Gil Scott-Heron - Discography 1970 - 1998

Born in Chicago in 1949, Gil Scott-Heron became one of the inspirators of Rap Music. With very much of a political viewpoint, Gil became a mouthpiece for the Black Person in America during the Seventies and Eighties. Gil was the son of a Jamaican professional soccer player and a college graduate mother who worked as a librarian. His father played for the Scottish football side, Celtic. Both parents divorced whilst Gil was still a child and he was despatched off to his grandmother in Lincoln, Tennessee. His grandmother helped Gil musically, however, early racial tensions at school, in Jackson, led him to relocate again to the Bronx during his adolescent years to live with his mother and he later moved again to the Spanish neighbourhood of Chelsea.

At the age of 13, Gil had already written a book of poetry. Gil attended college in Pennsylvania and then left to concentrate on writing his first novel entitled 'The Vulture' in 1968. It was at college he met Brian Jackson, who was later to be a long time musical collaborator.
He released his debut album, 'New Black Poet: Small Talk at 125th and Lennox', in 1970, the title of which was influenced by a piece of poetry written by his mentor, Bob Thiele. The album contained the powerful 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised', a damning political attack on the media and the treatment of Black People in the U.S.

The follow up album, 1971's 'Pieces of a Man', showed a growing musical maturity, featuring 'Lady Day and John Coltrane' and the, less political, 'I Think I'll Call It Morning'. Gil was under Bob Thiele's (who had originally influenced Gil to record back in the late Sixties), Flying Dutchman Records umbrella until the mid-'70s. il signed a one album deal for the Strata East imprint, out of New York, in 1974 with Brian Jackson, and released the album 'Winter In America', which contained the original version of 'The Bottle', along with 'Peace Go With You, Brother'. They had an instant hit with the song 'The Bottle', a track highlighting the misuse of alcohol. and probably the highpoint of Gil's career, reaching number 15 on the R & B charts.

Gil then was signed to the Arista label in 1975. Here Gil received instant success with the South African diatribe, 'Johannesburg', a song that reached number 29 on the R & B charts that year. His first two albums at the new label were 'First Minute of a New Day' (containing 'Winter In America', again, and 'Ain't No Such Thing As Superman') and the album 'From South Africa to South Carolina' (containing 'Johannesburg').

1976 saw the release of the double album 'It's Your World' which contained the live version of the track 'The Bottle' and was recorded live at Paul's Mall in Boston, Massachusetts in July of that year. Gil's band at the time were, the Midnight Band, who were mentioned in the song 'Race Track In France', taken from the album 'Bridges' in 1977, again a collaboration with Brian Jackson. That album also spawned the popular 'Hello Sunday, Hello Road'.

By 1978, Brian Jackson had his final association with Gil, seeing Malcolm Cecil then taking over the musical direction, following the release of the album 'Secrets', that featured the the drug related song 'Angel Dust'. That same year, Gil released an album of poetry and music, entitled 'The Mind Of Gil Scott Heron' for Arista Records.

By the turn of the decade, Nile Rogers (from the group Chic) had been recruited on production chores.
1980's album, 'Real Eyes' contained the excellent 'A Legend In His Own Mind'. The same year saw the album '1980' hitting the streets (featuring the songs 'Shut Em Down' and 'Angola, Louisiana'). In 1981, the album 'Reflections' was released, featuring 'Is That Jazz' and 'Gun' (an impressive attack on the U.S. gunlaws, a subject later to be highlighted in the Michael Moore movie vehicle 'Bowling For Columbine').

By 1982, the excellent 'Moving Target' saw the light of day. This set contained the excellent 'Fast Lane' and 'Washington D.C.' Gil turned on, the then President, Ronald Reagan, and began criticising the election of an ex B-Movie actor in the role of the most powerful man on Earth. 'B-Movie' became a song, as did 'Re-Ron', highlighting Gil's further political awareness. By 1985, Gil had left the Arista imprint and he began touring.

In 1990, a retrospective double album was released entitled 'Tales Of Gil Scott-Heron And His Amnesia Express'. He also released a pseudo 'house' twelve inch single entitled 'Space Shuttle'. In 1993, Gil signed to the TVT Records label and released the album, 'Spirits'. In 2001, Gil was imprisoned by a judge in New York, for one to three years following a failure to deal with a persistent drugs problem. Gil Scott-Heron is a very important part of the Soul Music jigsaw.

