The Unsung Messenger Of Truth

I am a huge fan of wordsmiths and in my view the greatest unheralded voice of our time was Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron a genius of a musician and author. However, Gil was known primarily for his work as a messenger thought his the art of spoken word. His hay-day was during the 1970s and 80s but his legacy is everlasting. His vocal styling’s as he put it, was a "bluesologist", which he is defined by others as "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues."

His music, most notably on Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African American music genres such as hip hop and neo soul. His recording work received much critical acclaim, especially one of his best-known compositions "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". His poetic style has influenced every generation of hip hop.Gil’s music was a genre all to itself and worthy of recognition because he was a head of his time and courageous enough to speak truth to power on behalf of the powerless.

 

Winter in America

 

From the Indians who welcomed the pilgrims

And to the buffalo who once ruled the plains

Like the vultures circling beneath the dark clouds

Looking for the rain

Looking for the rain

Just like the cities staggered on the coastline

Living in a nation that just can't stand much more

Like the forest buried beneath the highway

Never had a chance to grow

Never had a chance to grow

 

And now it's winter

Winter in America

Yes and all of the healers have been killed

Or sent away, yeah

But the people know, the people know

It's winter

Winter in America

And ain't nobody fighting

'Cause nobody knows what to save

Save your soul, Lord knows

From Winter in America

 

The Constitution

A noble piece of paper

With free society

Struggled but it died in vain

And now Democracy is ragtime on the corner

Hoping for some rain

Looks like it's hoping

Hoping for some rain

 

And I see the robins

Perched in barren treetops

Watching last-ditch racists marching across the floor

But just like the peace sign that vanished in our dreams

Never had a chance to grow

Never had a chance to grow

 

And now it's winter

It's winter in America

And all of the healers have been killed

Or betrayed

Yeah, but the people know, people know

It's winter, Lord knows

It's winter in America

And ain't nobody fighting

Cause nobody knows what to save

Save your souls

From Winter in America

 

And now it's winter

Winter in America

And all of the healers done been killed or sent away

Yeah, and the people know, people know

It's winter

Winter in America

And ain't nobody fighting

Cause nobody knows what to save

And ain't nobody fighting

Cause nobody knows, nobody knows

And ain't nobody fighting

Cause nobody knows what to save

Rest In Peace my brother. Thank you for the messages. And that’s my thought provoking perspective…