R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott-Heron died on Friday. To me, his lyrics always seemed to be speaking to my people, focusing on the big picture issues that I cared about and felt like other people should care about just as much. Here's one that I would say sums up the way I feel about music as well as anyone could put it:

Ever feel kinda of down and out and don't know just what to do?

Livin' all of days in darkness, let the sun shine through

Ever fell that somehow, somewhere you lost your way?

And if you don't get help you won't make it through the day

You could call on Lady Day!

You could call on John Coltrane!

They'll wash your troubles, your troubles away

Plastic people with plastic minds on their way to plastic homes

There's no beginning, there ain't no ending

just on and on and on and on and...

It's all because we're so afraid to say that we're alone

until our hero rides in, rides in on his saxophone

You could call on Lady Day!

You could call on John Coltrane!

They'll wash your troubles, your troubles away

"Lady Day and John Coltrane" by Gil Scott-Heron, from Pieces of a Man (1971)