A New Black Poet - Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, also known simply as Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, is the debut album of soul musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron, released in 1970 on Flying Dutchman Records. Recording sessions for the album took place live at a New York nightclub located on the corner of 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. By the time of the recordings, Scott-Heron had published a volume of poetry and his first novel, The Vulture.

Tracklist:
Introduction - the Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Omen
Brother
Comment #1
Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
The Subject Was Faggots
Evolution (and Flashback)
Plastic Pattern People
Whitey on the Moon
The Vulture
Enough
Paint it Black
Who'll Pay Reparations On My Soul?
Everyday
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Who'll Pay Reparations for My Soul?

Pieces of a Man is the second album and studio debut of soul poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron. The album was released in 1971 in only stereo format on Flying Dutchman Records in the United States and in 1972 on Philips Records in the United Kingdom. Recording sessions for the album took place at RCA Studios in New York City on April 19 and 20 in 1971. The album serves as the follow-up to Scott-Heron's live debut album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (1970) , and it features compositions by Scott-Heron that were recorded in more conventional song structure rather than in the spoken word style of his debut.

Tracklist:
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Save the Children
Lady Day and John Coltrane
Home Is Where the Hatred Is
When You Are Who You Are
I Think I'll Call It Morning
Pieces of a Man
A Sign of the Ages
Or Down You Fall
The Needle's Eye
The Prisoner

Free Will is the second studio album by American soul poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, released in August 1972 on Flying Dutchman Records. Recordings sessions for the album took place on March 2 and 3, 1972 at RCA Studios in New York City, and production was handled by producer Bob Thiele.It is the follow-up to Scott-Heron's critically acclaimed studio debut, Pieces of a Man (1971), and it is the second album to feature him working with keyboardist Brian Jackson. Free Will is also Scott-Heron's final studio album for Flying Dutchman. The album reissued on compact disc in 2001 by Bluebird Records.

Tracklist:
Free Will
The Middle of Your Day
The Get out of the Ghetto Blues
Speed Kills
Did You Hear What They Said?

The King Alfred Plan
No Knock
Wiggy
Ain't No New Thing
Billy Green Is Dead
Sex Education: Ghetto Style
… And Then He Wrote Meditations

Winter in America is a studio album by American soul musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron and musician Brian Jackson, released in May 1974 on Strata-East Records. Recording sessions for the album took place on three recording dates in September and October 1973 at D&B Sound Studio in Silver Springs, Maryland. The album serves as the third collaborational effort by Scott-Heron with Jackson, following the latter's contributions on Pieces of a Man (1971) and Free Will (1972). As their first record produced together, it was also the first of their recorded work to have Jackson receive co-billing for a release. Winter in America features introspective, socially-conscious lyrics by Scott-Heron with mellow instrumentation stylistically rooted in jazz and the blues. Jackson's free jazz arrangements accompany the fusion, which Scott-Heron dubbed as "bluesology". The album contains proto-rap elements such as spoken word-vocalization and stripped-down production, which allowed them to rely on traditional African and R&B sounds.

Tracklist:
Peace Go with You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum)
Rivers of My Fathers
A Very Precious Time
Back Home

The Bottle
Song for Bobby Smith
Your Daddy Loves You
H²Ogate Blues
Peace Go with You Brother (Wa-Alaikum-Salaam)

The First Minute of a New Day is an album by soul musician Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson, released in 1975 on Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in the summer of 1974 at D&B Sound in Silver Springs, Maryland. It was the follow-up to Scott-Heron's and Jackson's critically acclaimed collaboration effort Winter in America. The First Minute of a New Day was the first album to feature "Winter in America", the title track of Scott-Heron's previous album which was not featured on its original LP release. The album was reissued on compact disc by Scott-Heron's label Rumal-Gia Records in 1998.

