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Track Listings
| 1. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |
| 2. Save The Children |
| 3. Lady Day And John Coltrane |
| 4. Home Is Where The Hatred Is |
| 5. When You Are Who You Are |
| 6. I Think I'll Call It Morning |
| 7. Pieces Of A Man |
| 8. A Sign Of The Ages |
| 9. Or Down You Fall |
| 10. The Needle's Eye |
| 11. The Prisoner |
Editorial Reviews
Pieces Of A Man by Gil Scott-Heron
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By Tyler Smith
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This album is a terrific introduction to GSH's stuff and in my opinion his best album overall, edging out "Winter in America" and "South Africa to South Carolina," and the Flying Dutchman classic "The Revolution Will Not be Televised."
No, you will not hear Gil's poetry set to a spare percussion background, a la "Whitey on the Moon," "Brother," and "No Knock." That is a drawback, and be sure go to the Flying Dutchman record for that. But what you will get is beautiful writing backed by a strong band. And Gil's voice was in great form on this album; this is unfortunately no longer true.
There isn't a weak tune, but several stand out: the poignant "Home is Where the Hatred Is"; the uplifting "I Think I'll Call It Morning"; the spellbinding "The Prisoner"; and of course the classic "Revolution Will Not be Televised," which could teach any number of lame present-day rappers how it once was done.
Buy it, put it on, and then lean back and enjoy hearing one of the most compelling voices ever to come out of music.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
This music ,these words, tell a story of despair, rage, outrage, and hope when the ghettos were still burning. It's in your face (The Revolution Will Not Be Televised), it's in your gut (The Needle), it's in your soul (Lady Day And John Coltraine), it's in your mind (I Think I'll Call It Morning). The times have changed but the message is still the same: The power of the human spirit will overcome. Thank you Gil for the light you brought to me on those many dark nights.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a superb CD that has only improved with age. Backed by a truly stellar ensemble including Brian Jackson, Ron Carter, "Pretty" Purdie, Burt Jones, and Hubert Laws - poet, composer, and singer Gil Scott-Heron showcases all his talents - in a diverse array of settings. If you're not sold after the first four songs - well - perhaps you'll enjoy Pat Boone's new box set, "A Musical Tribute To Turn-Of-The-Century Plantation Life."
Scott-Heron is consistently smart and with-it, yet, he is emotionally clear, brave, and open. Scott-Heron understands that songwriting requires deceptive simplicity, and he manages this nearly impossible trick effortlessly. There is beauty and feeling in every track, but there is also raw emotion - this is inspiring music. Songs like Save The Children, Lady Day And John Coltrane, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, and Pieces Of A Man, go straight to the heart. Scott-Heron is no Marvin Gaye (who is?) but his voice is a wonderful, expressive instrument and he applies powerful feeling to the words he crafted.
The album was marginalized because few people made it past the fabulous first track, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. While a few of the references have become obscure, this splendidly idiosyncratic track has lost none of its bite, wit, and irony. This is poet Scott-Heron in full flower - and don't think he's just another angry black guy - his intelligence is such that he casts his jaundiced eye at all 360 degrees of the circle. The comparison between this brilliant, minor masterpiece and what is referred to as "rap" or "hip/hop" is as inevitable as it is depressing. Put this work up against the best example of rap you can find and it's easy to see how terribly wrong things have gone.
Scott-Heron is courageous enough to hope, to wear his heart on his sleeve, and to create real beauty despite his acute awareness of life's cruelty; perhaps it is only the "prisoners" who must labor so hard. That he chose "Yes" when he might so easily have chosen "No" is a gift to us all.
Scott-Heron is consistently smart and with-it, yet, he is emotionally clear, brave, and open. Scott-Heron understands that songwriting requires deceptive simplicity, and he manages this nearly impossible trick effortlessly. There is beauty and feeling in every track, but there is also raw emotion - this is inspiring music. Songs like Save The Children, Lady Day And John Coltrane, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, and Pieces Of A Man, go straight to the heart. Scott-Heron is no Marvin Gaye (who is?) but his voice is a wonderful, expressive instrument and he applies powerful feeling to the words he crafted.
The album was marginalized because few people made it past the fabulous first track, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. While a few of the references have become obscure, this splendidly idiosyncratic track has lost none of its bite, wit, and irony. This is poet Scott-Heron in full flower - and don't think he's just another angry black guy - his intelligence is such that he casts his jaundiced eye at all 360 degrees of the circle. The comparison between this brilliant, minor masterpiece and what is referred to as "rap" or "hip/hop" is as inevitable as it is depressing. Put this work up against the best example of rap you can find and it's easy to see how terribly wrong things have gone.
Scott-Heron is courageous enough to hope, to wear his heart on his sleeve, and to create real beauty despite his acute awareness of life's cruelty; perhaps it is only the "prisoners" who must labor so hard. That he chose "Yes" when he might so easily have chosen "No" is a gift to us all.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pieces of a Man
The title song is the reason I bought the cd. There are other songs that a really good too. he had a distinct voice and great lyrics.
Published 1 month ago by D. Spencer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
this is classic Gil Scott Heron, I was seeking some of his later music however. I would recommend this to all.
Published 4 months ago by miss muffet
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not original
THIS ITEM IS NOT THE ORIGINAL PIECES OF A MAN ALBUM. Several songs from original album are not included on item I purchased, even tho description indicated "complete " or... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Gaylest
5.0 out of 5 stars
What's happened to SOUL?
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was a lightning bolt into the popular culture of 1970. I'm showing my age, but crotch grabbing, ho' beatin', pistola wielding gansta's need to... Read more
Published on February 25, 2010 by Jon Holcombe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still going and back on the road?
I wrote this as the first Amazon review for this LP a few years ago, I am still listening to it.
This is one of those albums you had on vinyl that you must have on CD. Read more
This is one of those albums you had on vinyl that you must have on CD. Read more
Published on November 14, 2009 by J. H. Swain
4.0 out of 5 stars
excellent
Gil Scott Heron's jazz proto-rap was quite the invention when it arrived in the early 70s. Pieces Of A Man is the first, fully fleshed out example of his style, and became Heron's... Read more
Published on June 20, 2009 by Bill Your 'Free Form FM Print DJ
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pieces of a Man
Very expressive with a major message. Events of ones life and frustration are heard throughout the CD. Read more
Published on June 1, 2009 by RJW
5.0 out of 5 stars
*Story-Telling Through Song & Music*
I was blown away by the words of Gil Scott-Heron on Small Talk at 125th and Lenox and PIECES OF A MAN is no different. Read more
Published on November 19, 2008 by Alex Honda
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Review
Great music overall. However Gill's vocal range is quite limited, but his lyrics make up for them.
Published on August 7, 2008 by J. Fahnbulleh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of EARLY GIL...
Although yes... Gil is probably better known to the acid Jazz generation for his funkier Midnight Band/Amnesia Express sounds a few years later, the truth is, Gil Scott Heron was a... Read more
Published on April 9, 2007 by Eddie Landsberg
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