Gil Scott-Heron (born April 1, 1949 in Chicago, died May 27, 2011 in New Yo… Read Full Bio ↴Gil Scott-Heron (born April 1, 1949 in Chicago, died May 27, 2011 in New York City) was an American poet and musician, known primarily for his late 1960s and early 1970s work as a spoken word performer, associated with African American militant activists. Heron is perhaps most well known for his poems/songs "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "What's the Word - Johannesburg" a movement hit during the 1980's South Africa college and national divestment movement in the United States of America.

He began recording in 1970 with the LP Small Talk at 125th and Lenox with the assistance of Bob Thiele Flying Dutchman Records, co-writer Brian Jackson, Hubert Laws, Bernard Purdie (who later recorded "Delights of the Garden" with The Last Poets), Charlie Saunders, Eddie Knowles, Ron Carter and Bert Jones, all jazz musicians (see 1970 in music). The album included the aggressive diatribe against white-owned corporate media and middle-class America's ignorance of the problems of inner cities in songs such as Whitey On The Moon.

The 1971 Pieces of a Man used more conventional song structures than the loose, spoken word feel of his first, though he didn't reach the charts until 1975 with "Johannesburg". His biggest hit was 1978's "The Bottle", produced by Heron and longtime partner Brian Jackson, which peaked at #15 on the R&B charts (see 1978 in music).

In 2001, Gil Scott-Heron was sentenced to one to three years' imprisonment in New York State for possession of cocaine. While out of jail in 2002, he appeared on the Blazing Arrow album by Blackalicious. He was released on parole in 2003. On July 5, 2006, Scott-Heron was sentenced to two to four years in a New York State prison for violating a plea deal on a drug-possession charge by leaving a drug rehabilitation center. Scott-Heron's sentence was to run until July 13, 2009. He was paroled on May 23, 2007. The reason given for the violation of his plea was that the clinic refused to supply Scott-Heron with HIV medication. This story led to the presumption that the artist is HIV positive.

After his release, Scott-Heron began performing live again, starting with a show at SOBs in New York on September 13, 2007. On stage, he stated that he and his musicians were working on a new album and that he had resumed writing a book titled The Last Holiday, previously on long-term hiatus, about Stevie Wonder and his successful attempt to have the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. declared a federally recognized holiday in the United States.

He was arrested October 10, 2007, the day before a scheduled (but ultimately cancelled) second SOBs performance, on felony possession of cocaine charges. However, he has continued to make live appearances at various US venues during the course of 2008 and 2009, including further appearances at SOBs in New York. He has also stated in interviews that work is continuing on his new album, which will consist mainly of new versions of some of his classic songs plus some cover versions of other artists' work.

Having originally planned to publish The Last Holiday in 2003, before it was put on hold, Canongate Books now tentatively intend to issue it in January, 2011. The book was due to be previewed via a website set to be launched on April 1, 2009, but this did not appear.

Mark T. Watson, a student of Scott-Heron's work, dedicated a collection of poetry to Gil titled Ordinary Guy that contained a foreword by Jalal Mansur Nuriddin of The Last Poets. The book was published in the UK in 2004 by Fore-Word Press Ltd. Scott-Heron recorded one of the poems in Watson's book Black & Blue due for release in 2008 as part of the album Rhythms of the Diaspora by Malik & the OG's on the record label CPR Recordings.

Gil Scott-Heron released his new album I'm New Here on independent label XL Recordings on February 9, 2010. Produced by XL label owner Richard Russell, 'I'm New Here' is Scott-Heron's first album in thirteen years.The pair started recording the album in 2007, with the majority of the record being recorded over the last twelve months with engineer Lawson White at Clinton Studios in New York. In 2009, a new Gil Scott-Heron website, www.gilscottheron.net , was launched with a brand new track 'Where Did The Night Go' made available as a free download from the site.

In 2011, Scott-Heron released "We're New Here" a remix album which was a collaboration with Jamie xx, a member of the British indie band The xx. Scott-Heron died in New York City on May 27, 2011.

Back Home
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's been a whole lot said about your city living
They told us that the streets were paved with gold
And some of us believed 'em, left our home and came looking
But that was just another story they told
I got to get back and see my people
Someday and someway

My old Uncle Henry don't believe in those airplanes

Lord knows you sure been good to me
Gave me piggy back rides down them dusty highways
When I came just up to his knees
I got to get back and see my people
Someday and someway

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child
No, no, no

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child
But here I am
And I got some people and I know that they love me
And I know just where to look this time
Collar greens and cornbread on my Sunday dinner
And don't you know that makes me think it's working out fine
When I get back to see my people
Someday and someway

Someday and someway
And someday, and someway

Overall Meaning

The song "Back Home" by Gil Scott-Heron speaks to the idea of leaving your home in search of something better, only to realize that what you were looking for was already back home. The first verse states that there have been many stories told about the city and how its streets are paved with gold, but the reality is that many who left their homes in search of that gold were disappointed. The singer wants to return home and be with their people, as they miss the warmth and love that they had left behind.

The second verse highlights the importance of family and the memories that were created with them. The singer's Uncle Henry, who presumably lives back home, does not believe in airplanes. Despite this, Uncle Henry was always there for the singer in the past, providing them with piggyback rides and love. The desire to return home to these memories and relationships is present throughout the song.

The chorus emphasizes the unexpected nature of feeling lost and searching for something as basic as warmth and a smile. The singer never expected to leave home or experience the difficulty of running through the city like a newborn child. The final verse states that despite the struggles, the singer has found some people who do love them and provide a sense of home. The line "collar greens and cornbread on my Sunday dinner" is a reference to a traditional soul food meal that is often seen as a comfort food, signifying that the singer has found solace in the familiar.

Line by Line Meaning

There's been a whole lot said about your city living
People talked a lot about living in the city

They told us that the streets were paved with gold
Some people said that living in the city was like walking on gold

And some of us believed 'em, left our home and came looking
Some people believed those stories and left their homes to find that gold

But that was just another story they told
But the story about gold was just a lie

I got to get back and see my people
I need to return to my hometown and my loved ones

Someday and someway
I don't know when or how, but I will return

My old Uncle Henry don't believe in those airplanes
My Uncle Henry is skeptical about airplanes

Lord knows you sure been good to me
I've been blessed by a higher power

Gave me piggy back rides down them dusty highways
My Uncle Henry gave me rides when I was a child

When I came just up to his knees
I was so young that I only reached my Uncle's knees

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never thought I'd feel so alone and desperate for comfort

But here I am
But now I am in the city, far away from home

And I got some people and I know that they love me
But I have found some caring people who love me

And I know just where to look this time
And now I know where to go to find happiness and warmth

Collar greens and cornbread on my Sunday dinner
I look forward to eating greens and cornbread for Sunday dinner like I used to

And don't you know that makes me think it's working out fine
And that makes me believe that everything is going to be alright

When I get back to see my people
When I return home to my loved ones

Someday and someway
I don't know when, but I'll make it happen

Someday and someway
Someday and someway

And someday, and someway
And someday, and someway

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: STEPHEN LEE CROPPER, DONALD V. DUNN, AL JR. JACKSON, BOOKER T. JR. JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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