Tracklist:
Offering
The Liberation Song (Red, Black and Green)
Must Be Something
Ain't No Such Thing As Superman
Pardon Our Analysis (We Beg Your Pardon)"

Guerilla" (Scott-Heron)
Winter in America
Western Sunrise
Alluswe

t's Your World is a double album by soul poet and singer Gil Scott-Heron and musician Brian Jackson, released in November of 1976 on Arista Records.Recording sessions for the album took place in studio and live in July 1976 at St. Paul's Mall in Boston, Massachusetts, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and American Star Studios in Merrifield, Virginia.It's Your World was originally released on vinyl and was later re-released in 2000 on compact disc by Scott-Heron's Rumal-Gia label.

Tracklist:
It's Your World
Possum Slim
New York City
17th Street
Tomorrow's Trane
Home Is Where The Hatred Is
Bicentennial Blues
The Bottle
Sharing

As always…a great Gil Scott Heron album. this one includes "We almost lost Detroit"
used for the brilliant Kanye West Produced,
"The people" on Commons latest effort.. Finding Forever
Dusty Groove says it best when they say
"The record's a great showcase for the more upbeat side of Gil's talents – and what it lacks in righteousness, it more than makes up for in a warmly flowing and very soulful vibe! The band's in great form – laying down tight warm jazzy riffs that provide some of the best backing for Gil's voice we've heard since Winter In America "

if your into Gil Scott Heron you should already have this one, if your new to it… listen to the songs, if the revolution was not to be televised…it sure was recorded..

Tracklist:
Hello Sunday! Hello Road!
Song Of The Wind
Racetrack In France
Vildgolia (Deaf, Dumb & Blind)
Under The Hammer
We Almost Lost Detroit
Tuskegee #626
Delta Man (Where I'm Coming From)
95 South (All Of The Places We've Been)

This performance comes a year after the mostly-live album "It's Your World" and the week before the release of "Bridges". It's comprised mostly of tracks from the latter, with some favourites and one-offs added. These are not just renditions of album tracks - the Midnight Band is steaming, with long percussion sections and improvisation. So even if you've got all of these tracks, and all of his live albums, you really, really need this.

Tracklist:
01. New Deal - 10:19
02. Gumbai - 5:05
03. Intro to Race Track In France - 1:22
04. Race Track In France - 8:06
05. Band Intros ~ Lead in to 95 South - 2:45
06. 95 South - 4:49
07. Intro to Hello Sunday, Hello Road - 1:02
08. Hello Sunday, Hello Road - 3:45
09. Intro to It's Your World - 0:38
10. It's Your World - 6:59
11. Home Is Where The Hatred Is - 15:29
12. Almost Lost Detroit - 5:59
13. Intro to Vildgolia - 1:36
14. Vildgolia (Deaf, Dumb & Blind) - 12:24
15. Winter In America - 6:54
16. Under The Hammer - 5:12
17. The Bottle - 15:07
18. Intro to Johannesburg - 0:53
19. Johannesburg - 5:37

Recorded from Radio - Lane County Civic Center - Eugene, OR - January 12, 1978

Tracklist:
01 Intro
02 Rap/Drums
03 Hello Sunday, Hello Road
04 95 South
05 Good Vibrations
06 We Almost Lost Detroit
07 Home Is Where The Hatred Is
(tape flip in the middle)
08 Band Intros
09 Blow Wind Blow
10 Johannesburg
11 E: The Bottle

SECRETS, Gil Scott-Heron’s 1978 album continues the journey started in the Bridges album of 1977 and is another of his best albums. SECRETS again features Brian Jackson on synthesizer bass which along with Harvey Mason’s drums underpins the deep sound. As with all their albums, the lyrics are poignant and informative of society in the 1970’s. Includes the classic “Angel Dust”. Import.

Tracklist:
1. Angel Dust
2. Madison Avenue
3. Cane
4. Third World Revolution
5. Better Days Ahead
6. Three Miles Down
7. Angola, Louisiana
8. Show Bizness
9. A Prayer For Everybody/To Be Free

"The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron" is a compilation of spoken word pieces by one of the true masters of the form. Scott-Heron, inspired in his own words by Amiri Baraka and Oscar Brown, Jr., is probably best known for his spoken word piece, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", and while his music by-and-large was founded more in jazz then simply spoken word, this collection nonetheless provides a fine overview of a critical aspect of Scott-Heron's music.

