Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces Of A Man – LP

Flying Dutchman Records/BGP Records

Gil Scott-Heron’s “Pieces Of A Man” is one of the most important albums in the history of black American music. Although it didn’t set the charts alight, it stands as a masterpiece alongside contemporary works such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, Curtis Mayfield’s debut LP, Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” and Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft”.

The  second album, “Pieces Of A Man”, containing a new version of ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, pushed Scott-Heron’s words to a far wider audience, and the song title became a catchphrase, an aphorism for political involvement. It was followed by ‘Save The Children’, ‘Lady Day And John Coltrane’ and ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’. These four songs became the bedrock of Scott-Heron’s career, with ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’ being covered by Esther Phillips on her LP “From A Whisper To A Scream”.