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.
My Cloud
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If there's been no rest for you
We've been friends long enough
You should know what to do
If that's how you started your day
Why keep running away
When you could
Come and join me on my cloud
If things are still the same
You've always held a key
To effect the change
What in the morning I said
When you're running away from me
And you could come and join me on my cloud
How you must? in the evening
How everything got so turned around
Please don't let it get you down
All you got to do is just
Come and join me on my cloud
And I've saved a special place
Right next to me
And it's always been your space
I'm sure that you will see
You could always count on me
To love you and let you be free
So why not come and join me
You could come and join me
You can come and join me
On my cloud
Gil Scott-Heron's song My Cloud is a plea to a friend who seems to be carrying a heavy burden and seeking an escape from their troubles. The song begins with the singer addressing the friend, calling out their restlessness and inviting them to join him on "my cloud", which is likely a metaphor for a safe space or a place of peace away from the stress of everyday life. Scott-Heron encourages the friend to stop running away and instead join him in finding a sense of refuge and comfort.
Later in the song, Scott-Heron insists that his friend has the power to change their situation and seize control of their own life. He reminds the friend that they hold the key to effecting change, and that he is there to support them in their efforts to do so. The song ends on a note of optimism, with Scott-Heron assuring his friend that there is always a place for them next to him and that he will always love them and allow them to be free.
Overall, My Cloud is a poignant and empathetic call to those struggling with the weight of the world to find refuge in the support and love of their friends.
Line by Line Meaning
And when the morning comes
As the sun rises and the day begins
If there's been no rest for you
If you didn't get enough sleep last night
We've been friends long enough
We've known each other for a considerable amount of time
You should know what to do
You should be familiar with what needs to be done
If that's how you started your day
If your day began on a bad note
Why keep running away
Why keep avoiding the issue
When you could
You have the option to
Come and join me on my cloud
Come be with me in my happy or carefree space
And in the afternoon
Earlier in the day
If things are still the same
If nothing has changed since earlier
You've always held a key
You've always had the solution
To effect the change
To make the necessary changes
What in the morning I said
Referring to what I said earlier on in the day
When you're running away from me
When you're avoiding me or the issue at hand
And you could come and join me on my cloud
And you have the option to join me in my carefree and happy place
How you must? in the evening
How you're feeling later in the day
How everything got so turned around
How everything became so complicated or confusing
Please don't let it get you down
Don't let it make you sad or discouraged
All you got to do is just
All you need to do is
Come and join me on my cloud
Join me in my happy or carefree space
And I've saved a special place
I have reserved a special spot
Right next to me
Close to me
And it's always been your space
It has always been meant for you
I'm sure that you will see
I'm confident that you will understand
You could always count on me
You could always rely on me
To love you and let you be free
To care for you and give you the freedom to be yourself
So why not come and join me
So why not be with me
You could come and join me
You have the option to join me
You can come and join me
You are able to join me
On my cloud
In my happy or carefree space
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.