Gil Scott Heron

[jpeirpont]

I recently downloaded a collection videos featuring shows and interviews of Heron. He's amazing I'm not sure how I managed to be unaware of him all this time. Heres one of my favorite so far.

"Whiteys on the Moon"

A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
I can't pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Ten years from now I'll be payin' still.
(while Whitey's on the moon)
The man jus' upped my rent las' night.
('cause Whitey's on the moon)
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
I wonder why he's uppi' me?
('cause Whitey's on the moon?)
I wuz already payin' 'im fifty a week.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Taxes takin' my whole damn check,
Junkies makin' me a nervous wreck,
The price of food is goin' up,
An' as if all that **** wuzn't enough:
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face an' arm began to swell.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Was all that money I made las' year
(for Whitey on the moon?)
How come there ain't no money here?
(Hmm! Whitey's on the moon)
Y'know I jus' 'bout had my fill
(of Whitey on the moon)
I think I'll sen' these doctor bills,
Airmail special
(to Whitey on the moon)

 

[Nantucket Red]

I remember hearing the name Gil Scott heron long ago, perhaps in the 70s. I always assumed he was a musician, but in what connection I had no idea. Just read the entry in Wikipedia. Brilliant.

I'm reminded of Frank Zappa's take on the Watts riots, Trouble Every Day, from his first album Freak Out:


Well I'm about to get sick

From watchin' my TV

Been checkin' out the news

Until my eyeballs fail to see

I mean to say that every day

Is just another rotten mess

And when it's gonna change, my friend

Is anybody's guess



So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'

Hopin' for the best

Even think I'll go to prayin'

Every time I hear 'em sayin'

That there's no way to delay

That trouble comin' every day

No way to delay

That trouble comin' every day



Wednesday I watched the riot . . .

Seen the cops out on the street

Watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff

And chokin' in the heat

Listened to reports

About the whisky passin' 'round

Seen the smoke and fire

And the market burnin' down

Watched while everybody

On his street would take a turn

To stomp and smash and bash and crash

And slash and bust and burn



And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'

Hopin' for the best

Even think I'll go to prayin'

Every time I hear 'em sayin'

That there's no way to delay

That trouble comin' every day

No way to delay

That trouble comin' every day



Well, you can cool it,

You can heat it . . .

'Cause, baby, I don't need it . . .

Take your TV tube and eat it

'N all that phony stuff on sports

'N all the unconfirmed reports

You know I watched that rotten box

Until my head begin to hurt

From checkin' out the way

The newsman say they get the dirt

Before the guys on channel so-and-so



And further they assert

That any show they'll interrupt

To bring you news if it comes up

They say that if the place blows up

They will be the first to tell,

Because the boys they got downtown

Are workin' hard and doin' swell,

And if anybody gets the news

Before it hits the street,

They say that no one blabs it faster

Their coverage can't be beat



And if another woman driver

Gets machine-gunned from her seat

They'll send some joker with a brownie

And you'll see it all complete



So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'

Hopin' for the best

Even think I'll go to prayin'

Every time I hear 'em sayin'

That there's no way to delay

That trouble comin' every day

No way to delay

That trouble comin' every day



Hey, you know something people?

I'm not black

But there's a whole lots o' times

I wish I could say I'm not white



Well, I seen the fires burnin'

And the local people turnin'

On the merchants and the shops

Who used to sell their brooms and mops

And every other household item

Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em

And they say it served 'em right

Because a few of them are white,

And it's the same across the nation

Black and white discrimination

Yellin' "You can't understand me!"

'N all that other jazz they hand me

In the papers and TV and

All that mass stupidity

That seems to grow more every day

Each time you hear some nitwit say

He wants to go and do you in

Because the color of your skin

Just don't appeal to him

(No matter if it's black or white)

Because he's out for blood tonight



You know we got to sit around at home

And watch this thing begin

But I bet there won't be many live

To see it really end

'Cause the fire in the street

Ain't like the fire in the heart

And in the eyes of all these people

Don't you know that this could start

On any street in any town

In any state if any clown

Decides that now's the time to fight

For some ideal he thinks is right

And if a million more agree

There ain't no Great Society

As it applies to you and me

Our country isn't free

And the law refuse to see

If all that you can ever be

Is just a lousy janitor

Unless your uncle owns a store

You know that five in every four

Just won't amount to nothin' more

Than watchin' rats go across the floor

And makin' up songs 'bout being poor



Blow your harmonica, son!

 

[Stax]

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised!

 

[Aaron]

I love Heron, he does the intro for a track on a Talib Kweli album.

 

[BankerBoi]

Originally Posted by Stax

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised!

Also the tribute with Gil Scott Heroin and Alf Pacino.