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.
Who'll Pay Reparations for My Soul
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And documents written.
Many directions
For the end that was given.
They gave us
Pieces of silver and pieces of gold.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there, yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter's cold. Now
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Call my brother a junkie 'cause he ain't got no job (no job, no job).
Told my old man to leave me when times got hard (so hard).
Told my mother she got to carry me all by herself.
And now that I want to be a man (be a man)
Who can depend on no one else (oh yeah).
What about the red man
Who met you at the coast?
You never dig sharing;
Always had to have the most.
And what about Mississippi,
The boundary of old?
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Call my brother a junkie 'cause he ain't got no job
Told my old man to leave me when times got hard (so hard).
Told my mother she got to carry me all by herself.
Wanna be a man that can depend on no one else (oh yeah).
What about the red man,
Who met you at the coast?
You never dig sharing,
Always had to have the most.
And what about Mississippi,
The boundaries of old?
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there. Yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter's cold.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Who'll pay reparations,
'Cause I don't dig segregation, but I
Can't get integration
I got to take it to the United Nations,
Someone to help me away from this nation.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Gil Scott-Heron's song "Who'll Pay Reparations On My Soul?" is a poignant critique of systemic oppression and inequality, particularly in the United States. The first verse highlights the many documents, directions, and promises made to the Black community, only to be broken or given with paltry compensation like "pieces of silver and pieces of gold." The chorus asks who will take responsibility for the damage done to the singer's soul, which is representative of the emotional and psychological toll of racism, poverty, and other forms of discrimination.
The second verse goes on to criticize the hypocrisy of the government, specifically the White House, who make fine speeches but never follow through on their promises. Instead, the singer faces further discrimination, such as being called a junkie or being told to abandon family when times are tough. The final chorus expands the scope of the song to discuss the mistreatment of other marginalized groups, including Indigenous people and those living in Mississippi.
Line by Line Meaning
Many suggestions
And documents written.
There have been many ideas proposed and papers produced.
Many directions
For the end that was given.
There were many paths to follow towards an unknown destination.
They gave us
Pieces of silver and pieces of gold.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
We were compensated with money and materials, but how can one compensate for the damage to my spirit and my being?
Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there, yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter's cold. Now
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
We were promised many things by the government, but those promises were just empty words. We experienced the extremes of weather, but that is not enough to fix the damage done to my soul.
Call my brother a junkie 'cause he ain't got no job (no job, no job).
Told my old man to leave me when times got hard (so hard).
Told my mother she got to carry me all by herself.
And now that I want to be a man (be a man)
Who can depend on no one else (oh yeah).
My family members were judged harshly and instructed to abandon me, leaving me to rely solely on myself.
What about the red man
Who met you at the coast?
You never dig sharing;
Always had to have the most.
And what about Mississippi,
The boundary of old?
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Native Americans were forced from their land and treated unfairly, and a state known for segregation and racism left a lasting impact. Who will compensate for this harm done to my soul?
Who'll pay reparations,
'Cause I don't dig segregation, but I
Can't get integration
I got to take it to the United Nations,
Someone to help me away from this nation.
Since I am against segregation but see no hope for integration, I need to petition the United Nations for assistance in leaving this country and seeking solace elsewhere.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
In the end, who will be responsible for providing reparations for the damage inflicted on my soul?
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: GIL SCOTT-HERON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-nr2fp2zs5v
Many suggestions
And documents written.
Many directions
For the end that was given.
They gave us
Pieces of silver and pieces of gold.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there, yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter's cold. Now
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Call my brother a junkie 'cause he ain't got no job (no job, no job).
Told my old man to leave me when times got hard (so hard).
Told my mother she got to carry me all by herself.
And now that I want to be a man (be a man)
Who can depend on no one else (oh yeah).
What about the red man
Who met you at the coast?
You never dig sharing;
Always had to have the most.
And what about Mississippi,
The boundary of old?
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Call my brother a junkie 'cause he ain't got no job
Told my old man to leave me when times got hard (so hard).
Told my mother she got to carry me all by herself.
Wanna be a man that can depend on no one else (oh yeah).
What about the red man,
Who met you at the coast?
You never dig sharing,
Always had to have the most.
And what about Mississippi,
The boundaries of old?
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there. Yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter's cold.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
Who'll pay reparations,
'Cause I don't dig segregation, but I
Can't get integration
I got to take it to the United Nations,
Someone to help me away from this nation.
Tell me,
Who'll pay reparations on my soul?
@amberhitchcock5447
"And what about the red man, who met you at the coast, you never dig sharing, always had to have the most..." God I love this song, the piano, the drums, the harmony, lyrics, the message, Gils voice is like water, so good.
@chrisc2412
Ah I know right, when that intro comes in I get goosebumps, as you say everything from the lyrics, piano, drums etc is great!!
@cutiefeet2528
Please buddy more lyrics I can't understand well english
@alanblanes2876
This addictive tune will never sound dated. It is a wonderful musical accomplishment.
@genethornton453
In my older age I now think back to a teacher of mine (who was a Caucasian) and when I asked about doing a report featuring Gil Scott Heron as a godfather and architect of modern rap music he said no, and proceeded to tell me to do a report on the band Blondie as if they were pioneers of some sort and not culture vultures and thieves like many of their contemporaries. It disgusts me to think that this man isn't held in higher regard. He even did the half singing half rapping that is popular popular now back in the 60s 70s and 80s. Brother Gil Scott Heron, your legacy will remain forever and you will be remembered as the voice and soundtrack of a revolutionary generation. Rest in power good brother.
@rachaelcross3448
Sorry your idiot teacher said this to you. I'm white British and GSC is a genius, it's his issue that he couldn't see this...
@madeinbanat3534
I, a Caucasian, completely agree with you. He was an absolute genius, poet, musician, activist. Genuinely think there s a strong shout for him to be taught in schools
@cysilversoul
Gil Scott-Heron is one of my favorite artists, Black Wax is my favorite movie, but that’s no reason to diss Blondie they’re pretty goood.
@genethornton453
@cysilversoul I think blondie was cool and had some novel appeal but comparing blondie to Gil Scott-Heron is like comparing the movie Titanic to Dude where's my car?.
@user-vo5ty1xf6s
I can listen to him Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye all day long everyday ✊🏿❤️🖤💚✊🏿