Sinner Man
Encyclopedia
"Sinner Man" or "Sinnerman" is an American
traditional spiritual
song that has been recorded by a number of performers. The song dates to the turn of the 20th century but most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter
, further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music
group the Weavers
. The Weavers' performance of the song appears on their compilation albums Gospel and Reunion at Carnegie Hall Part 2.
Meaning
The lyrics are about the Book of Revalation Chapter 7/8. Sinnerman refers to the author as a sinner on the day of judgement
Revelation 7 v 15 says And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
The song says "Well I run to the rock, please hide me I run to the rock,please hide me"
Revelation 8 v 8 says and the third part of the sea became blood
The lyrics say "I run to the sea, it was bleedin' "
Revelation 8 v 8 says And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea:
The lyrics say "I run to the sea, it was boilin' All on that day"
's most famous songs and she recorded her definitive 10-minute-plus version on her 1965 album Pastel Blues
. Simone learned the lyrics of this song in her childhood when it was used at revival meeting
s by her mother, a Methodist minister, to help people confess their sins. In the early days of her career during the early sixties, when she was heavily involved in the Greenwich Village
scene, Simone often used the long piece to end her live performances. An earlier version of the song exists, recorded live at The Village Gate
, but was never used on the 1962 Colpix
album Nina at the Village Gate
.
Simone's version of Sinnerman has been sampled
by Kanye West
for the Talib Kweli
song "Get By
", by Timbaland
for the song "Oh Timbaland
", and by Felix da Housecat
for Verve Record's "Verve Remixed
" series (1rst posthume music video directed by J.G Biggs). It has also been covered
by 16 Horsepower
on their album Folklore, and by Zegota
on their self-titled 7". French rapper Abd al-Malik
sampled Simone's version for the title track of his 2006 album "Gibraltar". He also sampled Simone's version of "See Line Woman" for the track "Le grand frère" from the same album.
Versions of "Sinnerman" were featured in 1999's The Thomas Crown Affair
, in the 2004 film Cellular
by David R. Ellis
, and in three 2006 films: Michael Mann's Miami Vice
, The Golden Door by Emanuele Crialese, in the closing scene of David Lynch
's Inland Empire
, and during a chase scene midway through the 2007 documentary Sharkwater
by Rob Stewart. On TV, the song was heard in episode 10 of season 6 of Homicide: Life on the Street
, at the end of episode 6 of season 4 of Entourage
, in episode 11 season 1 of Scrubs
, and at the end of episode 7 of season 1 of Person of Interest
. An instrumental section is used by Australian Network Ten
during its Australian Football League
broadcasts.
interpretation several times by the Wailers.
It was first recorded by the group at Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica
in early 1966; Peter Tosh
and Bunny Wailer
shared lead vocals.
A different version entitled "Downpressor Man" was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1971 ("downpressor" meaning "oppressor" in Rastafarian vocabulary
). The song featured Tosh on lead vocals and Bunny Wailer on background. An instrumental version was also released. Songwriting credit for this version is sometimes given to Tosh.
Tosh recorded the song again as "Downpresser Man" for his 1977 solo album Equal Rights
and released a live recording of the song in a medley with "Equal Rights" on his 1983 album Captured Live.
The Tosh solo version was covered
by Irish
singer Sinéad O'Connor
on her 2005 album Throw Down Your Arms
, and by the ska
-punk
band Goldfinger
.
, Three Dog Night
, John P. Kee
, 16 Horsepower
, Soda & His Million Piece Band, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Lauryn Hill and 1960s Spanish folk group "Nuestro pequeño mundo".
An interpretation was recorded by Yoko Kanno
as a background track for an episode of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
entitled "Vegetarian Dinner".
A hard rock version was recorded by the band Extra Fancy in 1996, which was also the name of their debut album. It was a minor hit on MTV2, and was also featured on the cartoon series, Mega Man
, which is based on the best-selling video game series and character of the same name by Capcom
.
An instrumental variation titled "Guru / Sinnerman" was recorded by indie-rock band Plants and Animals
for their 2007 EP With/Avec
.
The Canadian section of the Ukrainian youth orgranization Plast
has adapted a translated version, sung regularly at campfires. It is unknown when it was first sung.
The Von Trapp Children
have recorded a version for their A Capella CD.
