Jean Toomer's Cane is a powerful collection of poems and vignettes of African-American life in the rural South and urban north. Toomer's ability to write short stories of such incredible depth is quite impressive, and are actually believable stories of black life. Although Toomer personally had a complex relationship with his 'blackness,' he inserts autobiographical details in the text that highlight themes of gender (and some contain feminist themes), interracial romance, class,c olorism within black communities and black vernacular English. In addition, Toomer's metaphorical poems and rich, creative language is a pleasure to read.
While one may read some of his work as a celebration of a loss of culture during the Great Migration, the themes of the short story, "Kabnis," seems to suggest northern blacks who return South will not be fully accepted, in either black or white society. The stories set in DC and Chicago also explore similar themes, such as the brown-skinned black man at the University of Chicago (partly based on Toomer) who cannot find acceptance among whites. One of the more powerful pieces in the text is 'Becky," the tale of a white woman who raises two black sons in a Southern town, despised by blacks and whites yet secretly helped by members of both races. Similarly', "Blood-Burning Moon" is another triumph as it tells the tale of a conflict between a white and black man over a black woman's heart, concluding in the lynching of the black man.
Favorite Quotes
"This interest of the male, who wishes to ripen a growing thing too soon, could mean no good to her."
"The Bible flaps its leaves with an aimless rustle on her mound."
"God has left the Moses-people for the nigger."
Houses are shy girls whose eyes shine reticently upon the dusk body of the street."
"Suddenly he knew that people saw, not attractiveness in his dark skin, but difference."
"Hell of a note, cant even smoke. The stillness of it. Where they burn and hang men, you cant smoke."
"Roosters crowed, heralding the bloodshot eyes of southern awakening."
I am not sure why I care so much, but today I was struck by an obviously strung out man trying to return most certainly stolen over the counter medications to the store at work tonight. He was a wreck in every conceivable way: could not stand still, could barely write without incessant twitching, couldn't speak straight, offered to sell his cellphone to me, a shift supervisor, and customers at the store for 25 dollars (he claimed it was to purchase gas for his car, but we all know that's BS, unless that gas is to drive his car to his dealer).
We get a lot of depressing customers and crazies who come through that store, especially at night. Indeed, today we had one man who might have been homeless shoplift right in front of me (I was ringing customers out and noticed him stuffing his backpack with liquid soaps) and flee just as I shouted at him and the shift supervisor was on his way to the front end of the store. And per usual, some adolescents came to the store in group (a telltale sign of shoplifting) and I witnessed them stealing some medicines, lubrication, and pregnancy tests. My shift supervisor caught them after I called him and he watched out for them, but the fiends tear the boxes open and just steal the lube, pills, contraptions, etc. that they're looking for. If not, they tear off the security tag or take a chance and run through the door.
But I am used to shoplifters and thieves. I'm used to the mentally ill and somewhat 'off' customers and regulars, such as the one man who shows up, skips people in line, and doesn't have enough money to pay for things (and sometimes no money at all). I am not used to seeing people in such debilitating states of drug addiction. That man, emaciated, unable to articulate himself clearly, and despite it all, lying through his teeth and attempting to have a conversation with me where both sides knew everything he said was bullshit. It was one of those truly rare moments where communication between two people was, despite the obvious lies if one follows it literally, 'free' in a sense. My heart goes out for that man and all other Bubbles out there, struggling to keep their head above water in these modern, urban wastelands.
As The Wireteaches us so clearly, if you walk in the garden, you better watch your back. Though I probably won't ever see him again, I hope for the best and actually wish I could have given him cash back on his stolen items he did not have a receipt for (instead of store credit). Drug addiction ain't no joke, obviously, and those 'crackheads, junkies, and methheads need the most help in these dire times where addiction of all sorts destroys entire nations (looking at you, Wall Street, for your corporate greed and addiction and love of money that nearly destroyed the US and global economy).
I suppose my last thing I could possibly say is to reiterate the rarity and importance of fake, pseudo-sincere conversations in forcing us to acknowledge our fellow humanity with those perhaps even more downtrodden. Indeed, one can break through to the other side despite the largely meaningless exchange of words that passes as conversation today, something I did not expect to have with a drug addict this week. Sir, whoever you are, keep your head up.
Gil Scott-Heron's brilliant song about drug addiction was masterfully covered by Esther Phillips. Beautiful, hauntingly touching and emotional song. Like Gil, Esther also succumbed to drug addiction to, although the ultimate beauty of this song is that "home" can also include, perhaps, a broken family, addiction of all kinds, and to a great, funky beat with jazz and rock aesthetics. "A junkie walking through the twilight, I'm on my way home." Common would rap over a sample of this song produced by Kanye West expertly.
