
If We Were a Love Song (AD, CC)
Season 2021 Episode 3 | 31m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
A dance film choreographed by Kyle Abraham inspired by Nina Simone’s soul-stirring music.
A series of dance vignettes intertwining choreographer Kyle Abraham’s idiosyncratic, emotionally driven movement with Nina Simone’s intimate, soul-stirring music. Directed by Dehanza Rogers.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Past, Present, Future is a local public television program presented by WLIW PBS
Support for “Past, Present, Future” is provided by Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown.

If We Were a Love Song (AD, CC)
Season 2021 Episode 3 | 31m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
A series of dance vignettes intertwining choreographer Kyle Abraham’s idiosyncratic, emotionally driven movement with Nina Simone’s intimate, soul-stirring music. Directed by Dehanza Rogers.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Il faut oublier ♪ ♪ Tout peut s'oublier ♪ ♪ Qui s'enfuit déjà ♪ ♪ Oublier le temps ♪ ♪ Des malentendus ♪ ♪ Et le temps perdu ♪ ♪ A savoir comment ♪ ♪ Oublier ces heures ♪ ♪ Qui tuaient parfois ♪ ♪ A coups de pourquoi ♪ ♪ Le coeur du bonheur ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Moi je t'offrirai ♪ ♪ Des perles de pluie ♪ ♪ Venues de pays ♪ ♪ Ou il ne pleut pas ♪ ♪ Je creuserai la terre ♪ ♪ Jusqu'après ma mort ♪ ♪ Pour couvrir ton corps ♪ ♪ D'or et de lumière ♪ ♪ Je ferai un domaine ♪ ♪ Ou l'amour sera roi ♪ ♪ Ou l'amour sera loi ♪ ♪ Ou tu seras reine ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Je t'inventerai ♪ ♪ Des mots insensés ♪ ♪ Que tu comprendras ♪ ♪ Je te parlerai ♪ ♪ De ces amants-là ♪ ♪ Qui ont vu deux fois ♪ ♪ Leurs coeurs s'embraser ♪ ♪ Je te raconterai ♪ ♪ L'histoire de ce roi ♪ ♪ Mort de n'avoir pas ♪ ♪ Pu te rencontrer ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ On a vu souvent ♪ ♪ Rejaillir le feu ♪ ♪ De l'ancien volcan ♪ ♪ Qu'on croyait trop vieux ♪ ♪ Il est, paraît-t-il ♪ ♪ Des terres brulées ♪ ♪ Donnant plus de blé ♪ ♪ Qu'un meilleur avril ♪ ♪ Et quand vient le soir ♪ ♪ Pour qu'un ciel flamboie ♪ ♪ Le rouge et le noir ♪ ♪ Ne s'épousent-ils pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Je ne vais plus pleurer ♪ ♪ Je ne vais plus parler ♪ ♪ Je me cacherai là ♪ ♪ A te regarder ♪ ♪ Danser et sourire ♪ ♪ Et à t'écouter ♪ ♪ Chanter et puis rire ♪ ♪ Laisse-moi devenir ♪ ♪ L'ombre de ton ombre ♪ ♪ L'ombre de ta main ♪ ♪ L'ombre de ton chien ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ Ne me quitte pas ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ Does not know her beauty ♪ ♪ She thinks her brown glory ♪ ♪ She thinks her brown body has no glory ♪ ♪ If she could dance naked ♪ ♪ Under palm trees ♪ ♪ And see her image in the river ♪ ♪ She would know ♪ ♪ Yes, she would know ♪ ♪ But there are no palm trees in the street ♪ ♪ No palm trees in the street ♪ ♪ And dishwater gives back no images ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ Does not know her beauty ♪ ♪ She thinks her brown body ♪ ♪ Has no glory ♪ ♪ If she could dance naked ♪ ♪ Under palm trees ♪ ♪ And see her image in the river ♪ ♪ She would know ♪ ♪ Yes, she would know ♪ ♪ Yes, she would know ♪ ♪ But there are no palm trees in the street ♪ ♪ No palm trees in the street ♪ ♪ And dishwater gives back ♪ ♪ No image ♪ [ Nina Simone's "Keeper of the Flame" playing ] ♪♪ ♪ I'm the keeper of the flame ♪ ♪ My torch of love lights his name ♪ ♪ Ask no pity, beg my shame ♪ ♪ I'm the keeper of the flame ♪ ♪ Played with fire and I was burn ♪ ♪ Gave a heart but I was spurn ♪ ♪ All these time I have yearned ♪ ♪ Just to have my love return ♪ ♪ Years have passed by ♪ ♪ The spark still remains ♪ ♪ True love can't die ♪ ♪ It smolders in flames ♪ ♪ When the fire is burning out ♪ ♪ And the angels call my name ♪ ♪ Dying love will leave no doubt ♪ ♪ That I'm the keeper of the flame ♪ ♪ Years have passed by ♪ ♪ The spark still remains ♪ ♪ True love can't die ♪ ♪ It smolders in flame ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪ When the fire is burning out ♪ ♪ And the angels call my name ♪ ♪ Dying love will leave no doubt ♪ ♪ That I'm the keeper of the flame ♪ ♪ Dying love will leave no doubt ♪ ♪ That I'm the keeper of the flame ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ I'm the keeper... ♪ [ Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Sit there ♪ ♪ And count your fingers ♪ ♪ What can you do?
