Classic Album Reflection: Pieces of a Man

 

 Once in a while, we come across art that encapsulates a moment in history. These works have the power to seemingly transport us to the period in which they were created, imparting the perspective of a time that we've never experienced. This is how I felt when I first heard Gil-Scott Heron's debut studio album, Pieces of a Man. Released in 1971, the album is a genre-bending 11-track journey containing elements of soul, blues, jazz, funk, and spoken word. Through each song, Scott-Heron melodically grapples with topics ranging from social inequalities to the personal struggles of addiction. The most widely known track on the album is the opening "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", which has been immortalized for its poetic call to action. Scott-Heron has expressed that the song is about the change that you must make in your mind before you can change the way that you live. At the conclusion of this track, we transition into the serene “Save the Children”, one of my favorite songs on the album. The lyrics serve as a captivating plea to make the world a better place for the youth that follow in our footsteps. Scott-Heron sings “right now they seem to play such a small part of the things that they’ll soon be right at the heart of.” I appreciate the way in which Scott-Heron conveys emotion through his vivid lyricism. This emotion helps the listener feel the gravity of issues that he grapples with through each song. On the title track, “Pieces of a Man”, we hear a narrator recount the tumultuous experience of his father being laid off. He sings “I saw him go to pieces, he was always such a good man.” In the closing track, “The Prisoner”, Scott-Heron articulates the damage caused to a family when a man is “hounded by hatred and trapped by fear.” The song seems to describe both a literal and figurative prison that has left the man feeling unseen and unheard. When we consider the context in which Pieces of a Man was released in the early 1970s, the subject matter on this album is even more compelling. This period followed the strife of the 1960s and saw a carryover of the Vietnam War, the Black power movement, and the dawning of an economic recession. This atmosphere is conveyed through tracks like “A Sign of the Ages” and “The Needle’s Eye”. On the latter, Scott-Heron sings “All the millions spent for killing, seems the whole world must be dying; all the children who go hungry, how much food we could be buying.” The song captures the sorrow of someone observing these world crises with little power to change them. While societal issues are a prominent theme on the album, Scott-Heron also provides tracks that are more introspective. Songs like “Home Is Where the Hatred Is” and “I Think I’ll Call It Morning” paint the picture of a man seeking to find solace within his environment. We also get songs like “Lady Day and John Coltrane” and “When You Are Who You Are” that are both uplifting and reassuring. The breadth of emotions and subject matter on this album certainly fits the title. Pieces of a Man showcases the complexities within an individual just trying to make it through life. Scott-Heron demonstrates the ebbs and flows of the human experience through each track in a way that allows the listener to step into the world as he sees it. On “Or Down You Fall”, Scott-Heron sings “and now you know I’m only human instead of all the things I’d like to be, the world is just a simple circle, you’ve got to keep on turning.” These lines stand out to me because they demonstrate the power in learning the “pieces” of a person’s story. Through this learning we build a deeper appreciation of that person’s humanity. People, like the world, are much more complex than we perceive them to be.  Over 50 years later, Pieces of a Man contains messages that I believe can inspire and connect with people today. 

Book Reflection: Sixty-One

 

My latest read is Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court by Chris Paul. As a fellow Demon Deacon and native of the Piedmont Triad, I had to grab this one off the shelf. I'm glad I did because this turned out to be one of the most compelling books I have come across in a while. Sixty-One provides insight into the life of Paul and his relationship with his grandfather, Nathaniel "Papa" Jones. Papa, a business owner and pillar of his community, was tragically killed the day after Paul committed to play basketball at Wake Forest. Throughout the book, Paul recounts the formative experiences of time spent with Papa and how the lessons he imparted have influenced his journey. From childhood to his current status as an NBA superstar, Paul connects these valuable experiences to each of his endeavors. Sixty-One also develops with brief chapters that detail the game in which Paul scored 61 points in honor of his grandfather shortly after his passing. From reading, it's clear how Paul's legendary basketball career is a credit to the upbringing and community that raised him. Before he was known around the world as CP3, Paul was a kid in Winston-Salem helping out at his grandfather's service station. It was here that he picked up many of the values and work ethic that allowed him to flourish as an NBA player and philanthropist. Paul also provides glimpses into other impactful relationships in his life, such as his bond with Skip Prosser, who coached Paul at Wake Forest. I appreciated how this book was both reflective and forward-looking, as Paul seeks to pass the lessons he learned to his children and upcoming generations. These lessons include hard-work, compassion, and finding joy in service. Paul illustrates how these lessons can also help us overcome the collective battles we face as a society. Sixty-One is a testament to the fact that we stand on the shoulders of those that came before us. I recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't consider yourself a fan of basketball. Paul's story highlights the importance of role models and mentorship among youth. As someone that grew up in the 336, this book was a powerful read and new introduction to a hometown hero.