Listen: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised / Gil Scott-Heron
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised / Gil Scott-Heron

Junkies make the best records sometimes, especially when they’re all pissed off and pouty and never have a good day. Enter ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’.

I must say, I liked this at the time, and still appreciate it’s terminally dated sound. Like The Last Poets from the same era, the attitude and assumption everyone’s brain thought like a redneck’s was as pathetic as actually thinking that way. Lighten up guy.

No recollection if this one was played on the urban, which I believe were still called black, radio stations at the time but it certainly was heard on the underground FM ones. Probably more middle class university students were exposed to this than the crew it was meant to provoke. Not exactly what poor Gil Scott-Heron had predicted I’m sure, although he seemed to clearly believe all he wrote, except maybe the bit about “the revolution will not go better with coke”.

A nice one to have on a 7″ though.

Listen: Home Is Where The Hatred Is / Esther Phillips EstherHatred.mp3

It would be foolish to discount Gil Scott-Heron’s own version of ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’, being a signature track on his REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED album, for any other. But if ever there was as vital a rendition to compliment the original, Esther Phillips’ has to be considered an absolute prize winner. Creed Taylor’s immaculate production, no doubt made all the more powerful via Pee Wee Ellis’ fantastic arrangements, embodies the image of heroin ridden Harlem projects or Watts tenements.

Esther Phillips deservedly had more than one career comeback starting in the 50′s, but her 70′s CTI period might just be proof that you never, ever know what can happen if you continue to make great records.