♪ ♪ Little girl, you're through ♪ ♪ Sit there ♪ ♪ Count your little fingers ♪ ♪ Unhappy little girl blue ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Sit there ♪ ♪ And count the raindrops ♪ ♪ Falling on you ♪ ♪ It's time you knew ♪ ♪ All you can ever count on ♪ ♪ Are the raindrops ♪ ♪ That fall on little girl blue ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Won't you sit there ♪ ♪ Count the little raindrops ♪ ♪ Falling on you ♪ ♪ It's time you knew ♪ ♪ All you can ever count on ♪ ♪ Are the raindrops ♪ ♪ That fall on little girl blue ♪ ♪ Ain't no use, old girl ♪ ♪ Ain't no use, old girl ♪ ♪ You might as well surrender ♪ ♪ 'Cause your hopes are getting slender ♪ ♪ 'Cause your hopes are getting slender ♪ ♪ Why won't somebody send ♪ ♪ A tender ♪ ♪ Blue boy ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Won't somebody send a little tender blue boy ♪ ♪ To cheer ♪ ♪ To cheer little girl ♪ ♪ Blue ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Nina Simone's "Don't Explain" playing ] ♪♪ ♪ Hush now ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ There ain't nothin' to gain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm glad that you're back ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Quiet, baby ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ There is nothing to gain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Skip that lipstick ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You know that I love you ♪ ♪ And what love endures ♪ ♪ All my thoughts are of you ♪ ♪ For I'm so completely yours ♪ ♪ Don't want to hear folks chatter ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know you cheat ♪ ♪ Right and wrong don't matter ♪ ♪ When you're with me, my sweet ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hush now, don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't you know you're my joy and you're my pain?
♪ ♪♪ ♪ My life is yours, love ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ All my thoughts are of you ♪ ♪ For I'm so completely yours ♪ ♪ Don't want to hear nobody chatter ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know you cheat ♪ ♪ Right and wrong don't matter ♪ ♪ When you're with me, my sweet ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hush now, don't explain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're my joy and you're my pain ♪ ♪♪ ♪ My life is yours, love ♪ ♪ Don't explain ♪ ♪♪ [ Nina Simone's "Wild Is the Wind" playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Love me, love me, love me ♪ ♪ Say you do ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Let me fly away with you ♪ ♪ For my love is like the wind ♪ ♪ And wild is the wind ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Give me more than one caress ♪ ♪ Satisfy ♪ ♪ This hungriness ♪ ♪ Let the wind blow through your heart ♪ ♪ For wild is the wind ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Touch me ♪ ♪ I hear the sound of mandolins ♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Kiss me ♪ ♪ With your kiss my life begins ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're spring to me ♪ ♪ All things to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hmm ♪ ♪ Don't you know you're life itself ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like a leaf clings to a tree ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, my darling, cling to me ♪ ♪ For we're creatures of the wind ♪ ♪ And wild is the wind ♪ ♪ So wild is the wind ♪ ♪ You touch me ♪ ♪ I hear the sound of mandolins ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Kiss me ♪ ♪ And with your kiss my life begins ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Daddy, you're spring to me ♪ ♪ All things to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't you know you're life itself ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like a leaf clings to a tree ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, my darling, cling to me ♪ ♪ For we're creatures of the wind ♪ ♪ And wild is the wind ♪ ♪ So wild is the wind ♪ ♪ Wild ♪ ♪ Is the wind ♪ ♪ Wild ♪ ♪ Is the wind ♪ ♪ Wild ♪ ♪ Is the wind ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Nina Simone's "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" playing ] ♪ Black ♪ ♪ Is the color of my true love's hair ♪ ♪♪ ♪ His face ♪ ♪ So soft and wondrous fair ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The purest eyes ♪ ♪ And the strongest hands ♪ ♪ I love the ground on where he stands ♪ ♪ I love the ground on where he stands ♪ ♪ Black ♪ ♪ Is the color ♪ ♪ Of my true love's hair ♪ ♪ Of my true love's hair ♪ ♪ Of my true love's hair ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, I love my lover ♪ ♪ And, well, he knows ♪ ♪ Yes, I love the ground on where he goes ♪ ♪ And still I hope ♪ ♪ That the time will come ♪ ♪ When he and I will be as one ♪ ♪ When he and I will be as one ♪ ♪ When he and I will be as one ♪ ♪ So black ♪ ♪ Is the color ♪ ♪ Of my true love's hair ♪ ♪ My true love's hair ♪ ♪ Of my true love's hair ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Black ♪ ♪ Is the color of my true love's hair ♪ ♪♪ ♪ His face ♪ ♪ So soft and wondrous fair ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The purest eyes ♪ ♪ And the strongest hands ♪ ♪ I love the ground on where he stands ♪ ♪ I love the ground on where he stands ♪
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Past, Present, Future is a local public television program presented by WLIW PBS
Support for “Past, Present, Future” is provided by Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown.