Gil Scott-Heron's Johannesburg is a funky track about apartheid South Africa. As always, Scott-Heron's conscious, politically-charged material is enjoyable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDkQY6cOH0s
Max Roach's Tears for Johannesburg refers to the Sharpeville Massacre where anti-apatheid protesters were shot and killed. At least 69 were murdered and the recent massacre of striking mine workers at Marikana echoed the Sharpeville Massacre. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgNWYmgdO5Q
Max Roach's Man from South Africa is a jazz piece composed in honor for anti-apartheid South Africans. Roach, a committed black nationalist, was also dedicated to African liberation and the American Civil Rights Movement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3aALURKt1U
Ibrahim Abdullah's Mannenberg refers to District 6 of Cape Town, which was forcibly evacuated during apartheid. Apparently the melody came from some old marabi song, which can be heard here. Read about it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJw6weFdJOw
Ndodemnyama (Miriam Makeba) is a song composed by a South African who was executed during apartheid while singing his anti-apartheid anthem. The song is a warning to Verwoerd, the architect of South Africa's apartheid policy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYwgmOxhUvk
A Tribe Called Quest's Steve Biko (Stir It Up) is not really about Steve Biko or apartheid, but does mention him in the title. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZItLBiHG9gc
Peter Gabriel's Biko is actually about Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement during anti-apartheid days. A stirring tribute from Peter Gabriel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ncVyxQRw70
The list of anti-apartheid songs is obviously quite extensive. A future post will give additional songs.
Gil Scott-Heron, the proto-rap musician and spoken word artist has been occupying my time lately. I've listened to 3 of his albums repeatedly in the last 2 days. Pieces of a Man, Winter in America, and I'm New Here represent Gil Scott-Heron and his musical parter Brian Jackson at 3 different stages in his development as a musician. Personally, Pieces of a Man is my favorite and has a great mix of jazz, soul, funk, and spoken word.
Pieces of a Man is famous to the hip-hop world for the number of times "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" have been referenced and sampled by rappers. "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" on this album is the 2nd recording of the song, featuring the inimitable Ron Carter on bass and Hubert Laws on flute. Scott-Heron previously recorded the song on his 1st live album with only congas to accompany his spoken word performance, so this rendition is probably the more famous one. The following video is the 1st live rendition of the song with only congas accompanying Scott-Heron's politically-charged poem. Indeed, one could argue he laid the foundations for conscious hip-hoppers such as Common and a lot of the underground rappers out there nowadays.
The next video is the live version featuring jazz bassist Ron Carter and Hubert Laws on flute
In my opinion this version is better for adding more instruments and a funk backbeat to connect it with contemporary African American music and the music associated with the Black Power movement of the late 1960s and 1970s. It perfectly caught the mood of the Black America: the anger, anti-establishment and radical leftist sentiment, and racial pride. The message is an unforgettable and necessary one for all of us who want change: if you want revolution you have to get off the couch and make that change because it will never come while you're sitting on the couch and watching the T.V. set. This poetic piece is filled with 70s cultural and political references as well, with a touch of humor and irony making it one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard. Indeed, this song surpasses Marvin Gaye's What's Going On as the best socially-conscious soul album I've ever heard.
Here are some funny lines that I like from the song:
"The revolution will not be right back after a message
about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver's seat."
In addition to the legendary The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Pieces of a Man has two of my favorite Gil Scott-Heron Songs of all time: "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" and "Lady Day and John Coltrane." "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" is the most powerful song about drug addiction I've ever heard. Just listen to the lyrics: Home is where I live inside my white powder dreams. Home was once an empty vacuum that's filled now with my silent screams. Home is where the needle marks try to heal my broken heart." You also have to love the funky beat and guitar solo. Scott-Heron's vocals, though not great, show anguish and are beautiful as well.
Lady Day and John Coltrane is another great funky song about the power of music to alleviate sorrow. In this case, it's the music of Billie Holiday and John Coltrane. I'm sure both Billie Holiday and Coltrane would be proud of this.
The rest of the album, Pieces of a Man, is more jazz-fusion/soul with Scott-Heron mostly singing. "When You Are Who You Are," "I Think I'll Call It Morning," "A Sign of the Ages," "Pieces of a Man," and and the rest of the album, are mostly jazzy soul songs with heavy acoustic basslines from my boy Ron Carter and beautiful acoustic piano from Gil and Brian Jackson, co-composer of several of the songs. Another favorite has to be the "The Needle's Eye."
My next Gil Scott-Heron album is Winter in America, another jazzy collaboration with Brian Jackson, was much weaker than Pieces of a Man. Most of the songs are long, jazzy pieces with Scott-Heron singing and piano and Fender Rhodes organ accompanying him. "Rivers of My Fathers" is one example of this, with interesting piano improvisations but doesn't really seem to go anywhere despite it's length.
"Back Home" is a better song because of it's significantly shorter duration and better vocals from Scott-Heron. The Sentimental Your Daddy Loves You" and "Song For Bobby Smith" are also good songs. The latter shows how much neo-soul owes to the jazzy electric organ of this soulful song.
The epic talking blues, "H20 Gate Blues" is a scathing attack on the Nixon administration and the state of America at the time, especially foreign policy and the destruction of the Vietnam War and Southeast Asia. Obviously most of the songs refer to political and social events of the 1970s. The lyrics speak for themselves:
America!
