Sinnerman Lyrics - Nina Simone

Writer: SEEKERS (THE), (GB 1)
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.



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Thanks to Christopher for submitting Sinnerman Lyrics.
Peggy | Reviewer: Anonymous | 11/5/11

This is my take on this based on my faith in Jesus Christ. Sinnerman is every person who rejects God or accepts God but does not read and follow the Word of God. He or she faces God on judgement day, it is too late for prayer, too late for God's acceptance. The rock is Jesus. On judgement day it is too late for Jesus to intercede. The message here is to accept Christ and follow His ways and to learn from God's manual, "The Bible" before it is too late. Don't wait for judgement day to accept Christ and start reading God's manual as one never knows when death or judgement day will come. May God bless and bring His wonderful salvation to all who read this. Peggy...One of God's servants...a sinner saved by Grace

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quite disturbing illustration of this period | Reviewer: Sofie | 8/20/11

as I see it, man in he moment of realization of ugly truth (always) tries to run at first, which is obviously ineffective. One cannot run from himself.
The rock then symbolises denial, hardness of mind and heart, which we are succesfully using on regular basis.
But being as sensitive as a rock can`t be held at the day when man opens his eyes.
The ground under his feet must be burning, because all waters on earth are boiling;
water also means emotions, and bloody river is something very crashed, while river itself means always something peculiar (despite the ocean which is connected generaly to our inside), obstacle in this context (see the Nile river, which circle of floods are giving life - refers to a Kundratjev`s economic cycles in todays view).
Then there is God, who simply can`t help. He is too far from man. This one even trying to punish sinners, instead of love.
But as God is refusing unity to man, sane man refuses unity with ever waiting Devil, because of his mixed intentions, which are of combined good and evil, but having always some logic, be it twisted, or let the man be blind, nobody is born with "mind of a killer".
So the situation is, Man is abandoned and facing his deeds. All he has, is a seed of power to grow. He prays to be brave, because he and only himself is bearing consequences, and no deity would really help.
Man is called to be fully in his place, to gain and learn power, or come to extinction.
Very actual theme, this.

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Judgement Day | Reviewer: Darko | 10/23/10

Although "on that day" may mean "on the day the troubles get you", at first, and still, I thought "on that day" was assuming THE day, the judgement day, when sinnerman is going to try to hide behind the rock, in the river, in the see, but the rock can't hide him, and rivers and seas are boiling and bleeding, so when (finally) he asks for help from Lord, they ask him "where were you when you were ought to pray? Now go to the devil", and the devil was waiting, of course. The rest of the song, crying for Lord's help and their POWER, but also celebrating their power, is an extatic religious moment, power, power Lord, power!...

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A new thought | Reviewer: Anonymous | 8/14/10

I've found that, for best effect, listen to Sinnerman right after listening to Simone's Strange Fruit. Strange Fruit is about the lynchings in the south ("strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees...a strange and bitter crop") and is Very Powerful. To me, because of this, Sinnerman is the story of one of the lynchers, who has done such a hideous crime that not even the Lord is willing to shelter him from punishment. Obviously, just one interpretation... it's a great song--they both are.

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my interpretation | Reviewer: enrico | 5/5/10

apologizing for my bad english I wanna write here my personal provocation, giving you what I feel in this amazing song..The lyric of this song was lerned by the artist ,probably thanks to her mother and the meaning of origianal lyric was to give "sinners" the power to open themselves to god and prayers, fighting their sins without running from them..in this song I hear the deep voice of Nina Simone running herself and cryin out her heart callin the lord in this obsessive beats ..I love this soul totally exposed in this loud call to the lord : like her heart bleedin' out to lord her orgasm



..this was just my provocation

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Sinner man review | Reviewer: Jesse Chubb | 7/15/09

This song is a power ballad about the struggles to find peace after doing wrong. God and all of his works will not hide a sinner and points to the devil doing that kind of deed. When the sinner hears that the devil is the only to assuage the pain then he crys out his acceptance of judgment in praise towards the power of the lord.

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Meaning | Reviewer: Ina | 7/10/09

This is how I understood it:
Sinnerman is trying to hide from himself, he is trying to avoid the truth. But he cannot hide, since the rock won't help him, the river can't help him, the sea cannot help him. Even the Lord tells him to go the devil, who has been waiting all day. The Lord cannot help the sinnerman, unless the sinnerman admits his actions. This is clearly expressed here:

I said, Lord hide me, please hide me
please help me
All on that day
He said, child, where were you
when you oughta 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'

Sinnerman might be praying, but only to save himself, his prayer was not sincere.

Sinnerman can run forever, but cannot be free until he stops to lying to himself.

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The meaning...don't wait till its too late | Reviewer: Christopher | 6/28/08

The song is based on a prophesy recorded shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection, which gives the the most detailed picture of his promise of judgment on the earth (amongst other prophesies). The prophesy is titled as the book "Revelation" in the bible and is the last "book". Here's a couple of verses from it (chapter 6, verses 15-17) that relate to image of people seeking refuge in the rocks:

Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb (Jesus), for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"


The image of the sea with blood in it is also found in Revelation. If you know the story of the plagues that God delivered to Egypt (found in the book Exodus) you might remember the Nile filling with blood, its a repeated symbol of judgment. Revelation makes no mention of the sea boiling but there are other events that happen to it.

Bernado has grasped the meaning of the song. The judgment comes when the "sinner man" realises too late that his contempt for the lord has left him pitted against the lord and without having taken up his offer for forgiveness. God condemns him with the devil (another one of his creatures who turned to evil rather than choosing to relate with him) and asks him why he didn't want to talk earlier. The song addresses those listening with the line "sinnerman you oughta be prayin", ie talk to and trust God's offer for forgiveness now and spare yourself the danger. The cry "Power! Bring down Power!" is a request for God to bring down his protective power on those who trust in him and save them when he destroys the world I suspect. Perhaps this is why the song’s composer chose to express their need for the Lord's power at the end of the song.

Other websites say that Nina learnt the song from her mother.

If you anyone has anything further to add or disagrees with my breakdown please email me. I'd love to hear what you think.

And yes I too think it is a beautifully written and performed song. I'm listening to it as I type.

Hope that helps!

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nina | Reviewer: Anonymous | 1/25/08

its a beautiful song...i only just realised that it has Biblical basis. like 'anonymous' (two reviews above) said, something similar appears in the Bible. nina simone was truly wonderful :)

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Second coming of Christ | Reviewer: Duane | 1/22/08

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.(Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)

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