This, the first ever collection of his poems to be published in Britain, carries the reader from the global topics of political hypocrisy and the dangers posed by capitalist culture to painfully personal themes and the realities of modern day life. His message is black, political, historically accurate, urgent, uncompromising and mature and as relevant now as it was when he started, back in the early seventies.
'The directness, wit and observation make for effective political song-writing.'
'Accessible, intelligent, rhythmic writing which makes poetry seem worthwhile again'
'a moving commentary on life in the 20th and 21st century which is articulate and engaging with a healthy dose of humour'
Buzz'an invaluable collection of song lyrics...[Gil Scott-Heron always addresses his hard-hitting topics with wisdom, vigour and intense humility.'
Calabash'Scott-Heron's particular gift is for the lyrical interweaving of two or more socio-political 'soundtracks'...his semantic subversions expose the hypocrisies of political rhetoric, without ever becoming humourless or hateful.'
Daily Telegraph''Edutainment' is how Scott-Heron describes his own works, moving as they do from the personal to the political to the playful and back again. A fierce mind frisks across the lyrics, shuffling through clichés to refresh them again, flipping over ideas to bare an underbelly of irony, sending complacency skittering. Campaigning classics of protest against apartheid, against racism and capitalist culture are all included, all hammered home by uncompromising rhythms. Rhymes act like stepping stones across for d
The Times'some of the funniest and most literate lyrics in all music...From deadpan attacks on racism to withering sarcasm about the Great Society; from Chomskian rants to parodies of media shallowness - every line comes coated in a sardonically witty turn of phrase.'
Time Out'How do you describe the work of Gil Scott-Heron? Is it political poetry, social commentary or blues funk? Truth be told, it's all these things, which is what makes Scott-Heron one of our day's greatest and most important voices...the master wordsmith.
Madison Magazine New York'An eloquent force to be reckoned with.'
Daily Express'Respect [to everyone for being able to recognise Gil Scott-Heron and for knowing that there was once something new invented under the sun.'
Chuck D'A poet and polemicist whose lyrics have inspired and galvanised generations.'
GQ'Chance-taker. Emotion voyager. Street-strutter. Contemporary Spirit. Untamed Proud Poet. Rough Healer. He Is His.'
Gwendolyn Brooks'Like a minister on a street, spewing invectives at materialsim, the media, political inertia and shaming those passing by - his work abounds with a playful but pointed use of language - Gil Scott Heron has always affected people.'
The Guardian