The international Jekyll and Hyde
The land of a thousand disguises
Sneaks up on you but rarely surprises (Yeah!)
Plundering the Asian countryside
In the name of Fu Man Thieu.
Afraid of shoeless, undernourished Cambodians
While we strike big wheat bargains with Russia
Our nuclear enemy
Just how blind, America?
But tell me, who was around where Hale Boggs died?
And what about LBJ's untimely demise?
And what really happened to J. Edgar Hoover?
The king is proud of Patrick Gray
While America's faith is drowning
Beneath that cesspool-Watergate. (Yeaah!)
How long will the citizens sit and wait?
It's looking like Europe in '38
Did they move to stop Hitler before it was too late?
How long. America before the consequences of
Keeping the school systems segregated
Allowing the press to be intimidated
Watching the price of everything soar
And hearing complaints 'cause the rich want more? (Alright!)
It seems that MacBeth, and not his lady, went mad
We've let him eliminate the whole middle class
The dollar's the only thing we can't inflate
While the poor go on without a new minimum wage
What really happened to J Edgar Hoover?
The kind is proud of Patrick Gray
And there are those who say America's faith is drowning
Beneath that cesspool-Watergate.
We leave America to ponder the image
Of justice from the new wave of leaders
Frank Rizzo, the high school graduate
Mayor of Philadelphia, whose ignorance
Is surpassed only by those who voted for him. (Hahahaha)
Richard Daley, imperial Napoleonic Mayor of Chicago.
Who took over from Al Capone and
Continues to implement the same tactics.
George Wallace. Lester Maddawg
Strom Thurmond, Ronald Reagan-
An almost endless list that won't be missed when at last
America is purged (Yeah! Alright~)
Of course the best known song off Winter in America is "The Bottle," a great song on alcoholism with a Caribbean beat and flute by Brian Jackson. This song is still popular today was a popular hit back in the day for its danceable beat. Of course it has a great message on the universalism of alcoholism, including a doctor, a sista, and a brotha.
See that gent in the wrinkled suit
he done damn near blown his cool
to the bottle
He wuz a doctor helpin' young girls along
if they wuzn't too far gone to have problems.
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doin', Doc, it ain't legal,"
and now he's in the bottle.
Now we watch him everyday tryin' to
chase the pigeons away
from the bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doin', Doc, it ain't legal,"
and now he's in the bottle.Damn! This song is so powerful and a beautiful funky tune. The lines quoted above likely refer to the doctor giving abortions to young girls then being stopped.
Here's a video link.
The final album, Scott-Heron's 2010 release I'm New Here, marks a significant change in his life. Brian Jackson is no longer his partner and he hasn't released an album since 1994. He spent time in prison and was addicted to drugs. He's grown older and his voice is rougher. Times have been hard on him. Musically, the album samples Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" and uses elements of contemporary hip-hop and electronica. I like to see it as his comeback album, but at 28 minutes long, it doesn't feel complete. Also, a lot of the tracks are short spoken word interludes and the songs are covers. However, it's still worth checking out and shows that Scott-Heron is following current trends in music. You have to love the powerful spoken word tribute to his grandmother, the elderly southern black woman who raised him. And as he concludes, he was raised by women in order to become a man. "My life has been guided by women but because of them, I am a man."
Part 2
"New York Is Killing Me is another favorite moment of mine. It mixes urban blues, gospel, and hip-hop to express how hard the past 20 years have been for Gil. Indeed, as he says, "City living aint all that it's cracked up to be. I need to go home and slow down in Jackson, Tennessee." My favorite line: "It has 8 million people and I didn't have a single friend."
So in the end, I'm New Here is definitely worth checking out. The dark spoken word interludes are very short and bring down the album a tad bit, but the extended spoken word pieces are definitely worth checking out, especially "Running." "Me and The Devil," an interpretation of blues legend Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil Blues," sounds horrifyingly modern and gloomy. Folk influences can be found in the title track as well, which is also a cover song.
"Me and the Devil" might be the 2nd best song on the album, after "New York is Killing Me"
So I don't really know how to conclude. Gil Scott-Heron's music was a huge influence on hip-hop and neo-soul. His minimalistic production on his early albums, such as Pieces of a Man, his spoken word vocal delivery, and the jazz and funk influences he transformed demonstrate his significance in African-American music. Furthermore, his 2010 release illustrates that he is not out of touch with contemporary music scenes, including hip-hop, electronica, trip-hop, and folk. For decades he was able to survive as an artist without sacrificing his integrity for commercial success. One must also admire how personal his last album is. In fact, his lyrics refer to his drug addiction, loneliness, depression for nearly 20 years.
Indeed, one could easily interpret the spoken word piece "Your Soul and Mine" and its references to the vulture as narcotics. Furthermore, the magnificent "I'll Take Care of You," the most traditional Gil-style song on the album, shows that he hasn't lost his ability to sing soul music. Therefore you should go listen to Gil Scott-Heron right now. Don't deprive yourself the pleasure and enlightenment.
