The Bottle

Last updated
"The Bottle"
The Bottle 12inch.jpg
Single by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson
from the album Winter in America
B-side "The Bottle (Drunken mix)"
Released1974
RecordedOctober 15, 1973
D&B Sound
(Silver Spring, Maryland)
Genre Jazz-funk [1]
Length5:14
Label Strata-East
Songwriter(s) Gil Scott-Heron
Producer(s) Perpis-Fall Music
Gil Scott-Heron singles chronology
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"
(1971)		"The Bottle"
(1974)		"Johannesburg"
(1975)

"The Bottle" is a song by American soul artist Gil Scott-Heron and musician Brian Jackson, released in 1974 on Strata-East Records in the United States. It was later reissued during the mid-1980s on Champagne Records in the United Kingdom. "The Bottle" was written by Scott-Heron and produced by audio engineer Jose Williams, Jackson, and Scott-Heron. The song serves as a social commentary on alcohol abuse, and it features a Caribbean beat and notable flute solo by Jackson, with Scott-Heron playing keyboards.

Contents

The song was issued as the first and only single for Scott-Heron's and Jackson's album Winter in America (1974). It became an underground and cult hit upon its release, and the single peaked at number 15 on the R&B Singles Chart. Described by music critics as the album's best recording, the commercial success of "The Bottle" helped lead to Jackson's and Scott-Heron's next recording contract with Arista Records. Similar to other compositions by Scott-Heron, the song has been sampled extensively by hip hop artists.

The song describes the lives of the alcoholics living in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. [2]

Composition

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"The Bottle"
Cited by critics as its album's best recording, the song is a rhythmic social commentary on alcohol abuse.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"The Bottle" is a social commentary on alcohol abuse with a Caribbean beat. [3] Scott-Heron wrote it after seeing men line up every day in front of a liquor store called the Log Cabin in Washington, D.C., bringing back their empty bottles to get a discount on their next purchase. [4] Scott-Heron said of his inspiration for the song in an interview for Newsnight , "I discovered one of them was an ex-physician, who'd been busted for abortions on young girls. There was an air traffic controller in the military - one day he sent two jets crashing into a mountain. He left work that day and never went back." [4]

The song also became a popular song played at parties at the time. French music critic Pierre Jean-Critin later described it as "an epic song ... whose infectious groove can still set dance floors alight over thirty years later." [3] The song's pop/dance sensibilities and social message engendered its appeal to listeners following its release as a single. Scott-Heron later said of the single's success and style, "Pop music doesn't necessarily have to be shit." [3]

Cited by critics and music writers as Winter in America's best track, "The Bottle" also addresses problems of drug addiction, abortion, and incarceration, while featuring Jackson on flute and Scott-Heron on keyboards. [3] [5] While its theme examines the plight of alcoholics and those who have to live with and cope with them, "The Bottle" became a concert favorite and one of Scott-Heron's most popular songs. [6]

Release and reception

"The Bottle" was released in 1974 as the only single for Winter in America. The song became an underground and cult hit upon its release. [7] Scott-Heron and Jackson's version peaked at number 98 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles on the week ending February 18, 1977. [8] The single's success helped lead to Jackson's and Scott-Heron's next recording contract with Arista Records, where they would enjoy more commercial success. [9]

"The Bottle" has been cited by critics as Winter in America's best song. [10] Paul J. MacArthur of the Houston Press called it a "strong anti-alcohol rant with a funky bass hook and chilly flute fills." [10] "The Bottle" was later ranked number 92 on NME's list of The Top 150 Singles of All-Time[ citation needed ] and was included in Q magazine's 1010 Songs You Must Own! publication.[ citation needed ]

Track listings and formats

These are the formats and track listings of the U.K. single releases of "The Bottle": [11] [12] [ unreliable source ]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [8] 97

Covers

Later in 1974, shortly after the release of the original Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson recording, Funk/Soul group Brother to Brother released their own rendition of "The Bottle" with a similar orchestration as the original but slightly more straightforward and uptempo. The Brother to Brother version peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot Soul (R&B) Singles on the week ending October 5, 1974, [13] and number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending November 16, 1974. [14] To this day, it remains the band's signature tune and their biggest hit song to date.

Joe Bataan covered "The Bottle" as an instrumental for his 1975 album Afrofilipino, though slightly re-titled "The Bottle (La Botella)". It was released as a single and peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot Soul (R&B) Singles on the week ending April 5, 1975. [15] It became one of his most notable recordings from the album. [16]

C.O.D. released a hit electro version of it in 1983.

