Rare footage of Nina Simone performing Leonard Cohen song ‘Suzanne’ in Rome, 1969

 

 

 "What makes Simone’s version of the track so special is that she breathes new life into the song rather than delivering it from the male-gaze perspective that Cohen wrote it from. Instead, Simone performs it from Suzanne’s perspective, a decision which makes it the definitive cover of the 1967 single. There aren’t many people who can match up to Nina Simone on vocals, and she confirms herself as the queen on this cover."

Rare footage of Nina Simone performing Leonard Cohen song ‘Suzanne’ in Rome, 1969