Young, gifted and what??

Older readers will (just about) remember the Top of the Pops compilation albums of the 1970s. Back then, because of licensing issues, compilations could not feature the original artists, so instead they used cover versions by anonymous session singers. One such singer was Reginald Dwight. Apparently, he did quite a few: Spirit in the Sky, In the Summertime and this version of Nina Simone’s revered civil rights anthem. It seems extraordinary now but this was the era of the Black & White Minstrel Show and It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum. In the UK, there simply weren’t that many ethnically authentic singers or actors, so white artists would have to black up, either visually or vocally, and gamely do their best. Within a few years of this, Elton John was the biggest star in the world. 2% of all records sold across the globe were his. And that’s because he really paid his dues. He spent years playing the piano in pubs and singing on low budget compilations, augmenting his talent with sheer hard work. Which is why he won’t be embarrassed by this awful cover version. He will, quite rightly, be proud.