006 video gameMarc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. It was featured in "The Reichenbach Fall", episode 3 of the second season ofSherlock in 2012. It was featured in a fight scene during "Extra Ordinary" afirst season episode ofThe Umbrella Academy in 2019. and was also featured in the end credits of the seventh episode ofLife on Mars in 2006. Furthermore, it played during a scene inTaika Waititi's 2016 filmHunt for the Wilderpeople. Inseason 1, episode 11 ofScrubs titled "My Own Personal Jesus," the song is playing in the background towards the end of the episode asDr. Chris Turk (Donald Faison) runs to save Meredith (Granger Green), a woman who is giving birth in a park. The song is also used in "Witness",season 1, episode 7 ofPerson of Interest in 2011.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
"Sinner Man" has also been recorded asska andreggae versions several times bythe Wailers. It was first recorded by the group atStudio One inKingston, Jamaica in early 1966;Peter Tosh andBunny Wailer shared lead vocals.
A different version entitled "Downpressor" was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1970 ("downpressor" meaning "oppressor" inRastafarian vocabulary). The song featured Tosh on lead vocals and Bunny Wailer on background. An instrumental version was also released. Songwriting credit for this version is sometimes given to Peter Tosh.
Another version was recorded in 1971 as "Oppressor Man". This version was billed as a Peter Tosh solo single, and the B-side of the single featured an instrumental version. It was one of the rarer songs from the period before being included, along with itsversion, on JAD's Black Dignity compilation in 2004.
Tosh recorded the song again as "Downpresser Man" for his 1977 solo albumEqual Rights and released a live recording of the song in a medley with "Equal Rights" on his 1983 albumCaptured Live.
Irish singer/songwriterSinéad O'Connor recorded a cover of Tosh's 1977 version for her 2005 reggae albumThrow Down Your Arms at the then-Tuff Gong studio in Kingston, Jamaica.
Cory Wells & The Enemys recorded a version of the song in 1965, included on the 1993Three Dog Night albumCelebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975.[10]
Another version of this song appears on the 1968 albumEl folklore de Nuestro Pequeño Mundo by Spanish bandNuestro Pequeño Mundo [es].
A cover of the song was the title track of the 1996 debut album,Sinnerman, byAtlantic Records recording artists Extra Fancy, led by openly gay singer Brian Grillo. The homoerotic music video made for the track featuredAlexis Arquette as a closeted street preacher.
The bandHis Name Is Alive released a version of the song on their 1997 EPNice Day (as "Oh Sinner Man").
The song has also beencovered by16 Horsepower on their albumFolklore (2002); byIrish singer Sinéad O'Connor on her 2005 albumThrow Down Your Arms; and by theska-punk bandGoldfinger.
In 2020,Vika and Linda covered the song for their album,Sunday (The Gospel According to Iso).[11][12]
Other works to have featured the song in their soundtracks includeThe Chestnut Man (TRILLS),[13][14]Lucifer,Lovecraft Country (Alice Smith),[15]The Righteous Gemstones (The Travelers Three), andCirque du Soleil'sCrystal (Béatrice Bonifassi).