"Spot Light on Bud and Travis" Liberty Records side one LRP3138
Gordon Lightfoot
and Terry Whelan recorded Sinnerman in 1962 as the Two Tones. The song appears on their live "At The Village Corner" record.
Tribe After Tribe recorded the song for inclusion on their single, "Ice Below," in 1993.
Sinnerman (Heavenly House mix) by Felix Da Housecat, from the 2003 CD entitled Verve Remixed.
American blues duo Black Diamond Heavies recorded a version for their 2008 album, "A Touch of Someone Else's Class".
Brazilian musician Zé Ramalho
recorded a version in Portuguese, entitled Oh! Pecador, as bonus for his 1985 album De Gosto de Água e de Amigos
.
Justin Bond
performed the song several times as part of an April 2011 US tour to promote V's solo album, Dendrophile. The song does not feature on the album, but followed topical stage banter regarding Harold Camping
's well publicized prediction of the rapture
, set to occur on May 21, 2011.
and appears on his album All My Best.
"Sinner man" was also recorded in 1958 by Nina and Frederick, a couple nerderland-Danish who still live in Ibiza.
"Sinner Man" is also the title of a disco song written by Amanda George and Rob Hegel that was a hit for Sarah Dash
in 1979.
"Sinnerman" is the title of a song by Midge Ure
on his 1996 album Breathe written by Ure and Danny Mitchell.
's Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2004 and Valentino
Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
traditional spiritual
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
song that has been recorded by a number of performers. The song dates to the turn of the 20th century but most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter
Les Baxter
Les Baxter was an American musician and composer.Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer...
, further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
group the Weavers
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
. The Weavers' performance of the song appears on their compilation albums Gospel and Reunion at Carnegie Hall Part 2.
Meaning
The lyrics are about the Book of Revalation Chapter 7/8. Sinnerman refers to the author as a sinner on the day of judgement
Revelation 7 v 15 says And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
The song says "Well I run to the rock, please hide me I run to the rock,please hide me"
Revelation 8 v 8 says and the third part of the sea became blood
The lyrics say "I run to the sea, it was bleedin' "
Revelation 8 v 8 says And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea:
The lyrics say "I run to the sea, it was boilin' All on that day"
The Nina Simone recording
"Sinnerman" (spelled as one word) is one of Nina SimoneNina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
's most famous songs and she recorded her definitive 10-minute-plus version on her 1965 album Pastel Blues
Pastel Blues
Pastel Blues is a studio album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone . It was recorded in 1964 and 1965 in New York City and released in 1965 by Philips Records...
. Simone learned the lyrics of this song in her childhood when it was used at revival meeting
Revival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
s by her mother, a Methodist minister, to help people confess their sins. In the early days of her career during the early sixties, when she was heavily involved in the Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
scene, Simone often used the long piece to end her live performances. An earlier version of the song exists, recorded live at The Village Gate
The Village Gate
The Village Gate was a nightclub at the corner of Thompson and Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York.Art D'Lugoff opened the club in 1958, on the ground floor and basement of 158 Bleecker Street. The large 1896 Chicago School structure by architect Ernest Flagg was known at the time as...
, but was never used on the 1962 Colpix
Colpix Records
Colpix Records was the first recording company for Columbia Pictures–Screen Gems. Colpix got its name from combining Columbia and Pictures . It was founded by Jonie Taps and Harry Cohn in 1958, and was based in New York City. Paul Wexler headed the label. Stu Phillips was in charge of A&R...
album Nina at the Village Gate
Nina At The Village Gate
Nina Simone at the Village Gate is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone . It was her third live album for Colpix recorded at The Village Gate. It is particularly notable for the amount of folk songs and African related songs on the album early in Simone's career. Richard Pryor had one...
.
Simone's version of Sinnerman has been sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
for the Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
song "Get By
Quality (album)
Quality is rapper Talib Kweli's first solo album. It was released on November 19, 2002 under Rawkus Records. It received wide critical acclaim and had some commercial appeal from the song "Get By" produced by Kanye West...
", by Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
for the song "Oh Timbaland
Timbaland Presents Shock Value
Shock Value, is the second solo studio album, and fifth album overall, by record producer and rapper Timbaland. It is Timbaland's first release on his own imprint, the Interscope Records-distributed Mosley Music Group. Shock Value features a long list of guest artists, among them Fall Out Boy,...
