ANIMALS - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

In early 1965 The Animals released Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - hitting #3 on the UK singles chart, and hitting #15 on the US pop singles chart. The song had been written for jazz singer Nina Simone, who first recorded it the previous year. The slow-tempo original version was released on Simone's Broadway-Blues-Ballads album. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - which has become one of Simone's most well-known songs - was also released as a single that year, but it failed to chart. The song has been released countless times over the past 50 years in many different styles and genres by artists including Santa Esmeralda, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Alabina and many others. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood has also been sampled by artists including Common and Lil Wayne. The song was also recently recorded by singer Lana Del Ray for her upcoming album Honeymoon - due to be released on September 18, 2015.