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.
Not Needed
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two cups more than was allowed
But he never been one to take advice
??????????????
Light up a cigarette
Sit down turn on the radio
I can't be in no hurry cuz there ain't no place to go
They can call this a retirement
But they always call collect when you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
Things ain't like they was before
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
You'll see just what's in store
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
Spent a thousand frozen midnights
?????
Drinkin' ????? from a thermos
So the boss can't ??????
Check the morning papers
See who was runnin' at the track
Sister called two nights ago and you swore you'd call her back
The day just seems to close in like a room that's got no doors
When the plain and simple truth is you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
Things ain't like they was before
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
You'll see just what's in store
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
There was no use being bitter
It was over with and done
And if the struggle was to finish
He supposed that he had won
But it seems that when you slow down
Things can catch up with you then
Get the rest you always needed
And you feel the rust set in
The only thing worse than being old is being old and poor
Cuz they'll use you and discard you when you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
Things ain't like they was before
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
When you're not needed
You'll see just what's in store
When you're not needed
When you're not needed anymore
"Not Needed" by Gil Scott-Heron is a poignant commentary on the sad reality faced by many people as they grow older and their usefulness in the world begins to wane. The unnamed protagonist of the song had two cups of coffee, which is two cups more than he was allowed. This hints at a life of restriction and rules, perhaps in a nursing home or assisted living facility. The singer is defiant in his own way and never takes advice; he just lights up a cigarette and turns on the radio. He's in no hurry because he has nowhere to go. The life he has been dealt with is not one of excitement or adventure; he's trapped in a cycle of mundanity.
The repetition of the chorus in the song brings home the theme of the song, with the lines "when you're not needed, things ain't like they was before" appearing multiple times. The life this protagonist lives is one where he is simply waiting for his eventual demise. He spends his time checking the morning papers and drinking something from a thermos and, apart from that, has little to do. He reminisces about his sister calling him two nights ago and how he promised to call her back, but he never did. The feeling of being useless and unneeded looms over him like a dark cloud, representing the harsh reality of aging in a society that values youth and productivity above all else.
Overall, "Not Needed" is a sobering reminder that we should value and respect the elderly rather than discard them when they are deemed to be no longer useful. It's a powerful piece of social commentary that is as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1980.
Line by Line Meaning
He had had two cups of coffee
He had drunk two cups of coffee, which was more than he was allowed.
Two cups more than was allowed
He had exceeded the allowed number of coffee cups by two.
But he never been one to take advice
He was not the kind of person who liked to take advice from others.
??????????????
Meaning missing/unclear.
Light up a cigarette
He lit a cigarette.
Sit down turn on the radio
He sat down and turned on the radio.
I can't be in no hurry cuz there ain't no place to go
He did not have any urgent matter to attend to, as he had nowhere to go.
They can call this a retirement
This may be referred to as retirement.
They can call a wall a floor
Words can be used to describe something in a way that does not reflect its true nature.
But they always call collect when you're not needed anymore
However, people tend to call only when they need something, and not when you are not needed anymore.
When you're not needed
When you are no longer useful or important.
Things ain't like they was before
Things are not the same as they used to be.
You'll see just what's in store
You will begin to understand what awaits you.
Spent a thousand frozen midnights
He had been through several long and cold nights.
?????
Meaning missing/unclear.
Drinkin' ????? from a thermos
He was drinking something (unclear) from a thermos.
So the boss can't ??????
So that his boss could not see what he was drinking.
Check the morning papers
He checked the morning newspapers.
See who was runnin' at the track
He looked to see who was racing at the track.
Sister called two nights ago and you swore you'd call her back
His sister called two nights ago, and he promised to call her back.
The day just seems to close in like a room that's got no doors
The day seemed to be closing in on him, like a room with no escape routes.
When the plain and simple truth is you're not needed anymore
The truth that he was no longer needed was the reason for the way he felt.
There was no use being bitter
It was pointless to feel bitter.
It was over with and done
It was all over and done with.
And if the struggle was to finish
If the struggle was over.
He supposed that he had won
He thought he had won the struggle.
But it seems that when you slow down
However, it appears that when you slow down.
Things can catch up with you then
Things can catch up with you at that point.
Get the rest you always needed
You get the rest that you always needed.
And you feel the rust set in
You start to feel the stagnation or rust set in.
The only thing worse than being old is being old and poor
Being old and poor is the only thing worse than being just old.
Cuz they'll use you and discard you when you're not needed anymore
People tend to exploit and then abandon you when you are no longer needed.
When you're not needed
When you are no longer useful or important.
Things ain't like they was before
Things are not the same as they used to be.
You'll see just what's in store
You will begin to understand what awaits you.
When you're not needed
When you are no longer useful or important.
When you're not needed anymore
When you are abandoned or disregarded.
Contributed by Brody I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.