", and by Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
for Verve Record's "Verve Remixed
Verve Remixed
Verve Remixed is a series of albums released by Verve Records centered on the concept of classic Verve tracks, remixed by contemporary electronic music producers and DJs...
" series (1rst posthume music video directed by J.G Biggs). It has also been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by 16 Horsepower
16 Horsepower
16 Horsepower was an American alternative country music group based in Denver, Colorado. Their music often invoked religious imagery dealing with conflict, redemption, punishment, and guilt through David Eugene Edwards's lyrics and the heavy use of traditional bluegrass, gospel, and Appalachian...
on their album Folklore, and by Zegota
Zegota (band)
Zegota is an American hardcore punk and post-hardcore band originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, formed in 1997.-History:Zegota formed in Greensboro around brothers Jon and Will Ridenour, respectively the group's guitarist and drummer, bassist Brian and singer Eric Moe...
on their self-titled 7". French rapper Abd al-Malik
Abd al Malik (rapper)
Abd al Malik, born Régis Fayette-Mikano is a French rapper and spoken word artist of Congolese origin. He took part in the group NAP . In 1999, he converted to Islam. He is married to French Moroccan singer Wallen with whom he has a child...
sampled Simone's version for the title track of his 2006 album "Gibraltar". He also sampled Simone's version of "See Line Woman" for the track "Le grand frère" from the same album.
Versions of "Sinnerman" were featured in 1999's The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name....
, in the 2004 film Cellular
Cellular (film)
Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...
by David R. Ellis
David R. Ellis
David Richard Ellis is an American film director and former stuntman.-Life and career:Ellis was born in Hollywood, California. He began his career in the film industry as a supporting actor in juvenile roles; his big screen debut was in the 1975 Kurt Russell film The Strongest Man in the World...
, and in three 2006 films: Michael Mann's Miami Vice
Miami Vice (film)
Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
, The Golden Door by Emanuele Crialese, in the closing scene of David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's Inland Empire
Inland Empire (film)
Inland Empire, sometimes styled as INLAND EMPIRE, is a 2006 mystery film written and directed by David Lynch. It was his first feature-length film since 2001's Mulholland Drive, and shares many similarities with that film. It premiered in Italy at the Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2006...
, and during a chase scene midway through the 2007 documentary Sharkwater
Sharkwater
Sharkwater is a 2007 Canadian documentary film written and directed by Rob Stewart, who also narrates it. In the film, Stewart seeks to deflate current attitudes about sharks, and exposes how the voracious shark-hunting industry is driving them to extinction.Filmed in high definition video,...
by Rob Stewart. On TV, the song was heard in episode 10 of season 6 of Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, at the end of episode 6 of season 4 of Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
, in episode 11 season 1 of Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, and at the end of episode 7 of season 1 of Person of Interest
Person of Interest (TV series)
Person of Interest is an American crime drama television series broadcasting on CBS. It is based on a screenplay developed by J. J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and debuted on September 22, 2011. On October 25, 2011 the show was picked up...
. An instrumental section is used by Australian Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
during its Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
broadcasts.
Peter Tosh and the Wailers versions
"Sinner Man" has also been recorded as a reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
interpretation several times by the Wailers.
It was first recorded by the group at Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
in early 1966; Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh , was a Jamaican reggae musician who was a core member of the band The Wailers , and who afterward had a successful solo career as well as being a promoter of Rastafari.Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill, Jamaica, an illegitimate child to a mother too young...
and Bunny Wailer
Bunny Wailer
Bunny Wailer, , also known as Bunny Livingston and affectionately as Jah B, is a singer songwriter and percussionist and was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh...
shared lead vocals.
A different version entitled "Downpressor Man" was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1971 ("downpressor" meaning "oppressor" in Rastafarian vocabulary
Rastafarian vocabulary
Iyaric, Livalect or Dread-talk is a created dialect of English in use among members of the Rastafari movement. African languages were lost among Africans when they were taken into captivity as part of the slave trade, and adherents of Rastafari teachings believe that English is an imposed colonial...
). The song featured Tosh on lead vocals and Bunny Wailer on background. An instrumental version was also released. Songwriting credit for this version is sometimes given to Tosh.
