Gil Scott-Heron - Small Talk At 125th And Lenox (1970) Bitrate: 192 kbps Size: 60 MB 1. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised 2. Small Talk At 125th And Lenox 6. The Subject Was Faggots 7. Evolution (And Flashback) 8. Plastic Pattern People 9. Whitey On The Moon 10. The Vulture 11. Paint It Black 13.
Gil Scott Heron, far left, alongside Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson, and Gladys Knight at a press conference in Washington, D.C., 1982. (Daily News) Gil Scott Heron was born on April 1, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, a city that in little more than a decade would become a hotspot for civil rights activism. It wasn’t in Chicago that Scott-Heron was exposed to the revolutionary culture of the sixties, however: he spent the first 12 years of his life living with his grandmother in Jackson, Tennessee. Under her guidance, Scott-Heron was simultaneously exposed to the discrimination facing the black community in the form of Jim Crow Laws, and the richness and culture of the black identity, culminating in the beginnings of his own passion for revolution.
In Jackson, Scott-Heron became one of the first three black students integrated into Tigrett Junior High, and later, after the death of his grandmother and a move back to New York City, one of just five black students to attend the prestigious and private Fieldston School. Gil Scott-Heron alongside classmates at the prestigious Fieldston Academy. (Daily News) It was Scott-Heron’s propensity for the written word that propelled him to these new heights: a teacher at the public (and poor) DeWitt High School Heron attended in New York took note of the young man’s work and offered to help him get into the Fieldston Academy. At DeWitt (nicknamed “Dumb Witt” for their low test scores and graduation rates) Heron was often bored and frustrated at the lack of intellectual stimulation, but was naturally sceptical at such an offer. After two rounds of highly offensive interviews in which the directors of the program, at one point, asked how Heron would cope watching the white teens drive by in limousines while he walked to school from the subway, the young man succeeded in gaining admission (undoubtedly due to the fact that he responded to this particular inquiry by reminding the director that he, also, could not afford a limousine, and was doing just fine). Heron went on to begin his successful career by writing, of all things, detective fiction, publishing his first novel, The Vulture, by the age of 20. Scott-Heron’s first novel, The Vulture, was published in 1970 and gives a fascinating glimpse into New York City street life whilst trying to unravel the mystery of a young man murdered.
After finishing his secondary education at Fieldston Academy, Heron enrolled at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, following in the footsteps of his biggest influence, Langston Hughes. It was during this time from 1970-72 that Scott-Heron became interested in the, and his own art was forever changed. After these two years, Heron dropped out to pursue his own music career and publish his second novel, The Nigger Factory, an exploration of a southern university setting in the 70s and the struggle of black students against the institution. The Nigger Factory, published in 1972, follows the struggle of black college students on a Virginia campus to fight for equality against a resistant organization, and reflects Heron’s own maturation as a writer and activist. It was in 1970 that Gil Scott-Heron revolutionized the revolution.
He met legendary record producer Bob Thiele of Flying Dutchman Records, and together they released his first album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, an experimental debut into spoken word that would be hailed as the beginnings of hip-hop and rap for decades to come. The cover of Gil Scott-Heron’s 1970 debut album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. The album, 14 tracks long, even markets Heron as a poet rather than a singer, and features powerful and solemn spoken-word lyrics against the backdrop of African congas. Despite being received by only a small following, Heron’s debut gained critical acclaim for its scathing social critique and sharp, blunt honesty about the hypocrisy of American life. The standout of this album, and arguably the most well-known work of Heron’s career, is the very first track, entitled: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.
In this introduction to the album, Heron holds nothing back, attacking the American people’s apathetic, superficial nature and condemning mainstream television and the minuscule, vain concerns of the 1970s white American. “Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville Junction will no longer be so god damned relevant, and women will not care if Dick finally screwed Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people will be in the street looking for a brighter day. The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
The revolution will not go better with Coke. The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat. The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers; The revolution will be live.” With these lyrics, Heron single-handedly coined what became an early slogan for the: “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” became a warning to Americans everywhere hiding behind Saturday night reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies and luxuriating in a society glorifying the white image. The song urges Americans to wake up and realize that the time for change had come, and that no one would be able to remain safe and ignorant behind a television set. This fight was going to take place in the homes and streets of the American people, and there would be no avoiding it or denying it any longer. However, Heron had very specific and adament views on how the revolution should be executed.
In the third track, “,” he uses the term derogatorily to condemn the “would-be” black revolutionaries he sees on the street in African clothing for their hypocrisy, as they spew criticisms and judgments against other black men who may dress differently or are trying to get their degree, with lyrics such as: “I think it was a little too easy for you to forget that you were a negro before Malcolm. You drove your white girl through the village every Friday night, while the grass roots stared in envy and drank wine. This is a very well-researched and interesting post! I unfortunately had not heard of Gil Scott-Heron before and I wonder why ? It’s incredible to see hip hop artists today still referencing Scott-Heron’s music in theirs, like they are continuing the conversation and developing not only black civil rights memory but also black arts memory. It’s interesting to see him implicitly interpret black power in his music and books, but I’m also confused how he defines it. He seems to use the word ‘revolution’ constantly so I feel like he advocates a militant and violent revolution? But it’s not very clear to me. His rage is very clear though, in his lyrics.
The emotional intensity is something I’ve noticed that heightened during the black power movement, much more emotional than MLK’s non-violent approach.
![]()
One of the most important progenitors of rap music, Gil Scott-Heron's aggressive, no-nonsense street poetry inspired a legion of intelligent rappers while his engaging songwriting skills placed him square in the R&B charts later in his career, backed by increasingly contemporary production courtesy of Malcolm Cecil and Nile Rodgers (of Chic). Disregard the understated title, 'Small Talk at 125th and Lenox' was a volcanic upheaval of intellectualism and social critique, recorded live in a New York nightclub with only bongos and conga to back the street poet. Here Scott-Heron introduced some of his most biting material, including the landmark 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' as well as his single most polemical moment: the angry race warning 'Enough.' Still, he balances the tone and mood well, ranging from direct broadsides to clever satire. He introduces 'Whitey on the Moon' with a bemused air ('wanting to give credit where credit is due'), then launches into a diatribe concerning living conditions for the neglected on earth while those racing to the moon receive millions of taxpayer dollars. On 'Evolution (And Flashback),' Scott-Heron laments the setbacks of the civil rights movement and provides a capsule history of his race, ending sharply with these words: 'In 1960, I was a negro, and then Malcolm came along/Yes, but some nigger shot Malcolm down, though the bitter truth lives on/Well, now I am a black man, and though I still go second class/Whereas once I wanted the white man's love, now he can kiss my ass.' The only sour note comes on a brush with homophobia, 'The Subject Was Faggots.'
Tracklist: 01. The Revolution will not be televised 03. Comment #1 06. Small Talk At 125th And Lenox 07.
The Subject Was Faggots 08. Evolution (And Flashback) 09. Plastic Pattern People 10. Whitey On The Moon 11. The Vulture 12. Paint It Black 14.
Everyday (192 kbps, front cover included). Glad you found us again. We could restore most of the postings, but sadly we lost all your encouraging comments. The music on this blog is intended to promote artists and labels and eventually to save the sound for future listening. It is made out of passion, without any commercial purpose.
It aims to be a resource and research tool for the exploration of music as a part of cultural and social history, as a form of critique and celebration. If you like the music, go try and buy the original if available. Support the artists, visit their concerts or do anything else to support cultural activities.
If you disagree with a post, tell us and it shall be removed. In case of a future close down of this blog, please check out.
Comments are closed.
|
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |