So, Gil Scott Heron. A top five might take some work because there is One song I would like to give all Fifteen points. The first is obvious. There can be only one. This is a work of genius. I love this. It's probably the best soul record ever.
1) The Revolution Will Not be Televised
The second is a brilliant cover of my favourite song by Robert Johnson. When I came back to music after a 21 year retirement, this was the first song I sang. Oh yes and this is an AWESOME video.
2) Me and the Devil
Okay, for the third, I have said so many times that this is not my world and I want to go home. Gil Scott-Heron sums up my feelings in this song so it has to be included.
3) Alien (Hold on to your Dreams)
My mother was crazy but not an alcoholic... but her father was an alcoholic and that's why she didn't drink. Turns out the demons are not in the bottle, they're in the person drinking from it. That said, this next is another fantastic track.
4) The Bottle
My last choice is one I love for the lyrics. The music is 1970s. I hated the seventies, everybody knows that. Punk took TOO long coming but if I'd been listening to the lyrics, this would have been an exception. These words are wonderful.
5) Winter in America
Hurts to leave out? No, nothing really. There are other tracks I love, pure poetry that I would love to hear shrieked by banshees and rapped by angry hiphoppers but to be honest, I only know their names when I hear them, because the first thing about soul to me is the dull elevator music played underneath these beautiful blistering battlefield lyrics.
I love your words so much Gil Scott Heron, but I wish I could also love your music.
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