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.
No Exit
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you even know
That you're still gonna be you
Every place you go
You can change your name and address
That's what a lot of people say
But the cards that they deal you
No you can't get away
No you can't get away
No you can't get away
From you
You can change from bald to cornrows
Or the other way around
You can live up on a mountain
Or in a cave deep underground
You can make so many changes
That you fool the FBI
But you recognize a suspect
As someone you can't leave behind
No you can't get away
(No you can't get away)
No you can't get away
(No you can't get away)
No you can't get away
(No you can't get away)
From you
Why you got that mask on?
And who you tryin' to fool?
The only one who matters
Is stuck inside with you
As soon as you stop runnin'
And see that everyone's afraid
But the thing that really scares me
Is that I almost didn't say
No you can't run away
(No you can't run away)
No you can't run away
(No you can't run away)
No you can't run away
(No you can't run away)
From you
No you cant run away
(No you cant run away)
No matter how you try
(No matter how you try)
Remember what the brother say
(Remember what the brother say)
You can run, you can run, but you just can't hide
No you can't run away
(No you can't run away)
No can't run away
(No you can't run away)
No can't run away
(No you can't run away)
From you
No!
In Gil Scott-Heron's song "No Exit," the artist explores the idea of trying to escape oneself. He argues that no matter where you go or how you change your appearance or surroundings, you cannot escape who you truly are. "Don't you even know, that you're still gonna be you, every place you go," the lyrics proclaim. Scott-Heron presents the example of changing one's name or address, which may offer a brief reprieve, but ultimately one must face the cards they have been dealt, and "are the ones you gotta play."
The lyrics go on to suggest that trying to escape oneself is not just futile but also potentially dangerous. By putting on a mask and pretending to be someone else, we are not only fooling others but also fooling ourselves. The true self cannot be hidden or forgotten and will always be present. The artist notes that running away from oneself can cause fear and anxiety not just for us, but for those around us: "As soon as you stop runnin' and see that everyone's afraid." Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder that one must face and accept their true self.
Line by Line Meaning
Where you tryin' to run to?
Why are you trying to escape from yourself?
Don't you even know
Do you not realize?
That you're still gonna be you
That you will always be yourself?
Every place you go
Wherever you try to go?
You can change your name and address
You can alter your identity
That's what a lot of people say
As many people suggest
But the cards that they deal you
But the hand that fate deals you?
Are the ones you gotta play
Are the cards that you have to play?
No you can't get away
You cannot escape
From you
From yourself
You can change from bald to cornrows
You can alter your appearance
Or the other way around
Or change back
You can live up on a mountain
You can even reside on a towering peak
Or in a cave deep underground
Or down below the earth in a cavern
You can make so many changes
You can change so many facets of yourself
That you fool the FBI
You can even dupe the government agency that investigates you
But you recognize a suspect
But you know a threat when you see one
As someone you can't leave behind
As someone you cannot abandon
Why you got that mask on?
Why are you wearing that disguise?
And who you tryin' to fool?
Who are you trying to deceive?
The only one who matters
The only person who matters
Is stuck inside with you
Is trapped inside of you
As soon as you stop runnin'
Once you stop running
And see that everyone's afraid
And realize that everyone is scared
But the thing that really scares me
But the thing that terrifies me the most
Is that I almost didn't say
Is that I almost didn't express
No you can't run away
You cannot flee
No matter how you try
Regardless of how hard you attempt
Remember what the brother say
Recall the words of the brother
You can run, you can run, but you just can't hide
You can attempt to flee, but ultimately you cannot hide
No!
No!
Contributed by Ryan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@wernerwatzlaw489
Gil Scott Heron ist mein Lieblingssänger. Er begleitet mich seit den 80ern des vorigen Jahrhunderts. Musik höchster Qualität, die Mut macht, weiterzumachen. Vielseitig und voller Inhalt. Schwierigkeiten werden beschrieben ohne rumzujammern.
Wie er wohl künstlerisch auf die heutige Situation reagieren würde. Auf jeden Fall nicht als Jammerlappen sondern als Kämpfer. Ich ❤ liebe ihn dafür, was er geschaffen hat. Unsterbliche Qualität von Lebensbejahung. Ich gebe ihn als Tipp auch gerne an Interessierte, egal welcher Generation weiter. Und auch bei vielen Jüngeren kommt er gut 👍 an. My favourite Singer: Gil Scott-Heron.❤❤❤
@theherbpuffer
Gil Scott heron was one talented man! Pulled off reggae like a champ
@brizoni
Eleven thousand views in a year. Glad people still remember.
@Runconna
This song always reminds me of Bob Marley's running away, Gil is a true legend.
@manuelmreule2940
he´s referring to this song at 3:29 "remember what the brother said: you can run, but you cant hide"
@soulpeanuts888
Too underrated,people must listen to this tune now the day.
@SedriqMiers
To the preppers and the fascist boot steppers, and the agent provocateurs.....Nooooo you can't run away....from you!
@ducenhalf1
oh the beautiful things we have in this world. thank you GIL
@bobwasp825
Absolutely brilliant
@SedriqMiers
Inspirational, thx for sharing, much appreciated.