Sinnerman by Nina Simone Lyrics Meaning – Deciphering the Essence of Sin and Salvation
Lyrics
Sinnerman where you gonna run to?
Where you gonna run to?
All on that day
We got to run to the rock
Please hide me, I run to the rock
Please hide me, run to the rock
Please hide here
All on that day
But the rock cried out
I can’t hide you, the rock cried out
I can’t hide you, the rock cried out
I ain’t gonna hide you there
All on that day
I said rock
What’s the matter with you rock?
Don’t you see I need you, rock?
Good Lord, Lord
All on that day
So I run to the river
It was bleedin’, I run to the sea
It was bleedin’, I run to the sea
It was bleedin’, all on that day
So I run to the river
It was boilin’, I run to the sea
It was boilin’, I run to the sea
It was boilin’, all on that day
So I run to the Lord
Please hide me, Lord
Don’t you see me prayin’?
Don’t you see me down here prayin’?
But the Lord said
Go to the Devil, the Lord said
Go to the Devil
He said go to the Devil
All on that day
So I ran to the Devil
He was waitin’, I ran to the Devil
He was waitin’, ran to the Devil
He was waitin’, all on that day
I cried, power, power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Kingdom (power, Lord)
Kingdom (power, Lord)
Kingdom (power, Lord)
Kingdom (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Well, I run to the river
It was boilin’, I run to the sea
It was boilin’, I run to the sea
It was boilin’, all on that day
So I ran to the Lord
I said Lord, hide me
Please hide me
Please help me, all on that day
He said, hide?
Where were you?
When you oughta have been prayin’
I said Lord, Lord
Hear me prayin’, Lord, Lord
Hear me prayin’, Lord, Lord
Hear me prayin’, all on that day
Sinnerman, you oughta be prayin’
Oughta be prayin’, sinnerman
Oughta be prayin’, all on that day
Up come power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
(Power, Lord)
Hold down (power, Lord)
Go down (power, Lord)
Kingdom (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Power (power, Lord)
Na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Woah, ho
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Ha-ha-ha-ha, oh Lord
Nu, nu, nu
No-no-no-no, ma-na-na-na-na, don’t you know I need you Lord?
Don’t you know that I need you?
Don’t you know that I need you?
Oh, Lord
Wait
Oh, Lord
Oh, Lord, Lord
Nina Simone’s ‘Sinnerman’ is not just a song; it’s an odyssey that ripples through the soul, painting a vivid picture of a sinner’s journey in the face of ultimate judgment. This ten-minutes-plus folk-gospel track is a whirlwind of emotion, rhythm, and narrative, where Simone’s voice, both literally and metaphorically, dances between damnation and deliverance.
Unpacking ‘Sinnerman’ reveals layers of interpretation and cultural significance that resonate with the struggles of morality, accountability, and the desperate search for refuge that have been the cornerstone of human existence. It acts as a musical mirror, where every listener’s reflection can find a different facet of the song’s meaning to grasp onto.
The Chilling Chase of the Condemned
The recurring lines of ‘Sinnerman’ where the protagonist implores various elements of nature to hide him on the Day of Judgment set the stage for a haunting narrative of escape. The visceral imagery of running to the rock, the river, and the sea allows listeners to feel the urgency and dread of being pursued by an inescapable force – the consequence of one’s own sins.
This chant-like repetition not only lays the groundwork for Simone’s storytelling but also symbolizes the cyclic nature of sin and the unending quest for absolution. Nina Simone’s crescendo of desperation as she transitions from one failing sanctuary to the next reflects the futility of hiding from the inexorable truth.
Rejection by Earth, Rejection by Heaven
In ‘Sinnerman,’ the rock, the river, and the sea each refuse to provide refuge, symbolizing nature’s refusal to partake in the deceit of concealing sins. These forces of nature traditionally represent strength, life, and cleansing, but in Simone’s rending of the song, they bleed and boil, reflecting both the anguish of the sinner and the corrupted state of the world.
This denial is echoed in the divine realm when Simone recounts approaching the Lord, who commands the sinner, ‘Go to the Devil.’ This moment of rejection is perhaps the most powerful inditement – even faith, a last bastion of hope, turns the protagonist away, indicating the inescapable consequences of one’s actions.
Confronting the Devil Himself
When all else fails, Sinnerman turns to the Devil who ‘was waiting,’ an acknowledgment of the inevitable face-to-face with evil that awaits. Simone’s narrative suggests that when one has exhausted all other options, confronting one’s darkness is the only path left. Confrontation entails recognizing and owning up to one’s misdeeds, a necessary step toward redemption.
However, within the infernal acceptance, a sliver of empowerment surfaces. Simone’s repeated cries of ‘power’ seem to reclaim control from the narrative of fleeing and hiding. The concept of power shifts from a suppressive to an emancipatory force, which is a cornerstone for any act of penance or transformation.
‘All on That Day’ – The Memorable Refrain’s Weight
The phrase ‘All on that day’ anchors the song, a motif that returns with every stanza, heightening the sense of impending doom. It’s a prophetic echo of the ‘day of reckoning’ found across religions and philosophies, a unifying thread that entwines all of humanity in a shared destiny, regardless of one’s beliefs or actions.
Simone uses this refrain to punctuate the narrative, lending it a temporality that gives the lyric urgency and immutability. It reminds listeners that the time for atonement is finite and the eventual accounting for one’s life is inescapable, an idea that stirs deep contemplation about the nature of sin and reckoning.
The Hidden Meaning Behind the Cries for Power
As the song reaches its climax, the sinner’s pleas evolve into declarative chants of ‘power,’ a word that Simone delivers with a combination of angst and revelation. One might argue that this declaration signifies an acknowledgment of a higher power’s dominion, an admission of the sinner’s powerless state before divine judgment.
Yet, another interpretation could be that ‘power’ represents the individual’s inner strength – a call to harness personal determination to overcome the trials of sin. Simone leaves it open for interpretation, an ambiguity that allows the exploration of themes of authority, responsibility, and ultimately, the human capacity for change and redemption.