The Christians covered "The Bottle" for their 1992 album Happy In Hell. [17]

Paul Weller covered "The Bottle" for his 2004 album Studio 150 . [18]

British funk group Jamiroquai performed the song during their 1993 Emergency on Planet Earth Tour. [19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Gorton, TJ (July 30, 2018). "BeatCaffeine's 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs". BeatCaffeine. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  2. ↑ "'The Prince of Chocolate City': When Gil Scott-Heron Became A Music Icon| Daily Beast". The Daily Beast .
  3. 1 2 3 4 Jean-Critin (2001), p. 2.
  4. 1 2 Stephen Smith, "The Legendary Godfather of Rap Returns" BBC News (November 16, 2009). Retrieved June 7, 2011
  5. ↑ Jones, Jackie (June 25, 2007). "20 People Who Changed Black Music – Revolutionary Poet Gil Scott-Heron, the First Rap Rebel". Miami Herald . Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Review of Winter in America". Soul Music: January 12, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Gil Scott-Heron at All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 2009-01-18. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  8. 1 2 "Gil Scott-Heron Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Gil Scott-Heron: American Visions - Find Articles at BNET". CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  10. 1 2 "Catching Up with Gil - Music - Houston Press". Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  11. ↑ Discogs.com - Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson* - The Bottle (7"). Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-24.
  12. ↑ Discogs.com - Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson* - The Bottle (12"). Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-24.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Hot Soul Singles (for Week Ending 10/5/74)". Billboard. October 5, 1974. p. 58.
  14. ↑ "The Hot 100: Week of November 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Billboard Hot Soul Singles (for Week Ending 4/5/75)". Billboard. April 5, 1975. p. 30.
  16. ↑ "Bataan* - The Bottle (La Botella)". Discogs.com. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  17. ↑ "The Christians - Happy In Hell". Discogs.com. 1992. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  18. ↑ "Paul Weller - Studio 150 (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. 13 September 2004. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  19. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Jamiroquai - The Bottle (Live at Clapham Grand 1993). YouTube .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gil Scott-Heron</span> American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author (1949–2011)

Gilbert Scott-Heron was an American jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson fused jazz, blues, and soul with lyrics relative to social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles. He referred to himself as a "bluesologist", his own term for "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues". His poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", delivered over a jazz-soul beat, is considered a major influence on hip hop music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)</span> 1965 single by the Four Tops

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" is a 1965 song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Davis (singer)</span> Musical artist

Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career that started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country, and pop. His most successful songs are 1977's "I Go Crazy", a No. 7 pop hit that once held the record for the longest chart run on the Billboard Hot 100, and 1982's "'65 Love Affair", which at No. 6 is his highest-charting single. Another pop hit, "Cool Night", was released in 1981. In the mid-1980s, he also had two No. 1 country hits as a guest vocalist on songs by Marie Osmond and Tanya Tucker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surface (band)</span> American band

Surface was an American music group from New Jersey, active from 1983 to 1994. They are best known for their No. 1 pop and R&B hit "The First Time." During its heyday, the group consisted of singer/bassist Bernard Jackson, David Townsend, and David "Pic" Conley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Jackson (musician)</span> American musician

Brian Robert Jackson is an American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer known for his collaborations with Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s. The sound of Jackson's Rhodes electric piano and flute accompaniments featured prominently in many of their compositions, most notably on "The Bottle" and "Your Daddy Loves You" from their first official collaboration Winter in America.

<i>From South Africa to South Carolina</i> 1975 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson

From South Africa to South Carolina is a studio album by the American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and the keyboardist Brian Jackson. It was released in November 1975 by Arista Records. Scott-Heron performed "Johannesburg" and "A Lovely Day" on Saturday Night Live in December 1975. The album was reissued in the late 1990s via Scott-Heron's Rumal-Gia label, distributed by TVT Records.

<i>Pieces of a Man</i> 1971 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron

Pieces of a Man is the debut studio album by American poet Gil Scott-Heron. It was recorded in April 1971 at RCA Studios in New York City and released later that year by Flying Dutchman Records. The album followed Scott-Heron's debut live album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (1970) and departed from that album's spoken word performance, instead featuring compositions in a more conventional popular song structure.

<i>Winter in America</i> 1974 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson

Winter in America is a studio album by American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson. It was recorded in September to October 1973 at D&B Sound Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland and released in May 1974 by Strata-East Records. Scott-Heron and Jackson produced the album in a stripped-down fashion, relying on traditional African and R&B sounds, while Jackson's piano-based arrangements were rooted in jazz and the blues. The subject matter on Winter in America deals with the African-American community and inner city in the 1970s.