Tosh recorded the song again as "Downpresser Man" for his 1977 solo album Equal Rights
Equal Rights (album)
Equal Rights is an album by Peter Tosh. It was released in 1977 .-Track listing:All Songs by Peter Tosh except "Stepping Razor" by Joe Higgs#"Get Up, Stand Up" – 3:29 #"Downpressor Man" – 6:25...
and released a live recording of the song in a medley with "Equal Rights" on his 1983 album Captured Live.
The Tosh solo version was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
on her 2005 album Throw Down Your Arms
Throw Down Your Arms
Throw Down Your Arms is a 2005 album by Sinéad O'Connor and shows influence from Jamaican roots reggae and the Rastafari tradition. Throw Down Your Arms is a collection of classic roots reggae songs performed by O'Connor and produced by Sly and Robbie....
, and by the ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
-punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Goldfinger
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
.
Other versions
A number of other versions of the song have been recorded by performers such as The SeekersThe Seekers
The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States...
, Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
, John P. Kee
John P. Kee
John P. Kee is an American gospel singer and pastor.-Early life:John P. Kee was born the 15th out of 16 children in Durham, North Carolina. At an early age he began to develop his musical talent both instrumentally and vocally...
, 16 Horsepower
16 Horsepower
16 Horsepower was an American alternative country music group based in Denver, Colorado. Their music often invoked religious imagery dealing with conflict, redemption, punishment, and guilt through David Eugene Edwards's lyrics and the heavy use of traditional bluegrass, gospel, and Appalachian...
, Soda & His Million Piece Band, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Lauryn Hill and 1960s Spanish folk group "Nuestro pequeño mundo".
An interpretation was recorded by Yoko Kanno
Yoko Kanno
is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements...
as a background track for an episode of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
is the second season of the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
entitled "Vegetarian Dinner".
A hard rock version was recorded by the band Extra Fancy in 1996, which was also the name of their debut album. It was a minor hit on MTV2, and was also featured on the cartoon series, Mega Man
Mega Man (TV series)
Mega Man, known in Japan as , is a Japanese-American animated television series multi-produced by Capcom Productions, Ruby-Spears Productions, Ashi Productions and Ocean Group and is based on the game series of the same name. The TV series began in 1994 and ended in 1995, and was aired on many...
, which is based on the best-selling video game series and character of the same name by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
.
An instrumental variation titled "Guru / Sinnerman" was recorded by indie-rock band Plants and Animals
Plants and Animals
Plants and Animals are a Canadian indie-rock band from Montreal which comprises guitarist-vocalists Warren Spicer and Nic Basque and drummer-vocalist Matthew Woody Woodley. They often describe their music as post-classic rock. They are signed to Secret City Records...
for their 2007 EP With/Avec
With/Avec
With/Avec is the second EP by Canadian indie rock band Plants and Animals, released in 2007 on Secret City Records....
.
The Canadian section of the Ukrainian youth orgranization Plast
Plast
The Plast National Scout Organization of Ukraine commonly called Ukrainian Plast or simply Plast is the largest Scouting organization in Ukraine.-First Phase: 1911-1920:...
has adapted a translated version, sung regularly at campfires. It is unknown when it was first sung.
The Von Trapp Children
Von Trapp children
The Von Trapp Children are a musical group made up of Justin, Amanda, Melanie, and Sofia von Trapp, descendants of the Trapp Family Singers. They are the grandchildren of Werner von Trapp and great-grandchildren of Georg Ritter von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead, and the...
have recorded a version for their A Capella CD.
"Spot Light on Bud and Travis" Liberty Records side one LRP3138
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
and Terry Whelan recorded Sinnerman in 1962 as the Two Tones. The song appears on their live "At The Village Corner" record.
Tribe After Tribe recorded the song for inclusion on their single, "Ice Below," in 1993.
Sinnerman (Heavenly House mix) by Felix Da Housecat, from the 2003 CD entitled Verve Remixed.
American blues duo Black Diamond Heavies recorded a version for their 2008 album, "A Touch of Someone Else's Class".
