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.
Delta Man
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We say many things about the
Changing aspects of our lives we say
That since change is inevitable
We should direct
The change rather than simply continue to go
Through the change we sing a
Song of revolution as change to the
Where I'm coming from
Early in the morning, I, I heard the call
Of the crow he said, "Come on now
Brother want you to fly with me and
And can't you see it's time to go?"
Well, I've been-a working on
This delta underneath burning sun
Seemed like a Mississippi revolution
I feel like-a where I'm coming from
Feel like-a where I'm coming from
Feel like-a where I'm coming from
A brother man run to Nebraska
After the Civil War was through
He worked with his hands
He worked on the land all of
His life ain't nothing else he know to do
A rooting-tooting, Wild West
Shooting-up brother
Though his story don't teach us none
Seemed like a Wild West revolution
Ought to be where I'm coming from
Ought to be where I'm coming from
Ought to be where I'm coming from
Brother man raised on welfare
He live his life a-in the heart of the city
Among the junkies and the desperate people
A brother man
Learned about a life without pity
But he just been a-thinking and
Waiting and thinking and waiting
He knew his chance was bound to come
It seemed like big city revolution
Ought to be where I'm coming from ‘cause
Yes, the way I'm coming from
And it ought to be where I'm coming from
And the point I was
Trying to make: I'm moving from
Place to place and time to time yes, and the
Vibration that bring me new vibrations
Of the song on peoples' mind
They tell me, "Gil, don't be afraid
Of revolution! Ain't nothing but
Change and change is
Sure ‘nough bound to come" yeah
Now put a little
Revolution in your life and you'll
Understand where I'm coming from-a
Can you understand-a where I'm coming from?
Understand where I'm coming from
Yeah, tell me, can you just understand?
I'm trying my best to explain, but, tell me
Can you understand?
We're living in a world of
Change now, tell me, do you just understand?
Now I'm trying my best to
Explain, but, tell me
Do you just understand?
‘Cause if we ever get together, it'd
Be so much better brother, understand
If we ever get together, it'd
Be so much better brother, understand
And I really believe, and I really believe
And I
Really believe we could talk to another
All over and showing the world
We understand we're living in
A world of change, uh
Living in a world of change, my
Brother tell me, t-tell me, brother, do you
Understand? ‘Cause if we ever get together
It'll be more magic do you understand?
The lyrics of "Delta Man" by Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson convey a message about the inevitability of change and the need to embrace it in order to bring about revolution and progress. The song acknowledges that change is a constant aspect of our lives and suggests that instead of passively experiencing change, we should actively direct it. The lyrics also highlight the connections between different regions and communities, specifically mentioning the brothers in the Caribbean and Africa.
The song begins by describing the call of a crow, symbolizing a wake-up call urging the singer to embrace change. The mention of the delta and the burning sun alludes to the struggles and hardships endured in the Mississippi region, where a revolution is metaphorically taking place. The singer feels a strong sense of belonging and identity, expressing that he feels like where he's coming from, suggesting a need for change to come from within one's own community.
The lyrics then shift to the story of a brother who moves to Nebraska after the Civil War and works on the land, embodying the pioneering spirit of the Wild West. This section emphasizes the need for revolution and change in this context as well. The song then moves to the perspective of a brother living in the heart of the city, facing the challenges of poverty and desperation. This brother has learned about a life without pity but remains hopeful, waiting for his chance and believing in the possibility of a big city revolution.
The lyrics continue with the singer emphasizing the importance of embracing change and revolution. The vibrations of new ideas and perspectives shape the song and the minds of people. The singer urges listeners not to be afraid of revolution, as it is just another name for change. The song concludes by emphasizing the need for understanding and unity, suggesting that if people come together and embrace change, it will lead to a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a song about change you see
This song aims to discuss the concept of change.
We say many things about the
We express various thoughts about
Changing aspects of our lives we say
The different aspects of our lives that undergo change.
That since change is inevitable
Because change is unavoidable,
We should direct
We must guide
The change rather than simply continue to go
The process of change instead of merely going
Through the change we sing a
Amidst the change, we sing a
Song of revolution as change to the
Revolutionary song that symbolizes the change faced by
Brothers in the Caribbean and Africa
The individuals in the Caribbean and Africa.
Where I'm coming from
Representing my origins and experiences.
Early in the morning, I, I heard the call
At the break of dawn, I heard a compelling invitation
Of the crow he said, "Come on now
From a crow, it exclaimed, "Join me now
Brother want you to fly with me and
Brother, I want you to soar with me and
And can't you see it's time to go?"