<i>The First Minute of a New Day</i> 1975 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson and the Midnight Band

The First Minute of a New Day is an album by American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron, keyboardist Brian Jackson, and the Midnight Band—an eight-piece musical ensemble. It was released in January 1975 on Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in the summer of 1974 at D&B Sound in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was the follow-up to Scott-Heron's and Jackson's critically acclaimed collaboration effort Winter in America. The First Minute of a New Day was the first album to feature "Winter in America", the title track of Scott-Heron's previous album which was not featured on its original LP release. The album was reissued on compact disc by Scott-Heron's label Rumal-Gia Records in 1998.

<i>Its Your World</i> (album) 1976 studio album / Live album by Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson

It's Your World is a studio album by American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson, released in November 1976 by Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in studio and live in July 1976 at Paul's Mall in Boston, Massachusetts, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and American Star Studios in Merrifield, Virginia. Scott-Heron and Jackson recorded the album with the former's backing ensemble, The Midnight Band. It's Your World was originally released on vinyl and was later re-released in 2000 on compact disc by Scott-Heron's Rumal-Gia label.

"Rivers of My Fathers" is a song by American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson. It was written and composed by Scott-Heron and Jackson for their first collaborative album, Winter in America (1974). The song was recorded on October 15, 1973 at D&B Sound Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland and produced by Scott-Heron and Jackson with assistance from engineer Jose Williams.

<i>The Revolution Will Not Be Televised</i> (album) 1974 compilation album by Gil Scott-Heron

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a compilation album by American poet Gil Scott-Heron. It was released in 1974 by Flying Dutchman Records and titled after Scott-Heron's 1971 song of the same name.

<i>The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron</i> 1978 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron

The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron is a 1978 album by spoken word and rap pioneer Gil Scott-Heron. Like many of Scott-Heron's albums, the album's content primarily addresses political and social issues; however, The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron relies far more on his spoken word delivery than his other albums. Whereas much of the artist's earlier albums contained backup jazz-funk music from Brian Jackson, many of these tracks, which address contemporary issues such as Watergate, the pardon of Richard Nixon and the Attica Prison riot, are either live recordings or studio-recorded songs with little more than sparse drum backing or occasional instrumentation. Many of the tracks featured were included on previous Gil Scott-Heron albums.

<i>Hard Core Poetry</i> 1974 studio album by Tavares

Hard Core Poetry is the second studio album by American soul/R&B group Tavares, released in 1974 on the Capitol label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tap the Bottle</span> 1992 single by Young Black Teenagers

"Tap the Bottle" is a song by American hip hop group Young Black Teenagers. It was released on November 24, 1992, via Sound of Urban Listeners (SOUL)/MCA Records as the lead single from YBT's second studio album Dead Enz Kidz Doin' Lifetime Bidz. Production was handled by Terminator X.

<i>Im New Here</i> Album by Gil Scott-Heron

I'm New Here is the 15th and final studio album by American vocalist and pianist Gil Scott-Heron. It was released on February 8, 2010, by XL Recordings and was his first release of original music in 16 years, following a period of personal and legal troubles with drug addiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swimming Pools (Drank)</span> 2012 single by Kendrick Lamar

"Swimming Pools (Drank)" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on July 31, 2012 as the lead single (second overall) from his major-label debut studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012), by Top Dawg, Aftermath and Interscope. The song was written by Lamar and Tyler "T-Minus" Williams, the latter of whom also produced the song. The song, mixed by Dr. Dre and Top Dawg's engineer Derek "MixedByAli" Ali, propelled Lamar to mainstream popularity. The song peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, in its thirteenth week of charting, after gradually climbing up the chart. It debuted on the Hot 100 at number 100 and progressed from number 55 and 32 to its peak. "Swimming Pools (Drank)" also serves as Lamar's first entry on the UK Singles Chart, where it debuted at number 63.

<i>Secrets</i> (Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson album) 1978 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson

Secrets is a 1978 studio album by American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson.

<i>1980</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson

1980 is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson. Their ninth album together, it was recorded from August to October 1979 during a period of creative tension between the two musicians and released in February 1980 by Arista Records.

"Johannesburg" is a song by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, with music provided by the Midnight Band. It is the first track on Scott-Heron and Jackson's collaborative album From South Africa to South Carolina, released in November 1975 through Arista Records. The lyrics to "Johannesburg" discussed opposition to apartheid in South Africa, and likened apartheid to the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the United States. The song became a popular hit, reaching No. 29 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1975. According to Nelson George, "Johannesburg" played a role in spreading the cultural awareness of apartheid.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.