Brazilian musician Zé Ramalho
Zé Ramalho
Zé Ramalho is a Brazilian composer and performer. Zé Ramalho has collaborated with various major Brazilian musicians, including Vanusa, Geraldo Azevedo and Alceu Valença to name a few...
recorded a version in Portuguese, entitled Oh! Pecador, as bonus for his 1985 album De Gosto de Água e de Amigos
De Gosto de Água e de Amigos
- Personnel :* Zé Ramalho - Lead vocals, acoustic guitar* Tavito - Acoustic guitar, vocalise and arrangements on track 10* Jota Moraes - Keyboard, arrangements, conducting on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8...
.
Justin Bond
Justin Bond
Justin Vivian Bond , formerly simply Justin Bond, is an American singer-songwriter, performance artist, occasional actor and Radical Faerie. Described as a "fixture of the New York avant-garde", Bond arose to notability playing the role of Kiki DuRayne in the drag cabaret act Kiki and Herb from the...
performed the song several times as part of an April 2011 US tour to promote V's solo album, Dendrophile. The song does not feature on the album, but followed topical stage banter regarding Harold Camping
Harold Camping
Harold Egbert Camping is an American Christian radio broadcaster. He served as president of Family Radio, a California-based radio station group that broadcasts to more than 150 markets in the United States, since 1958. In 2011 he retired from active broadcasting following a stroke, but still...
's well publicized prediction of the rapture
Rapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
, set to occur on May 21, 2011.
Other songs titled "Sinner Man"
"Sinner Man" was recorded by Trini LopezTrini Lopez
Trini Lopez is an American singer, guitarist and actor.-Career:Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on Ashland Street in the Little Mexico neighborhood. He began his entertainment career in Dallas playing at the Vegas Club, a nightclub owned by Jack Ruby...
and appears on his album All My Best.
"Sinner man" was also recorded in 1958 by Nina and Frederick, a couple nerderland-Danish who still live in Ibiza.
"Sinner Man" is also the title of a disco song written by Amanda George and Rob Hegel that was a hit for Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles...
in 1979.
"Sinnerman" is the title of a song by Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
on his 1996 album Breathe written by Ure and Danny Mitchell.
"Sinner Man" in other media
Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" has been featured in various films and commercials. Her version has also been used in a number of fashion show soundtracks, including DiorDior
Dior can mean:* Christian Dior SA, a French clothing retailer* In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth legendarium:**Dior Eluchíl, a Half-elven of the First Age**Dior , a Steward of GondorDior is a surname, and may refer to:...
's Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2004 and Valentino
Valentino SpA
Valentino SpA is a clothing company founded in 1959 by Valentino Garavani. Nowadays it is a part of Valentino Fashion Group. New creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli will take Alessandra Facchinetti's seat as creative designer...
Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2008.
Films
- The Young OneThe Young OneLa joven is a 1960 film by the Spanish director Luis Buñuel. Produced in Mexico and shot in English with American actors, La Joven is Buñuel's second and last American film...
(1960, played at the beginning, version by Leon BibbLeon BibbLeon Bibb is an American news anchor for WEWS-TV in Cleveland, OH and was a member of the BGSU Board of Trustees...
) - The Thomas Crown AffairThe Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film)The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name....
(1999, during the climax) - Crime and Punishment in SuburbiaCrime and Punishment in SuburbiaCrime and Punishment in Suburbia is a 2000 film directed by Rob Schmidt and starring Monica Keena , Ellen Barkin , Michael Ironside , James DeBello and Vincent Kartheiser ....
(2000—two different versions) - High CrimesHigh CrimesHigh Crimes is a 2002 American thriller film directed by Carl Franklin. The screenplay by Yuri Zeltser and Grace Cary Bickley is based on a novel by Joseph Finder.-Plot:...
(2002, Felix da Housecat remix, during ending sequence.) - CellularCellular (film)Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...
(2004) - Miami ViceMiami Vice (film)Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
(2006, Felix da Housecat remix, during the opening scene in the nightclub) - Inland EmpireInland Empire (film)Inland Empire, sometimes styled as INLAND EMPIRE, is a 2006 mystery film written and directed by David Lynch. It was his first feature-length film since 2001's Mulholland Drive, and shares many similarities with that film. It premiered in Italy at the Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2006...
(2006, played at the end) - Déjà Vu (2006)
- Golden DoorNuovomondoNuovomondo literally, new world is a 2006 drama based around a family's migration from Italy to New York during the beginning of the 20th Century. The film is set in both Italy and The United States. The film is written and directed by Emanuele Crialese...
