features in: Album Chart of 1971 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s |

Had I been there at the time, after the hard-hitting rap debut I'd have been kinda hoping that Scott-Heron might have delved deeply into a JBs-style brand of deep and heavy funk. Alas, this was not the option that he mainly preferred, and the crucial, career-defining decision was made to team-up with keyboardist / flautist / composer Brian Jackson; a jazz-tinged future was assured. Which is not to say, the funk style was ignored - far from it. Side one delivers some great treasure in this regard; “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” and “When You Are Who You Are” are both hard-hitters. And what can I say about the album's opener? Well, for starters, I reckon it to be the greatest Disco / Funk song of all-time.
“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” ain't no party, ain't no disco, ain't no fooling around. It's the burgeoning sound of rap-funk, the sound of angry working class America, and in particular black America. Re-recorded from the sparse bongo drums version from his debut album in 1970, the definitive version was released right here, and was the only political song in the set; “the least inventive one on the album was the one that was the most heralded” rued Scott-Heron. Groan… I'd like to think he was secretly pleased anyway. His lyrical jabs and sneers were delivered stream-of-social-consciousness style, ducking like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, on his toes every round. The message is clear - do not get lost in the debilitating stupor of pop culture frivolity; wake up and smell the coffee, there's corruption all around and it's working against you, get active. Brothers and sisters, there will be no highlights on the 11 o'clock news, the revolution will be live. And you can dance to it. Bonus.
The Jukebox Rebel
16–Mar–2011
Tracklist |
A1 | [02:59] ![]() |
A2 | [04:55] ![]() |
A3 | [03:10] ![]() |
A4 | [03:15] ![]() |
A5 | [03:01] ![]() |
A6 | [03:45] ![]() |
B1 | [04:22] ![]() |
B2 | [04:05] ![]() |
B3 | [03:08] ![]() |
B4 | [04:01] ![]() |
B5 | [08:39] ![]() |