This release contains seven tracks (one more than the original issue)– three tracks were previously released– "H2OGate Blues" (from "Winter in America"), "We Beg Your Pardon (Pardon Our Analysis)" (from "The First Minute of a New Day") and "Bicentennial Blues (from "It's Your World"). The remaining four tracks are all available nowhere else. What the pieces do is paint a picture of the political climate durin ghte 1970s. Scott-Heron is relentless in his attack on his belief that the government and legal system, as an organization of people, is suspectible to corruption and, as the disasterous second Nixon administration illustrates, is often in fact corrupt. His fire and passion is obvious and his performances are stunning.

Tracklist:
H20 Gate Blues
We Beg Your Pardon (Pardon Our Analysis)
New Deal
Jose Campos Torres
Ghetto Code (dot dot dit dit dot dot dash)
Bicentennial Blues

1980 can be viewed as a precursor for the venomous rants Gil Scott-Heron would unleash on the eventual Reagan-led White House. Loaded with perceptive and poignant observations on the state of America as it advanced into a new and uncertain decade, 1980 is a powerful final album of the 1970s for Scott-Heron and his partner Brian Jackson. Amazingly, Scott-Heron's focus at the close of the decade is strikingly similar to his focus on his 1970 debut, Small Talk at 125th and Lennox; namely that social and political change has yet to come to many Americans, despite the advancements in technology and other seemingly less significant realms. The enemies are the same: nuclear power and big business ("Shut Um Down"), oppressive governments ("Shah Mot"), and racism ("Willing"). On the title track, Scott-Heron's gaze is set on the future with an eye on the past as well. When he sings, "Boogie-Woogie's somewhere in the lost and found," he's not only speaking of the changes in music, but also in popular culture. There is a hint of resentment on his part that this musical style, like other revolutionary African-American innovations, has been progressively stolen, mined, sterilized, and eventually discarded. This is not to say that the music throughout the album is marked by regret or sorrow. The spacey synthesizers, background vocals, and use of horns, along with Jackson's always-extraordinary arrangements, give the album a quality that matches the aura of the period without forgetting past musical styles. The descriptive "Alien (Hold on to Your Dreams)" is the album's most enduring song, vividly portraying the plight of Mexican illegal aliens living in Los Angeles and offering an uplifting refrain.

Tracklist:
Late Last Night
Shah Mot (The Shah Is Dead/Checkmate)
Push Comes To Shove
Corners
1980
Shut Um Down
Willing
Alien (Hold On To Your Dream)

In 1980, Gil Scott-Heron had a nice opportunity to promote his Real Eyes album when he became the opening act on Stevie Wonder's Hotter Than July tour. On his own, Scott-Heron usually played small clubs, but opening for Wonder gave him the chance to perform in front of thousands of Wonder fans in major stadiums and sports arenas. Many of Wonder's white fans seemed to be unfamiliar with Scott-Heron (who had never had a major pop hit), while a lot of Wonder's black fans at least knew him for "The Bottle" and "Angel Dust" even if they hadn't bought a lot of his albums. Opening for all those Wonder fans certainly didn't hurt Scott-Heron's career, but it didn't make him a superstar either. While it's possible that some Wonder fans enjoyed Scott-Heron's opening sets enough to go out and purchase Real Eyes, most of the people who acquired this LP were already confirmed Scott-Heron fans. Unfortunately, Real Eyes lacked a hit single, although the material is excellent nonetheless. As usual, Scott-Heron has a lot of sociopolitical things on his mind "The Train From Washington" concludes that the working class can't depend on the U.S. government for anything, while "Not Needed" angrily points the finger at companies who consider longtime employees expendable. And the album's less sociopolitical songs are equally memorable. "Your Daddy Loves You" is a touching ode to Scott-Heron's daughter Gia Louise (who was only a child in 1980), and the jazz-oriented "A Legend in His Own Mind" is a humorous, clever put-down of a wannabe "Casanova" who isn't nearly the ladies' man he brags about being. Scott-Heron's love of jazz serves him well on "A Legend in His Own Mind" and the smoky "Combinations," but make no mistake: Real Eyes is an R&B album more than anything.

