Four Women

Album: Wild is the Wind (1966)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Simone explained in I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters and Their Craft: "I am emphatically against the injustices of black people, of third world people. 'Four Women' came to me after conversations I had with black women. It seemed we were all suffering from self-hatred. We hated our complexions, our hair, our bodies. I realized we had been brainwashed into feeling this way about ourselves by some black men and many white people. I tried to speak to this in the song. And do you know, some black radio stations wouldn't play it? It is true what they say: the truth hurts."
  • This was used in the Tyler Perry's 2010 drama For Colored Girls, starring Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Loretta Devine, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson and Kimberly Elise. Simone's daugher, Lisa Celeste Stroud, performs on the soundtrack version.
  • Simone told New Musical Express in 1984: "'Four Women' was written overnight, but it took me four months before I had the nerve to play it to somebody because I thought it would be rejected. I played it for my husband on an airplane one day; I thought he wasn't going to like it because it was so direct and blatant."

Comments: 1

  • Tanya from La Verne, CaThis song is so damn powerful. It's resonance with how black women are sadly perceived cannot be denied or ignored. Also, a great cover rendition of the song was performed by Kelly Price, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott, and Ledisi. Remarkable! Ms. Simone would've been proud.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.