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.
Parents
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And their parents and their parents and their parents
And they are in your bloodstream
And they run through your body constantly
Because they want you to live on
Because they want to live on
And they are trying all the time to tell you shit
And if you just spend a few minutes with yourself
(You would hear them
You would hear them)
In Gil Scott-Heron's song "Parents," he suggests that our ancestors, or the spirits of our ancestors, are a constant presence in our lives. The first line of the song, "I believe that the spirits are your parents," encapsulates this idea. He goes on to say that these spirits run through our bloodstream and constantly try to communicate with us, as they want us to live on and carry on their legacy.
The repetition of the line "because they want you to live on" emphasizes the deep connection between our ancestors and ourselves. It suggests that they have a vested interest in our well-being and survival, despite the fact that they are no longer physically present. Scott-Heron's use of the word "shit" in the line "And they are trying all the time to tell you shit" may be interpreted as a colloquial way of saying "important things" or "wisdom."
Throughout the song, Scott-Heron encourages the listener to take time to reflect and connect with their ancestors. He suggests that if we just take a few moments to listen, we can hear their voices and possibly gain insight from their experiences. The repetition of the line "You would hear them" is a call to action, inviting the listener to engage in this act of listening and reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe that the spirits are your parents
I have faith that the ancestors who have passed away are like parents to you
And their parents and their parents and their parents
This chain of ancestors goes back generations and generations
And they are in your bloodstream
Their essence flows within you through your veins
And they run through your body constantly
Their presence lingers within you non-stop
Because they want you to live on
They desire for you to succeed and continue the family line
Because they want to live on
They wish to have their legacy and memory kept alive
And they are trying all the time to tell you shit
The ancestors are constantly attempting to communicate important messages to you
And if you just spend a few minutes with yourself
If you take a brief moment to be alone and introspect
You would hear them
You would be able to listen to their wisdom and guidance
(You would hear them
It is essential that you listen to them
You would hear them)
They have a lot to impart to you, and their presence should not be ignored
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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