Gil Scott-Heron Quotes

The first revolution is when you change your mind

Man is a complex being: he makes deserts bloom - and lakes die.

Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.

America .. the international Jekyll and Hyde ... the land of a thousand disguises, sneaks up on you but rarely surprises

If someone comes to you and asks for help, and you can help them, you're supposed to help them. Why wouldn't you? You have been put in the position somehow to be able to help this person.

The way you get to know yourself is by the expressions on other people's faces, because that's the only thing that you can see, unless you carry a mirror about.

Music has the power to make me feel good like nothing else does. It gives me some peace for a while. Takes me back to who I really am.

The revolution will be no re-run brothers, The revolution will be live.

I don't mind being criticized. I enjoy being criticized personally, not by rumor.

A good poet feels what his community feels. Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.

I cannot afford to watch Fox News.

Colour is not the issue in America; class is.

All the dreams you show up in are not your own.

I try not to take people who haven't really thought out what they're doing too seriously. I try not to let them get in the way of what I feel I need to do.

If we meet somebody who has never made a mistake, lets help them start a religion. Until then, were just going to meet other humans and help to make each other better.

Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home

I work hard at it [delivery of lyrics], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit down and do. You have to learn and keep learning.

The revolution that takes place in your head, nobody will ever see that.

The revolution will not be televised.

I think that the more people who speak out, and say things and take stands on positions that will better our community, the better off each and every other individual artist or otherwise, will be.

A lot of folks are so busy trying to get their groceries together that they don't have time to do research. I have time. Maybe that's the main difference.

I tour more than I need to, more than is good for you. But it's my favorite part of music. I much prefer it to studio work.

As for money - when I have it, it's great. When I don't, I go get some. I've been a dishwasher, a gardener, a cleaner.

The way you get to know yourself is by the expression on other people's faces.

I don't see any independent position that I'm in; it's rather inter-dependent.

Our accomplishments show what kind of people we are.

I am honestly not sure how capable I am of love. And I'm not sure why.

My songs were always about the tone of voice rather than the words.

You never cared enough to be Black

Every once in a while, you live long enough to get the respect that people didn't want to give while you were trying to become a senior citizen.

If you aren't having no fun, die, because you're running a worthless program, far as I'm concerned.

Schedule? I have no schedule. There is no hurry. I work when I want to.

Angel dust won't go away. Somefolks who were smoking it were going away.

You should be able to do anything you can afford as an adult.

I don't suspect that in many instances the artists who are dedicated in that fashion to the progress of that community are as well protected by the community as might be necessary.

I think a whole lot of stuff gets by people - I could name half a dozen groups that do songs that are openly supportive of experimentation with drugs, nobody ever said anything to them.

I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.

I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.

I was a better writer when I was teaching. I was constantly going over the basics and constantly reminding myself, as I reminded my students, what made a good story, a good poem.

I was a piano player before I was a poet.

Every show that sells out is like a hero's welcome for me.

You can have a poem like "B-Movie" and sum up thirty conversations that people have had on the subject, but I wrote it down, and other people didn't.

I don't think people in power have the potential to do anything like that to me. I feel as though as long as our music is available, folks are going to hear it.

It may be crazy, but I'm the closest thing I have to a voice of reason.