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.
Shut 'Um Down
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well it wasn't no earthquake, but it shook the ground.
It made me think about power, like it or not:
I got to work for earth for what it's worth,
'Cause it's the only earth we've got.
Shut 'um Down!
If that's the only way to keep them from melting down!
If that's the only way to keep them from melting down!
I've heard a lot about safety and human error.
A few dials and gauges is just a wing and a prayer.
If you need perfection, and that's what it takes,
Then you can't use people, don't need people,
You know people make mistakes...
Shut 'um Down!
If that's the only way to keep them from melting down!
Shut 'um Down!
If that's the only way to keep them from melting down!
Gil Scott-Heron's "Shut 'Um Down" is a song that addresses the dangers associated with nuclear power plants. The song begins with the singer asking if the listener felt a rumble or heard a sound, which wasn't an earthquake, but it shook the ground. This rumble and sound are figurative, and the song hints that they could be a nuclear power plant melting down. From this, the song opens up to talk about the need to work for Earth itself and its worth. The song recognizes that the Earth is the only planet we have and the incredible power that humans hold. However, this power comes with responsibility, including working towards preserving the planet.
The song then moves on to talk about the dangers associated with nuclear power plants. The singer highlights that they've heard a lot about safety and human error. They mention that a few dials and gauges provide a false sense of security, and you need perfection to avert disaster, which is not humanly possible. The singer concludes this by emphasizing that people make mistakes, and hence nuclear power plants need to be shut down if that's the way to keep them from melting down. His words convey a message to the authorities that they should take the matter of nuclear power plant safety seriously.
Overall, "Shut 'Um Down" is a passionate call to shut down nuclear power plants before they end up causing catastrophe. The song tries to create awareness and send a powerful message to bring attention to the potential harm that nuclear power plants can cause. It is a reminder that, while nuclear energy is an efficient source of power, it must be dealt with carefully and safely.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you feel that rumble? Did you hear that sound?
Have you noticed the recent event? It was not an earthquake, but it was powerful.
Well it wasn't no earthquake, but it shook the ground.
The event was not an earthquake but was powerful enough to shake the ground.
It made me think about power, like it or not:
The event made me think about power regardless of how I feel about it.
I got to work for earth for what it's worth,
I must work to preserve the earth because it's valuable.
'Cause it's the only earth we've got.
The earth we have is the only one we've got.
Shut 'um Down!
Close it down!
If that's the only way to keep them from melting down!
If closing it down is the only way to prevent it from failing, then do it!
I've heard a lot about safety and human error.
There's been a lot of talk about safety and human error.
A few dials and gauges is just a wing and a prayer.
Relying on a few dials and gauges alone is like leaving things to chance.
If you need perfection, and that's what it takes,
If perfection is required,
Then you can't use people, don't need people,
Then people can't be used because they are prone to mistakes.
You know people make mistakes...
Because people make mistakes.
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@danielrencher2434
By far my favorite song by the musical genius. Rest in peace my brotha, Your music makes me happy.
@robertsmith2944
This is one of my favorite songs from Gil and Brian,if it was given the right air play and exposure,it would have been a bigger hit than his song the bottle,you can dance your socks off on this song,it is very very funky,I still can smell it.
@juanpabloalfonsosanchez3385
Folamour brought me here
@four4four636
How?
@brianbullock7888
he was talking about three mile island in my home town wich is shut down thank god he was ahead of his time
@four4four636
The nuclear reactor outside of Detroit had a partial meltdown 12 years before anyone ever heard of 3 three mile island, I wrote this song we almost lost Detroit when I realized millions of people were almost killed.
@howardsegal1413
When I think GSH, I think Gil Scott Heron first and then I remember a dude named George Stanley Halas. As a Bear fan, this shows how much I love the music of Gil Scott Heron.
@kirksanders5706
what a greatly visionary call him the black Nostradamus r.i.p Gill Scott Heron your words will ring throughout eternity
@muddywaters8461
Still relevant
@davidpate3859
Gone but never forgotten, saw GSH first at the MUSE NO NUKES Concerts at Madison Square Gardens in 1979, and 10 or 12 times over the years after, a folk hero of mine!