Gil Scott-Heron who recently died was a late discovery for me. Very much under the radar given his drug habit & associated legal problems but boy did he pack a punch when he was in his prime.
Political commentary by way of poetry & music about race relations, civil rights, repression like apartheid in S.Africa before it became mainstream with other artists, anti-nuclear stand to war.
H2Ogate blues - youtube, lyrics
Winter in America - youtube, lyrics
B movie - youtube, lyrics
Work for peace - youtube, lyrics
Political commentary by way of poetry & music about race relations, civil rights, repression like apartheid in S.Africa before it became mainstream with other artists, anti-nuclear stand to war.
In the dark, distrustful 1970s, Scott-Heron, with his musical partner Brian Jackson, battled to motivate the "Me Generation" with the altruism of someone raised during the "We Generation" of the civil rights 1960s. Although comparisons to both Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield are not inaccurate, Gil's critiques on Watergate, drug addiction, race relations, Vietnam, nuclear power and apartheid, were far sharper, wittier and more explicit than the social appraisals by those two artists. Gil called his recordings "storm music". But the combativeness in certain tracks was often tinged with a sense of hope. Indeed, his apolitical songs, which received less attention, were shot through with sunshine.
Winter in America - youtube, lyrics
B movie - youtube, lyrics
Work for peace - youtube, lyrics
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