Can't you realize it's time to depart?"
Well, I've been-a working on
I have been toiling on
This delta underneath burning sun
This river delta under the scorching sun
Seemed like a Mississippi revolution
Appeared akin to a revolution in Mississippi
I feel like-a where I'm coming from
I sense the essence of my origins
Brother man run to Nebraska
A man fled to Nebraska
After the Civil War was through
Following the conclusion of the Civil War
He worked with his hands
He toiled physically
He worked on the land all of
He dedicated his life to working on the fields
His life ain't nothing else he know to do
He doesn't know any other way of life
A rooting-tooting, Wild West
An adventurous, Wild West
Shooting-up brother
Gun-toting individual
Though his story don't teach us none
Even though his story doesn't offer any lessons
Seemed like a Wild West revolution
Appeared like a revolution in the Wild West
Ought to be where I'm coming from
Should be the basis of my perspective
Brother man raised on welfare
A man who grew up reliant on government assistance
He live his life a-in the heart of the city
He lived his life in the urban center
Among the junkies and the desperate people
Among drug addicts and individuals in despair
A brother man
A fellow man
Learned about a life without pity
Gained knowledge of a life devoid of compassion
But he just been a-thinking and
But he has been contemplating
Waiting and thinking and waiting
Waiting and pondering
He knew his chance was bound to come
He was aware that his opportunity would arise
It seemed like big city revolution
It felt like a revolution in the big city
Ought to be where I'm coming from ‘cause
Should be the source of my perspective because
Yes, the way I'm coming from
Indeed, the manner in which I approach things
And it ought to be where I'm coming from
And it should be the foundation of my perspective
And the point I was
The point I was trying to make is that
Trying to make: I'm moving from
Attempting to emphasize that I am transitioning from
Place to place and time to time yes, and the
One place to another and from one time period to another, and the
Vibration that bring me new vibrations
Energy that brings me fresh experiences
Of the song on peoples' mind
Of the thoughts that occupy peoples' minds
They tell me, "Gil, don't be afraid
People advise me, "Gil, don't fear
Of revolution! Ain't nothing but
The concept of revolution! It's simply
Change and change is
Change, and change is
Sure ‘nough bound to come" yeah
Without a doubt going to transpire" yes
Now put a little
Now inject some
Revolution in your life and you'll
Revolutionary spirit into your life, and you will
Understand where I'm coming from-a
Comprehend the basis of my perspective
Can you understand-a where I'm coming from?
Do you truly understand where I derive my perspective?
Understand where I'm coming from
Comprehend the essence of my perspective
Yeah, tell me, can you just understand?
Yes, please tell me, do you truly comprehend?
I'm trying my best to explain, but, tell me
I am making an effort to elucidate, so please tell me
Can you understand?
Do you truly understand?
We're living in a world of
We exist in a world characterized by
Change now, tell me, do you just understand?
Constant change now, can you truly comprehend?
Now I'm trying my best to
Now I am doing my utmost to
Explain, but, tell me
Explain, so tell me
Do you just understand?
Do you truly comprehend?
‘Cause if we ever get together, it'd
Because if we unite, it would
Be so much better brother, understand
Improve the situation significantly, brother, understand
If we ever get together, it'd
If we ever come together, it would
Be so much better brother, understand
Be greatly improved, brother, understand
And I really believe, and I really believe
And I genuinely believe, and I truly believe
And I
Really believe we could talk to another
And I truly believe we could communicate with one another
All over and showing the world
Everywhere, and demonstrating to the world
We understand we're living in
That we comprehend we exist in
A world of change, uh
A world of constant change, uh
Living in a world of change, my
Existing in a world of constant change, my
Brother tell me, t-tell me, brother, do you
Brother, inform me, t-tell me, do you
Understand? ‘Cause if we ever get together
Comprehend? Because if we ever unite
It'll be more magic do you understand?
It will be even more magical, do you comprehend?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - “Delta Man (Where I'm Comin' From)”
[Vocals/Written By/Producer/Rhythm Piano: Gil Scott-Heron]
[Producer/Keyboards: Brian Jackson]
[Co-Producer: Larry Fallon and Tom Wilson]
[Bass Clarinet/Tenor Saxophone: Bilal Sunni-Ali]
[Bongos/Congas/Djembe/Shekere/Triangle: Barnett Williams]
[Drums: Joe Blocker]
[Guitar: Marlo Henderson]
[Percussion/Timbales: Tony Duncanson]
[Trumpet: Delbert Taylor]
[Intro: Gil Scott-Heron]
This is a song about change. You see, we say many things about the changing aspects of our lives. We say that since change is inevitable, we should direct the change rather than simply continue to go through the change. We sing a song of revolution as change to the brothers in the Caribbean and Africa, where I'm coming from
[Verse 1: Gil Scott-Heron]
Early in the morning, I, I heard the call
Of the crow. He said, "Come on now
Brother. Want you to fly with me and
And can't you see it's time to go?"
