Who Originally Sang “Feeling Good”? Before Nina Simone and Michael Bublé
“Feeling Good” was first performed publicly by Cy Grant in 1964.
Not Nina Simone.
And not Michael Bublé.
The song was written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd.
Its original purpose was theatrical.
It expressed a character’s moment of triumph.
But Nina Simone transformed it into one of the most recognisable jazz and soul recordings of the 1960s.
Decades later, Michael Bublé brought the composition to another audience.
That gives “Feeling Good” an extraordinary musical history.
Who was Cy Grant?
A Guyanese-British singer, actor and writer.
Grant became an important performer in British entertainment during the mid-twentieth century.
He appeared in theatre, film and television.
He was involved in the original British production of The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd.
The musical opened in Nottingham in August 1964.
Grant performed “Feeling Good” as part of the stage production.
That makes him the original public performer of the song.
Who wrote “Feeling Good”?
Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse.
The British songwriting partnership created several successful musical-theatre compositions.
Newley was an actor, singer and composer.
Bricusse was a lyricist and composer.
Their work frequently combined accessible melodies with theatrical storytelling.
“Feeling Good” was written for a specific dramatic moment.
That original context helps explain the song’s enormous emotional structure.
It isn’t simply a cheerful pop recording.
It’s a declaration of liberation.
What does “Feeling Good” actually mean?
Freedom and personal renewal.
The narrator experiences a dramatic change in circumstances.
The world feels different.
Ordinary things suddenly become symbols of possibility.
In the original musical, the song communicates a character’s moment of emancipation and triumph.
Later performers brought different emotional meanings to the composition.
Nina Simone’s interpretation became particularly associated with dignity and self-determination.
But the central theme remains recognisable.
The feeling of beginning again.
When did Nina Simone record it?
1965.
Her version appeared on the album I Put a Spell on You.
The recording became one of her most famous performances.
Simone’s vocal style is immediately recognisable.
She begins with extraordinary control.
The instrumental arrangement then develops around her.
Her performance combines jazz, blues and dramatic vocal intensity.
It transformed the musical-theatre composition into something with a powerful independent identity.
Why is Nina Simone’s version so famous?
Because her performance feels unusually authoritative.
She doesn’t simply sound happy.
She sounds as though she is claiming freedom.
That gives the recording emotional weight.
Simone’s musical identity was closely associated with jazz, classical training and civil-rights-era cultural expression.
Listeners can therefore hear broader social meanings in her version.
But those meanings should be distinguished from the original stage narrative.
A great interpretation can introduce emotional qualities beyond what the first performance communicated.
Was Nina Simone the first person to record it?
No.
The song had already appeared within theatrical performance and cast-recording contexts.
Gilbert Price performed the song in the Broadway production, which opened in 1965.
The original Broadway cast recording helped establish the composition.
Other artists also recorded versions during the same period.
That means Simone’s version wasn’t the first.
It was the interpretation that became culturally dominant for many listeners.
Did Michael Bublé cover “Feeling Good”?
Yes.
His version appeared on the 2005 album It’s Time.
Bublé introduced a more polished orchestral-pop arrangement.
His vocal emphasises the song’s dramatic theatrical qualities.
The recording became strongly associated with his public musical identity.
For many younger listeners, it was their introduction to the composition.
That created another generation of people who recognised the melody without knowing its earlier history.
Why do the two famous versions sound different?
Because the performers bring different traditions.
Simone’s recording has strong jazz and blues influences.
Her vocal performance feels intensely personal.
Bublé’s interpretation is closer to traditional pop and orchestral swing.
The instrumental arrangement is larger and more polished.
Both use the same underlying composition.
But the emotional atmosphere changes.
That is one reason “Feeling Good” has remained popular across decades.
Is “Feeling Good” a jazz song?
It is commonly associated with jazz because of famous interpretations.
But the composition originated in musical theatre.
That distinction matters.
A song’s original genre doesn’t necessarily determine every later recording.
“Feeling Good” has been performed as jazz.
Soul.
Rock.
Orchestral pop.
And electronic-influenced music.
Its strong melody and dramatic structure make it suitable for multiple approaches.
Who else has covered the song?
Numerous artists.
Muse released a distinctive rock interpretation.
George Michael also recorded the composition.
Other singers have explored it through jazz and contemporary pop.
John Coltrane even recorded an instrumental interpretation during the 1960s.
The variety demonstrates how adaptable the underlying musical idea became.
A theatrical song about liberation can move across very different musical environments.
Why is “Feeling Good” popular in advertising?
Because it communicates immediate confidence.
The opening creates anticipation.
The arrangement gradually expands.
Then the vocal becomes more dramatic.
That structure works well for advertisements involving transformation or aspiration.
The recording suggests a new beginning.
A change.
A moment of success.
Those are useful emotional associations for filmmakers and advertisers.
Songs like “Feeling Good”
Try:
- Nina Simone – I Put a Spell on You
- Nina Simone – Sinnerman
- Michael Bublé – Cry Me a River
- Etta James – At Last
- Aretha Franklin – Think
- Dusty Springfield – The Look of Love
- Shirley Bassey – I Am What I Am
- Muse – Feeling Good
- Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come
- Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit
These recordings explore different approaches to powerful vocals, dramatic arrangements and jazz-influenced songwriting.
Which version should you hear first?
Begin with Cy Grant’s historical connection to the original musical.
Then hear Nina Simone’s 1965 recording.
Afterwards, Michael Bublé’s version.
Finally, try Muse for a completely different interpretation.
The progression demonstrates how much performance and production can change a composition’s emotional identity.
Who originally sang “Feeling Good”?
Cy Grant first performed it publicly in 1964.
Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse wrote the song for a stage musical.
Gilbert Price performed it on Broadway.
Nina Simone made it a defining jazz and soul recording in 1965.
Michael Bublé introduced it to another generation in 2005.
The composition began as a theatrical declaration of freedom.
More than sixty years later, listeners are still discovering new ways to experience that feeling.