My introduction to Gil Scott-Heron came in 1975 from his appearance on the eighth episode of this newfangled show called Saturday Night Live (I had to look the date up--my memory isn't that good). Scott-Heron performed a song I love to this day called "Johannesburg" ("Say what's the word? Johannesburg!"). I can't recall how I learned of this week's tune, but it was probably from some list of the greatest protest songs ever that I shuffled through....
Gil Scott-Heron is considered by many to be the father of both rap and hip-hop, though Scott-Heron himself was a bit uncomfortable with the moniker. By the time he was twenty-one, Scott-Heron had already published two novels when he saw a band called The Last Poets perform and the idea of becoming a musician began to germinate. Scott-Heron released his first album in 1970, though in something of a twist for a musician, while making music he also earned an M.A. in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins, and was a full-time lecturer at the University of District of Columbia for several years to supplement his income. His legacy would eventually be as one of the most influential artists of his era, and his contributions to music are incalculable. Sadly, Scott-Heron had some difficulties with drugs and did a couple of prison terms in his later years, though he had cleaned up by the end of his life and continued to make music until his death. For his career, he released eighteen studio albums, nine live albums, and had six books published. Scott-Heron died in 2011 from complications from HIV; he was elected posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as an early influencer.
Fun Fact: Scott-Heron did not consider himself a musician--he considered himself a disciple of "bluesology," which he described as "the science of how things feel." The philosophy was deeply rooted in blues and jazz; Scott-Heron called himself a "bluesologist."
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was originally released in 1970 on Scott-Heron's debut album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. It was a sparse version, accompanied only by congas and bongo drums. Scott-Heron re-recorded it for his second album, the seminal Pieces of a Man in 1971, with a full jazz ensemble. The first was not released as a single, but the second version was released as the b-side of "Home Is Where the Hatred Is," and did not chart. Pieces of a Man reached #25 on the Jazz Albums chart.
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was originally written as a poem, and Scott-Heron later put it to music. The song is more or a less a spoken word (thus its consideration by many as the first rap song) diatribe outlining numerous American cultural references (TV commercials, Hollywood, Athletes, Politicians), none of which will be a part of the revolution. The music provides a quiet and understated background, while Scott-Heron delivers his vocals in a forceful, yet matter of fact, monologue. After spending three minutes and some change telling us what the revolution will not do, Scott-Heron closes with the oft quoted line, "The revolution will be live." It's a stunning soliloquy on the state of America in the late sixties, from one of the most masterful political artists of all-time. And even more amazing is that while the cultural references are dated, the ideas and influences behind them are not: "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a testament to the power of music to enhance a political statement, and even more so to the genius of Gil Scott-Heron.
Lyric Sheet: "The revolution will not be right back/After a message about a white tornado, white lightning or white people/You will not have to worry about a dove in your/Bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl/The revolution will not go better with Coke..."
Enjoy:
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Peace,
emaycee
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