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Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Aretha Franklin
Piano
The Sweet Inspirations
Background Vocals
Chuck Rainey
Bass
Ray Lucas
Drums
Cornell Dupree
Guitar
Billy Preston
Hammond Organ
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Nina Simone
Songwriter
Arif Mardin
String Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Arif Mardin
Producer
Jerry Wexler
Producer
Tom Dowd
Producer
Lyrics
[Intro]
To be young, gifted and Black
Oh, what a lovely precious thing
Oh, when you're, yes, yes, when you're
When you're young
Yeah, thank you, Jesus
Gifted and Black
Open your heart is all I need
[Instrumental]
In this whole world, you know
There are millions of boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and Black
With their souls intact, and that's a fact
"You are young, gifted and Black"
We must begin to tell our young
"There's a world waiting for you, you
Yours is the quest that's just begun"
When you're feeling real low
Here's a great truth you should remember and know
That you're young, gifted and Black
You got your soul intact, oh, and that's a fact
[Outro]
You're young, gifted and Black
Oh, it's a mighty sweet thing, yes, it is now
Young, gifted and Black
Oh, my sisters
Young, gifted and Black
You're young and you're Black, you got your soul intact
You got the future, don't you know it's a fact?
Young, gifted and Black
Young—
Written by: Nina Simone, Weldon Irvine