(2007) - SharkwaterSharkwaterSharkwater is a 2007 Canadian documentary film written and directed by Rob Stewart, who also narrates it. In the film, Stewart seeks to deflate current attitudes about sharks, and exposes how the voracious shark-hunting industry is driving them to extinction.Filmed in high definition video,...
(2007) - The Windsurfing Movie (2007)
- A Very British Gangster (2007)
- Forgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah MarshallForgetting Sarah Marshall is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand...
(2008) - Les regrets (2009)
- Casino Jack and the United States of MoneyCasino Jack and the United States of MoneyCasino Jack and the United States of Money is a 2010 documentary film directed by Alex Gibney.-Synopsis:The film focuses on the career of Washington, D.C. lobbyist, businessman, and con man Jack Abramoff, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal that led to the conviction of himself, two...
(2010)
Television
- ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
(episode called My Own Personal JesusMy Own Personal Jesus"My Own Personal Jesus" is the eleventh episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It originally aired on December 11, 2001 on NBC.-Plot:It's Christmas at Sacred Heart. While working in the free clinic, Elliot treats a pregnant teenaged girl named Meredith Fox. Dr...
) - Homicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
- Life on MarsLife on Mars (TV series)Life on Mars is a British television series broadcast on BBC One between January 2006 and April 2007. The series combines elements of science fiction and police procedural....
Season 1, Episode 7. Played over finale/end credits. - Nash BridgesNash BridgesNash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
Episode titled "Jackpot Part 1" played during the scene that Nash called the chief of police to warn him of an assassination plot. - Judge John DeedJudge John DeedJudge John Deed is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Sir John Deed, a High Court judge who tries to seek real justice in the cases before him. It also stars Jenny Seagrove...
(A section of the instrumental part of Sinnerman forms part of the theme tune) - Morning Chubb
- EntourageEntourage (TV series)Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
(Credits of Season 4 Episode 06 "The WeHo Ho") - Mad MenMad MenMad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
(During a Promo for season 2) - "Verbotene LiebeVerbotene LiebeVerbotene Liebe , often abbreviated to VL, is a Rose d'Or Award-winning German television soap opera. The show was created by Reg Watson and first broadcast on Das Erste on 2 January 1995...
" (English title: Forbidden Love) - Top Gear (UK) (Series 9, Episode 3 - America Special - Initial Miami Beach scene (Felix da Housecat Mix))
- Boomtown (2.6 The Big Picture)
- Sociedade Civil RTP2 Portugal intro song
- ShamelessShamelessShameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
Season 8 - Episode 7 - Person of InterestPerson of Interest (TV series)Person of Interest is an American crime drama television series broadcasting on CBS. It is based on a screenplay developed by J. J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and debuted on September 22, 2011. On October 25, 2011 the show was picked up...
Season 1 - Episode 7
Other
- Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under PressureMarc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under PressureMarc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is a video game released on February 14, 2006. It was developed by The Collective, Inc. and published by Atari under license by Marc Ecko...
(video game) - The Absinthe Films snowboarding video Futureproof
- "Sinner Man" is featured in Ben BovaBen BovaBenjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
's short story "Stars, Won't You Hide Me?" and the title is a lyric from the song. (The story can be found in his 1990 "Future Crime" anthology.) - Dance 8. for male solo of Alvin AileyAlvin AileyAlvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
's ballet "Revelations" - Sinnermen Productions (Production Company)
- The Felix Da Housecat remix is featured in the mobile phone maker HTC Corporation "You" campaign commercials.
- "Sinnerman" is featured in the novel Night of Thunder by Stephen HunterStephen HunterStephen Hunter is an American novelist, essayist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic.-Life and career:Stephen Hunter was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. His father was Charles Francis Hunter, a Northwestern University speech professor who was killed in 1975....
(2008). The lyrics are partially quoted and a character takes on the persona of The Sinnerman. - "Sinnerman" is featured in the novel Sinnerman by mystery and thriller writer Cheryl Bradshaw (20ll). The serial killer who abducts and kills women in the book gives himself the name of Sinnerman.
External links
- "Sinnerman" information including lyrics at the Nina Simone Database
- "Sinner Man" page at The 60's Jamaican Music Reference