Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

It was recorded in New York City in June 1964 for Broadway-Blues-Ballads, with Nina Simone on vocals and piano and Horace Ott’s orchestra. Horace Ott served as arranger and conductor, and Hal Mooney produced the session. It introduced the first recorded version of the song and became one of the defining performances on Broadway-Blues-Ballads. The track helped establish Simone’s ability to turn a pop composition into a stark, dramatic statement. The song became one of Nina Simone’s signature recordings after the Animals turned it into a major 1965 hit. Simone’s original remains widely covered and is regularly cited as the source version that launched the song’s long life in popular music.