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Track: The Bottle
Artist: Gil Scott-Heron
Album: Johannesburg

Artist Bio

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Name: Gil Scott-Heron
Spotify Genres: spoken word, jazz funk
Followers: 368,908
Popularity:

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Biography

US singer, spoken-word, activist and author of Black American (maternal) and Jamaican (paternal) descent. Born: April 1, 1949 (Chicago, IL, USA) Died: May 27, 2011 (New York, NY, USA) American poet, musician, and author known for his 1970s and 1980s work as a spoken word soul performer and his collaborative work with musician Brian Jackson, featuring a musical fusion of jazz, blues and soul music, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles. The music of these albums, most notably 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. Scott-Heron’s recording work is often associated with black militant activism and has received much critical acclaim for one of his most well-known compositions “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”.

Source: Discogs

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Release: Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson* - The Bottle
Year: 1975
Genres: Funk / Soul
Styles: Soul, Funk

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

See that black boy over there, runnin' scared
his ol' man's in a bottle.
He done quit his 9 to 5 to drink full time
so now he's livin' in the bottle.
See that Black boy over there, runnin' scared
his ol' man got a problem
Pawned off damn near everything, his ol'
woman's weddin' ring for a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that sista, sho wuz fine before she
started drinkin' wine
from the bottle.
Said her ol' man committed a crime
and he's doin' time,
so now she's in the bottle.
She's out there on the avenue, all by herself
sho' needs help from the bottle.
Preacherman tried to help her out,
she cussed him out and hit him in the head with a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that gent in the wrinkled suit
he done damn near blown his cool
to the bottle
He wuz a doctor helpin' young girls along
if they wuzn't too far gone to have problems.
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doin', Doc, it ain't legal,"
and now he's in the bottle.
Now we watch him everyday tryin' to
chase the pigeons away
from the bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.