While many associate the track with the rock-and-roll energy of , it was originally written for Simone in 1964 by Bennie Benjamin, Horace Ott, and Sol Marcus.
Simone recorded it for her album Broadway-Blues-Ballads as a downtempo, orchestrated ballad . Unlike later high-energy covers, her version featured prominent harp and a brooding, melancholic arrangement. Layers of Meaning Nina Simone - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Horace Ott first conceived the melody and chorus after a heated argument with his then-girlfriend (and later wife), Gloria Caldwell. While many associate the track with the rock-and-roll