Pieces of a Man

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Pieces of a Man
Studio album by Gil Scott-Heron
Released	1971
Recorded	April 19-20, 1971 New York, New York
Genre	Soul, jazz
Length	47:56
Label	Flying Dutchman FD-10143
Producer	Bob Thiele
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link All Music Guide to Hip-hop [1] iTunes (favorable) [2] Rolling Stone (favorable) link UNCUT link
Gil Scott-Heron chronology
Small Talk at 125th & Lenox (1970) Pieces of a Man (1971) Free Will (1972)

Pieces of a Man is the second studio album by soul poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron. Released in 1971 by Mainstream subsidary label Flying Dutchman Records, it is the follow-up to his debut album Small Talk at 125th & Lenox. The album marks the first collaboration efforts of Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson. The album was reissued by RCA.

The album features more conventional song structures and jazz stylings than the loose, spoken-word feel of Small Talk. Pieces of a Man features two of Scott-Heron's most well-known compositions, "Home Is Where the Hatred Is", later a hit for singer Esther Phillips, and the classic "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". The album has gained much critical acclaim, being praised for its lyrical artistry and political awareness, and later for its infuence on modern hip-hop.

...Pieces of a Man set a standard for vocal artistry and political awareness that few musicians will ever match. -excerpt from iTunes Review

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Side One 1.2 Side Two 2 Personnel 2.1 Additional personnel 3 References

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Gil Scott-Heron.

[edit] Side One

1. "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" – 3:09
2. "Save the Children" – 4:28
3. "Lady Day and John Coltrane" – 3:37
4. "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" – 3:22
5. "When You Are Who You Are" – 3:23
6. "I Think I'll Call It Morning" – 3:31

[edit] Side Two

1. "Pieces of a Man" – 4:55
2. "A Sign of the Ages" – 4:03
3. "Or Down You Fall" – 3:14
4. "The Needle's Eye" – 4:51
5. "The Prisoner" – 9:26

[edit] Personnel

• Gil Scott-Heron - vocals, piano, guitar
• Johnny Pate - conductor
• Brian Jackson - piano
• Ron Carter - bass
• Pretty Purdie - drums
• Burt Jones - electric guitar
• Hubert Laws - flute, saxophone

[edit] Additional personnel

• Bob Thiele - producer
• Bob Simpson - sound mixer
• Charles Stewart - cover photo

[edit] References

• Pieces of a Man album liner notes by Gil Scott-Heron and Alex Dutilh. Sony Music Entertainment Inc..