Small Talk at 125th & Lenox [Import, Original recording remastered]

Gil Scott-Heron | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 11, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA Victor Europe
• ASIN: B00005IAX4
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,491 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Introduction: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

2. Omen

3. Brother

4. Comment No. 1

5. Small Talk At 125th & Lenox

6. The Subject Was Faggots

7. Evolution (And Flashback)

8. Plastic Pattern People

9. Whitey On The Moon

10. The Vulture

11. Enough

12. Paint It Black

13. Who'll Pay Reparation On My Soul?

14. Everyday

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Poet Speaking S*O*U*L to S*O*U*L, Telling It Like it Really Is., November 16, 2008

By 

Alex Honda "onyx575" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Small Talk at 125th & Lenox (Audio CD)

The first time I had ever heard of Gil Scott-Heron's work was on a cover version of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by the group LABELLE (Something Silver). Lyrically, the song/poem was amazing and I just had to find out more about the writer and that's what led me to SMALL TALK AT 125TH AND LENOX.

On this CD, Scott-Heron reads and sings his work, against the back beat of bongos, as he describes the world and all of it's shortcomings...as he sees it in 1970. Ironically, the same views could still be applied today. His words are visceral and he speaks about being black, black identity, poverty, oppression and revolution and evolution.

Some standouts---though the entire album/CD is strong--the aforementioned "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," which speaks of revolution that will happen without big bangs and fanfare as Scott-Heron weaves commercial and product tag lines throughout his manifesto.

"Brother" is a searing indictment of the black community and what it means exactly to be "black enough?" Turning his razor sharp words--usually reserved for whites--against other blacks, Scott-Heron begs the question about what's wrong with an education and trying to get out of the ghetto?

"Whitey On The Moon" is a about the 1960s space race and the irony about how people live in abject poverty while the government spent billions trying to put a man on the moon.

"The Subject was Faggots." At first, I thought this was a homophobic rant about gays. What it is, despite the nervous laughter coming from Scott-Heron, is a poem about homophobia itself. Using the derogatory word was commonplace back then, like the "n" word, and so listeners must listen carefully to the context of this poem. Brilliantly weaving a tapestry and comparison between gays and straights, the gifted poet comes to the conclusion that there is no difference between heterosexual and homosexual people...other than the label or "sign outside the door." I'm sure it might have went over the audience's head at the time, it sure went over mine on first listen but I got it on the repeat.

The CD comes with a small booklet with liner notes in English and French by Nat Hentoff from "Jazz & Pop Magazine"-1970 and some B&W pictures. Unfortunately, there are no lyrics/words for the poems and songs but I'm sure you can find most of them online.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think "Russell Simmons' Def Poetry", May 11, 2008

By 

Mercedes "Truth Will Never Be Popular" (Right Next To You) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Talk at 125th & Lenox (Audio CD)

The Era: Sometime in the 70's.

The Scene: 3 men.a tall man with a beard and afro stands in front of a microphone with several poems that he wrote that describes the state of the world as he knew it then. on his left, another man standing behind a conga setup as well as another man with one conga. both have afros and they provide the percussive backbeat as the main attraction starts to let loose a stream of the world's injustices. people are sitting around in various states of dress, be it afros and superfly clothes or genuine african regalia. beads, braids and the like. that's the feeling i got when i first heard "Small Talk". samll talk is ANYTHING BUT. Gil Scott Heron gives it to the listener straight no chaser.this collection definitely isn't for the faint-hearted.i recommend it. :)