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.
You Could Be My Brother
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I ain't talking about short or tall
Something in your eyes
Something that tells me that
You've seen it all
And wouldn't you like to see
A place where children freely run and play?
And wouldn't you like to see
And wouldn't you like to see
A space and time exist where all
Men can truly be free?
Yes, well that's a lot like me
You could be my brother
You could be my brother
And I ain't talking about rich or poor
'Cause once you start sharing
You always feel somehow that you got more
And wouldn't you like to feel
There'll be folks there with you
When you make your stand?
And wouldn't you like to feel
You hold your destiny in your own hands?
And wouldn't you like to feel
There's enough respect out there for
Each and every man?
Yes, well don't you understand
You could be my brother
Well wouldn't you like to see
A place where children freely run and play?
Yes, and wouldn't you like to see
A place where every man can have a say?
Well wouldn't you like to see
A space and time exist where all
Men could truly be free?
Yeah, that's a lot like me
Yes, that's a lot like me
Well and wouldn't you agree
You could be my brother
You could be my brother
You could be my brother
You could be, you could be
You could be, you could be
You could be, you could be my brother
The song “You Could Be My Brother” by Gil Scott-Heron is a call for unity and empathy towards each other. The song’s title itself implies that the person he is addressing could be his brother because of the common experiences they share. He emphasizes this by stating that he is not talking about differences in physical appearance or social status, but rather, the commonalities in their experiences. He seems to be saying that the struggles they face are the same, regardless of how their exterior may appear.
He urges the listener to imagine a world where children can freely play, where every man can have their say, and where everyone is free. It appears that the singer is trying to create a sense of hope and togetherness. He is suggesting that if we can put our differences aside and recognize our shared humanity, we can create a world where everyone is valued and respected.
Overall, the lyrics of the song serve as a call for unity and empathy towards each other. The singer highlights the importance of recognizing our shared experiences, regardless of our differences, and the hope and togetherness that can come from doing so.
Line by Line Meaning
You could be my brother
I see a kindred spirit in you, someone who shares my values and beliefs
And I ain't talking about short or tall
I'm not referring to physical characteristics or social status
Something in your eyes
I sense a connection with you based on the way you look at the world
Something that tells me that
I have an intuition that we are cut from the same cloth
You've seen it all
You have experienced the highs and lows of life
And wouldn't you like to see
Don't you share the desire to witness
A place where children freely run and play?
A world where kids have the freedom to be carefree and happy?
And wouldn't you like to see
Aren't you also hopeful to observe
A place where every man can have his say?
A society where everyone can voice their opinions, without fear of persecution?
And wouldn't you like to see
Are you not also longing to witness
A space and time exist where all
An era and a space where everyone
Men can truly be free?
Can truly experience freedom in all its forms?
Yes, well that's a lot like me
These ideals are close to my heart as well
And I ain't talking about rich or poor
I'm not referring to financial well-being
'Cause once you start sharing
When you begin to share
You always feel somehow that you got more
You will always feel that you have received more in return
And wouldn't you like to feel
Don't you also wish to experience
There'll be folks there with you
That there will be people by your side
When you make your stand?
When you take a stand for what you believe in?
And wouldn't you like to feel
Wouldn't you also like to experience
You hold your destiny in your own hands?
Having control over your own future and decisions?
And wouldn't you like to feel
Do you not wish to experience
There's enough respect out there for
That there is ample respect for
Each and every man?
Every single person, regardless of background or beliefs?
Yes, well don't you understand
Do you not realize
You could be my brother
How much we have in common?
Well wouldn't you like to see
Do you not desire to witness
A place where children freely run and play?
A world where kids can laugh and romp without constraint?
Yes, and wouldn't you like to see
I bet you would also love to witness
A place where every man can have a say?
A society where all voices are heard and valued?
Well wouldn't you like to see
And wouldn't you also yearn for
A space and time exist where all
An era and a place where every single person
Men could truly be free?
Could experience true freedom and equality?
Yeah, that's a lot like me
Those ideals align closely with my own beliefs and values
Yes, that's a lot like me
I feel very connected to those principles as well
Well and wouldn't you agree
Do you not concur
You could be my brother
That we could be kindred spirits?
You could be my brother
That we could share a deep connection?
You could be, you could be
You have the potential to be
You could be, you could be
You could be a person with whom I share a close bond,
You could be, you could be my brother
You could be my brother in spirit
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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