I found this copy at a local Goodwill, rough cover, but nice play copy.
No amount of praise for this musical masterpiece would be too great, and surely no early soul funk album was more lyrical and honest, in its story telling and revolutionary musical ideas.
Pieces of a Man may be the perfect rare groove classic, Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) does it all here, he tells urban inner city tales with biting realism and sung with a sarcastic smile.
Heron was a warrior poet, literally. An absolute genius.
The fact that the man practically invented rap music, and hip hop sprang up through the crack on the sidewalk it caused.
Pieces of a Man really knows how to grab you by the shirt and pull you in.
Home is Where the Hatred is:
"Home is Where the Hatred Is" is a chilling tale of junkie running from home, and while he's looking in the rear view mirror seeing nothing worth staying for.
Perhaps "they" are the source of his reason for self medication? Been there for sure.
Pieces of a Man is every bit the equal of Marvin Gay's opus What's Going On. It's real, never pretentious, and revolutionary.
You have to love the jazz and funk melding of styles, "bluesology" as Heron calls it. He's right, his music does tell stories the same way Howlin' Wolf's "Forty Four" or "Evil" do.
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is the most important proto rap number here, and shows some in your face political jabs, all recited in a semi spoken word style, this sure does remind you of rap. Dig it below!
The title track is a heartbreaking tune about a little boy witnessing his father being humiliated by losing his job, the storytelling here is just so on the money, you can almost feel the fathers shame.
Also a nice upbeat ballad, "Lady Day and John Coltrane" is a nice homage to how music can be used as a tension release, and a way to liberate one's self from the restraints of this cruel world.
Heron can sing too, don't forget about that, this dude has got soul, bluesy and Motown without a doubt.
I am here to tell you, Pieces of a Man is very important album, if you were striving for the Rosetta Stone of hip hop as we know it today, Pieces of a Man is certainly as important as anything else released at the time.
