Nina Simone vs. Al Green | Face Off

In the fifth edition of Face Off (2026), Nina Simone and Al Green face off for the best rendition of the Bee Gees classic, “To Love Somebody.” 

Ah, let the Face Off begin! The sun has set on Head 2 Head (2021 – 2025), but the musical competition has “only just begun”, Karen Carpenter! In Face Off, musicians compete to determine who delivered the best version of a song. In most cases, the musicians are performing the same song or a remix, rearrangement, or variation of the song.  Each performance will be evaluated for vocal or instrumental performance, production, and so on and so forth. After blurbing about each performance, I will briefly deliberate and deliver a verdict about who wins the Face Off.  Draws and ties are acceptable, but in most cases, one band, group, or musician will get the edge. In the fifth edition of Face Off (2026), Nina Simone and Al Green face off for the best rendition of the Bee Gees classic, “To Love Somebody”. May the best musician win!

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Table of Contents
1. Nina Simone, “To Love Somebody”	2. Al Green, “To Love Somebody”
Deliberation	Verdict

 

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1. Nina Simone, “To Love Somebody”

To Love Somebody » Sony Music Entertainment » 1969

The beloved classic “To Love Somebody” was originally recorded by the iconic pop trio, the Bee Gees, in 1967.  They earned a top 20 hit on the pop charts with the memorable, well-written record. Barry Gibb (b. 1946) and Robin Gibb (1949 – 2012) are credited as writers. In 1969, music visionary Nina Simone (1933 – 2003) covered “To Love Somebody” on her album, To Love Somebody. While Simone is renowned for her jazz leanings, throughout her illustrious career, she proved herself to be multifaceted and versatile. This dynamic cover of “To Love Somebody” is a prime example of Nina’s top-notch, world-class musicianship.

Nina Simone is backed by a strong musical arrangement (Jimmy Wisner is an arranger and conductor).  The groove is soulful, led by athletic, pummeling drums (Charles D. Alias).  Beyond the drums, the rhythm section is tight, including a sickening bass line (Gene A. Perla is beastly), guitar (Al Schackman), and bluesy piano (Simone).  Also, vibraphone adds color.  Additionally, there are lush strings and mean-sounding horns that bite something fierce.  With such an epic backdrop, Nina has plenty of fuel for her fire. Of course, Simone is a natural.  She’s commanding from the onset with her distinct, nuanced pipes. Had Bee Gees not originally recorded this song, you could swear this was a Nina original.  She sells it: “But I’m a woman / Can’t you see what I am / I live and breathe for you.”  Oh, snap! Besides her compelling, expressive lead, Simone gets support from powerful female background vocals, singing in their upper register.  Ultimately, Simone put in serious work on “To Love Somebody”.  This cover is utterly sublime! Note: check out her version of the song, recorded Live in Antibes (1969) that contrasts the studio version 🔻.

Appears in:

Nina Simone, To Love Somebody: Covers No. 39 (2024) Intriguing Songs Fueled by LOVE, Vol. 5 (2025)

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2. Al Green, “To Love Somebody”

To Love Somebody (EP) » Fat Possum Records » 2026

To reiterate, the beloved pop oldie, “To Love Somebody”, was originally recorded by the Bee Gees, in 1967.  A hit, Barry Gibb (b. 1946) and Robin Gibb (1949 – 2012) penned it.  Another iconic musician, Al Green (b. 1946), became one of many musicians to cover “To Love Somebody” on his 2026 EP, To Love Somebody.  Although this is not an Al Green original, the Reverend ensures he makes “To Love Somebody” his own. Matthew Johnson, David Ferguson, and Clay Jones produced Green’s riveting take.

In Al Green’s gifted hands, “To Love Somebody” gets the soul treatment.  And it’s not just any kind of soul.  It’s that Memphis soul that is written all over the radiant, throwback musical accompaniment. Highlights within the accompaniment include the churchy, earthy organ, lush, rich strings, and biting horns.  The instrumental riffs are riffing! Of course, the star of the show is none other than the reverend himself.  Green delivers compelling, soulful lead vocals.  Moments after he sings the opening notes, it’s apparent he’s still got it, pushing 80 years young.  His tone remains elite, while his pitch is strong, too.  Sure, his ad-libs are more modest than his heyday, but overall, his voice doesn’t sound diminished an ounce.  He still brings those gritty, gospelized riffs that encourage you to say, Amen! Go ‘head, pastor! Green concludes “To Love Somebody” warmly, singing, “I love you.” Aww, Rev! “To Love Somebody” has been covered many times.  It’s hard to make this the Bee Gees staples extra special.  However, this soulful rendition by Al Green is the bomb diggity.  This is a welcome addition to the soul playlist in 2026.

Appears in:

Al Green, To Love Somebody: Covers No. 4 (2025)

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Deliberation

Ah, we’ve arrived at the deliberation! To Deliberate is “to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully.” With that definition courtesy of my go-to, Merriam-Webster, briefly break down these two distinct performances with some notes!

1. Nina Simone, “To Love Somebody”

2. Al Green, “To Love Somebody”

Simone’s cover of the Bee Gees’ classic showcases her artistic versatility and world-class musicianship, moving beyond jazz, the style she’s most renowned for. In her hand, the rendition is soulful, intact with a soul-leaning arrangement.  The instrumentation includes the rhythm section (with vibes), lush strings, and mean-sounding horns. Simone shows off her distinct, nuanced pipes, making this cover sound as if she could’ve originally recorded it. Beyond her compelling lead vocals, Simone is supported by powerful, female backing vocals. Simone’s cover is quicker in tempo compared to Green’s. The more established recording, released in 1969,  Simone has earned nearly 35,768,000 plays on Spotify.

Like Nina Simone, Al Green makes his cover of the Bee Gees’ classic his own, embracing his signature soul and gospel stylings of old. In Green’s hands, the sound of the record oozes with soul but not just any soul – Memphis soul! The instrumentation is similar to Simone’s with rhythm section (churchy organ replaces vibes), lush strings, and biting horns. Recorded late in Al Green’s illustrious career, he remains potent.  While his ad-libs are more modest, his voice doesn’t sound like it’s diminished at 80 years young. Beyond the moments where he maintains the sanctity of the melody like a champ, his gritty, gospelized riffs deserve a shout out. Modern recording technology gives Green’s cover an edge in sound quality.

 

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Verdict

After much deliberation, yo boi, The Musical Hype, has reached a verdict. In the case… I mean, in the Face Off between Nina Simone and Al Green, we have a TIE.  Simone deserves all the credit as the most established cover of “To Love Somebody.” Those Spotify streams are insane, and arguably, just enough to give her the edge in this Face Off. But Green’s performance is also incredibly impressive, particularly arriving long past his lucrative prime.  Simone was in her 30s when she recorded her cover.  Green, on the other hand, was nearly 80.  Maybe it’s a cop out because these are two musicians I have the utmost respect for, but with either cover of this Bee Gees pop classic, your playlist and your ears are in excellent shape! And with that said, stay tuned for the next Face Off!

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Nina Simone vs. Al Green: Face Off No. 5 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Fat Possum Records, Sony Music Entertainment; fotografoedsonj ed, Marlon Schmeiski from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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