Well, I’ve been-a working on
This delta underneath burning sun
Seemed like a Mississippi revolution
I feel like-a where I'm coming from
Feel like-a where I'm coming from, feel like-a where I'm coming from
[Verse 2: Gil Scott-Heron]
A brother man run to Nebraska
After the Civil War was through
He worked with his hands, he worked on the land all of
His life—ain’t nothing else he know to do
A rooting-tooting, Wild-West
Shooting-up brother, though his story don't teach us none
Seemed like a Wild West revolution
Ought to be where I'm coming from
Ought to be where I'm coming from, ought to be where I'm coming from
[Verse 3: Gil Scott-Heron]
Brother man raised on welfare
He live his life a-in the heart of the city
Among the junkies and the desperate people, a brother man
Learned about a life without pity
But he just been a-thinking and waiting and thinking and waiting
He knew his chance was bound to come
It seemed like big city revolution
Ought to be where I'm coming from ‘cause
Yes, the way I’m coming from, and it ought to be where I’m coming from
[Verse 4: Gil Scott-Heron]
And the point I was
Trying to make: I’m moving from place to place and
Time to time. Yes, and the
Vibration that bring me new vibrations
Of the song on peoples’ mind
They tell me, “Gil, don't be afraid
Of revolution! Ain't nothing but change and change is
Sure ‘nough bound to come.” Yeah, now put a little
Revolution in your life and you'll understand where I'm coming from-a
Can you understand-a where I'm coming from? Understand where I'm coming from
[Verse 5: Gil Scott-Heron]
Yeah, tell me, can you just understand?
I’m trying my best to explain, but, tell me, can you understand?
We’re living in a world of change. Now, tell me, do you just understand?
Now I’m trying my best to explain, but, tell me, do you just understand?
‘Cause if we ever get together, it’d be so much better. Brother, understand
If we ever get together, it’d be so much better. Brother, understand
And I really believe, and I really believe, and I
Really believe we could talk to another all over and showing the world
We understand. We’re living in a world of change, uh
Living in a world of change, my brother. Tell me, t-tell me, brother, do you
Understand? ‘Cause if we ever get together, it’ll be more magic. Do you understand?
funkman0811
Ok Here I am A 59 white Italian American and some of you young folks maybe don't grasp the reality of Gil Scott Herons work and his collaboration with Brian Jackson from his days with the last poets. I've been a supporter /fan of his since his early days. I believe his message is needed more now more than ever some of you young brothers have lost the spirit that he delivers in his message of change and equality freedom. GOD BLESS HIM RIP GIL
Mario Caffari
Hi Brother, since phoets exists on this planet, their were never be heard.....
But now the time is come that things will change in a dramatic way.
To much time was spent by doing nothing, now we get help from spiritual
beings. For most of all people in this world it will be like a shock..........
but it's only necessary to clean and heal this planet we have destroyed !
Best wishes to you and all those who might understand
Robert Appel
Days gone. Only. Memories. And heavens music. God the answer. End of story9
Carolyn B.
Wow, Delta Man. Got me through too cold, too hot, too many, too little and a whole lot of madness in between. He hits that funk spot and then just plays it, Incomparable. ...where I'm coming from.
Damani & Ife Keene for CLANDESTINE
Teach, Sister!!
polonick95
So many people are missing out on this. This is what music should be
Brian Ellis
I'm a white English old musical tart and I have loved GSH since I first heard him in the early 70's. The man had poetry and a groove. Deep respect due to him.
K. Wolf
Death cannot diminish greatness.
Mario Caffari
This is a * MILESTONE * in Music - History and a MASTERS - Work !
R.I.P. Brother Gil, you still can be heard........, and soon there will be "signs" so they will understand ! < superbe audio - quality >
Greetings and best wishes from Switzerland
rtoriq
My heart has been so heavy ever since that text this past Friday.....you were my hero Gil. And i hope more will take to heart your precious music that has helped everyday folk like me. RIP from your biggest under-30-yr-old supporter.