The below post from Friday April 1, 2011 is being RE-POSTED in honor of Gil Scott Heron who died today May 27, 2011. He celebrated his 62nd birthday last month but today he took his spoken word and went home to be with the Lord. He will be missed...
April 1, 2011 - Oooo, Yeaaaaa!!! Today is Friday!! Thanking God for my very life!...and for the Beautiful weather! LOL! So for Old School Friday, I am paying homage to Gil Scott Heron who is 62 years old today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIL SCOTT HERON!!! Mr. Heron is an African American Poet, Author, and Musician. He often spoke, wrote and sang about the struggles of African Americans in America. His works are often controversial but always VALID! When I think of spoken word performances I always think of Gill Scott Heron first. I grew up listening to his music and still listen today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GILL SCOTT HERON!!! Continue your fight!
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott Heron
The Bottle - Gil Scott Heron
I cannot post Gil Scott Heron without posting this next song... It used to make me cry all the time. It doesn't make me cry anymore but my throat does constrict and eyes still get a little moist, but it does make me pause and think of my dad...(RIP Samuel Thomas Spencer, I Love you daddy...) Your Daddy Loves You - Gil Scott Heron
Happy Old School Friday All! Love on Someone today!
Happy Friday All!
It is a rainy and dreary day here in Texas. The weather mirrors my mood musically today. My music mood is dark and stormy today. Today is the birthday of one my favorite musical artist, Mr. Marvin Gay"e" (He added the "e" to his name in his teen years). Being a lover of Old School Music means not just loving the music but understanding the artists of those times. For the black community the 60's & 70's were troubling times politically, racially and economically but one of the few places where black people excelled was musically. The 60's & 70's brought forth some of the BEST musical artists and hits of not only that time but for ALL time.
Marvin Gaye was one of those UNFORGETTABLE artists. He was an African - American singer, songwriter with a 3 octave vocal range! Unfortunately Marvin Gaye Jr was fatally shot by his father Marvin Gay Sr on April 1, 1984, one day before his 45th Birthday. Marvin had a voice that oozed sexuality and sensuality as evident in musical hits like "Come Get To This" & "Lets Get It On". He also lent his voice to the ongoing struggle of black people of that era as evident in hits like "Mercy, Mercy Me" & "Inner City Blues". But his voice was also an outlet that was more personal. Music was his escape from a troubling, hurtful and hateful life as evident in hits like "If I Should Die Tonight", "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" & "Here My Dear". Marvin Gaye was a product of child abuse, Religious Zealousness, and hatred from his father.
According to trutv.com:
"Living with father was something like living with a king, a very peculiar, changeable, cruel and all-powerful king," Marvin Gaye told biographer Ritz. "You were supposed to tip-toe around his moods. You were supposed to do anything to win his favor. I never did. Even though winning his love was the ultimate goal of my childhood, I defied him. I hated his attitude... If it wasn't for mother, who was always there to console me and praise my singing, I think I would have been one of those child suicides you read about in the papers."
Marvin Gaye had the love of his mother but his father and he had a terrible, volatile and hateful relationship.
According to Alberta Gay (mother of Marvin jr.) & Jeanne Gay (sister of Marvin jr) (via trutv.com):
Alberta Gay said, "My husband never wanted Marvin, and he never liked him. He used to say that he didn't think he was really his child. I told him that was nonsense. He knew Marvin was his. But for some reason he didn't love Marvin and, what worse, he didn't want me to love Marvin either. Marvin wasn't very old before he understood that."
Jeanne Gay said, "From the time he was 7 until he became a teenager, Marvin's life at home consisted of a series of brutal whippings."
His personal demons were further metastasized by drug addiction, porn addiction and paranoia. This formed Marvin Gaye into the troubled soul that we knew and loved. I just finished reading "the Life and Tragic Death of Motown's Marvin Gaye" on trutv.com. I had read most of this story before but it was still a very interesting read. Marvin Gaye is on my phone, mp3 and computer play-list and nothing that I read about his personal life and trials will change that. He would have been 71 years old today had he lived. He was indeed a very troubled soul, a prolific and very talented artist. He is sorely missed...
Rest In Peace, Marvin Pentz Gay Jr (Marvin Gaye) April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984
