Pieces of a Man

by Gil Scott-Heron

Pieces of a Man cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1971
  • Label: Flying Dutchman
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 1:00:47
  • Community rating: 4.37/5 from 11 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Pieces of a Man' documents Gil Scott-Heron's decisive shift from spoken-word poet to singer-songwriter, establishing his seminal collaboration with musician Brian Jackson. The album's fluid blend of soul, jazz, and funk, featuring top-tier session musicians like Ron Carter and Hubert Laws, creates a supple backdrop for Scott-Heron's empathetic singing and incisive lyricism. Its songs range from cinematic narratives of personal struggle, such as the title track and "Home Is Where the Hatred Is," to the enduring proto-rap anthem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," securing its legacy as a foundational work of politically conscious music.

Genres

Descriptors: spoken-word, storytelling, social-commentary, piano, soulful

Tracklist

  1. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (03:07)
  2. Save the Children (04:27)
  3. Lady Day and John Coltrane (03:36)
  4. Home Is Where the Hatred Is (03:21)
  5. When You Are Who You Are (03:22)
  6. I Think I'll Call It Morning (03:31)
  7. Pieces of a Man (04:54)
  8. A Sign of the Ages (04:02)
  9. Or Down You Fall (03:13)
  10. The Needle's Eye (04:50)
  11. The Prisoner (09:26)
  12. Chains (03:25)
  13. Peace (06:08)
  14. A Toast to the People (03:25)

Credits

  • Gil Scott-Heron - guitar, piano, vocals, writer
  • Brian Jackson - piano, electric piano, co-writer
  • Hubert Laws - flute, saxophone
  • Burt Jones - electric guitar
  • Ron Carter - bass, electric bass
  • Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums
  • Johnny Pate - conductor
  • Bob Thiele - producer
  • Bob Simpson - mixing
  • Charles Stewart - cover photo
  • Haig Adishian - design

More from Gil Scott-Heron: full discography