Song Meaning
Nina Simone's "Plans" is less a carefully constructed narrative and more a raw, almost desperate, assertion of self. Stripped down to its core, the song circles around the fundamental need to create as a means of validating existence. The opening lines, "I sing just to know that I'm alive / I play just to feel that I'll survive," lay bare the existential stakes at play. It's not about fame, accolades, or even connection; it's about the act of creation itself serving as proof of life, a bulwark against oblivion. The almost pleading repetition underscores the urgency, as if each note is a breath keeping the darkness at bay.
The sparseness of the lyrics only amplifies the emotional weight. The mention of "a second place" hints at a world where the singer's purpose is diminished, a possibility so bleak that it can barely be articulated. The almost nonsensical "Sugoose" refrain acts as a rhythmic anchor, a grounding force in the face of overwhelming uncertainty. It’s a primal sound, evocative of something ancient and deeply personal, perhaps a private mantra to ward off despair. This isn't polished performance; it's a glimpse into the artist's interiority, a vulnerable moment captured in song.
The closing lines, "Well the mountains they won't move no they don't / And the people they won't dance and they won't," paint a picture of a static, unresponsive world. This stagnation serves as a foil to Simone's relentless self-expression. Faced with an unyielding external reality, the act of singing becomes not just a means of survival, but an act of defiance. "Plans," in this context, are not about grand strategies or future ambitions, but rather the immediate, visceral plan to keep creating, to keep pushing back against the silence, to keep affirming, "I sing just to know that I'm alive."
View Artist