Tracklist:
The Train From Washington
Not Needed
Waiting For The Axe To Fall
Combinations
A Legend In His Own Mind
You Could Be My Brother
The Klan
Your Daddy Loves You (for Gia Louise)

Politically aware and very cool urban poet/musician Gil Scott-Heron's 1981 album includes the anti-Reagan "B-Movie" as well as a scathing cover of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues."
1992 reissue from BMB of his 1981 album for Arista. Seventracks, including 'Storm Music', 'Grandma's Hands' and'Morning Thoughts'.

Tracklist:
Storm Music
Grandma's Hands
Is That Jazz?
Morning Thoughts
Inner City Blues (Poem: The Siege Of New Orleans)
Gun
"B" Movie (Intro., Poem, Song)

Scott-heron's Final Album for the Arista Label was Finally Delivered after an Intense Touring Schedule in 1982. The Death of Bob Marley Obviously Affected Him Deeply, as Reggae Music and Much of Marley's Philosophy Pervades the Grooves Here. His Focus is More a Personal One Than a Political One Here, Especially Evident on the Final Track "Black History/The World".

Tracklist:
Fast Lane
Washington, D.C.
No Exit
Blue Collar
Explanations
Ready Or Not
Black History Of The World

This is a unique and forward-thinking collection from the Godfather of Hip-Hop, Gil Scott-Heron. This record, produced by the jazz great Bob Thiele, is provocative, melodic, and urgent at the same time. Many of the tracks are nice, jazzy, hopeful jaunts ("When You Are Who You Are," "I Think I'll Call It Morning"). Many are ahead-of-their-time hip-hop joints (the title track, "Whitey on the Moon," "Brother"). Yet the most powerful tracks are the mournful ballads ("Did You Hear What They Said?," "Home Is Where The Hatred Is"). The entire album evokes all of the joys, pains and petitions of the black community. The work of Common, Mos Def, The Roots and Public Enemy, among others, contain clear echoes of Gil Scott-Heron's impressive work on this record.

Tracklist:
Sex Education, Ghetto Style
Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues
No Knock
Lady Day and John Coltrane
Pieces Of A Man
Home Is Where The Hatred Is
Brother
Save The Children
Whitey On The Moon
Did You Hear What They Said?
When You Are Who You Are
I Think I'll Call It Morning
Sign Of The Ages
Or Down You Fall
Needle's Eye
Prisoner

On this 1994 release, his first new recording in more than 10 years, Gil Scott-Heron revives all the phases of his career. He turns to biting social commentary on "Message to the Messengers," a diatribe about antisocial, often nihilistic trends in hip-hop; then, on "Work for Peace," he critiques American militarism with a particular focus on the Gulf War, offering the tidbit, "The military and the monetary / Get together whenever it's necessary / Turning our brothers and sisters into mercenaries / They are turning the planet into a cemetery." The title track and "Don't Give Up" (which was produced by Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest) recall Scott-Heron jazz-funk classics like "Lady Day and John Coltrane." The singer-poet also does a savvy updating of his 1974 hit "The Bottle," interpolating it into a three-part suite called "The Other Side," which features affecting guitar and keyboard solos. Unlike many of Scott-Heron's live shows, which are laden with nostalgia, this release looks back and ahead with equal power. –Martin Johnson

Tracklist:
Message To The Messengers
Spirits
Give Her A Call
Lady's Song
Spirits Past
The Other Side Part I
The Other Side Part II
The Other Side Part III
Work For Peace
Don't Give Up

21 select tracks from the earliest albums by arguably the greatest influence on rap, writer/ avant-garde poet/ musician Gil Scott-Heron. All cuts are from his first three albums, which the Flying Dutchman originally released between 1970-72, and include his signature song 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised', as well as an early version of it. 1998 Camden release.

Tracklist:
1. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Introduction)
2. Or Down You Fall
3. The Needle's Eye
4. I Think I'll Call It Morning
5. When You Are Who You Are
6. Save The Children
7. Did You Hear What They Said?
8. Free Will
9. Speed Kills
10. The Middle Of Your Day
11. Pieces Of A Man
12. Get Out of the Ghetto Blues
13. A Sign Of The Ages
14. Lady Day And John Coltrane
15. Home Is Where The Hatred Is
16. No Knock
17. The revolution will not be televised
18. Sex Education: Ghetto Style
19. Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
20. The King Alfred Plan
21. Billy Green Is Dead