Gil Scott-Heron - Jose Campos Torres Lyrics
I had said I wasn't going to write no more poems like this
I had confessed to myself all along, tracer of life, poetry trends
That awareness, consciousness, poems that screamed of pain and the origins of pain and death had blanketed my tablets
And therefore, my friends, brothers, sisters, in-laws, outlaws, and besides -- they already knew
But brother Torres, common ancient bloodline brother Torres is dead
I had said I wasn't going to write no more words down about people kicking us when we're down
About racist dogs that attack us and drive us down, drag us down and beat us down
But the dogs are in the street
The dogs are alive and the terror in our hearts has scarcely diminished
It has scarcely brought us the comfort we suspected
The recognition of our terror and the screaming release of that recognition
Has not removed the certainty of that knowledge -- how could it
The dogs rabid foaming with the energy of their brutish ignorance
Stride the city streets like robot gunslingers
And spread death as night lamps flash crude reflections from gun butts and police shields
But the battlefield has oozed away from the stilted debates of semantics
Beyond the questionable flexibility of primal screaming
The reality of our city, jungle streets and their Gestapos
Has become an attack on home, life, family and philosophy, total
It is beyond the question of the advantages of didactic niggerisms
The motherfucking dogs are in the street
In Houston maybe someone said Mexicans were the new niggers
In LA maybe someone said Chicanos were the new niggers
In Frisco maybe someone said Orientals were the new niggers
Maybe in Philadelphia and North Carolina they decided they didn't need no new niggers
I had said I wasn't going to write no more poems like this
But dogs are in the street
It's a turn around world where things are all too quickly turned around
It was turned around so that right looked wrong
It was turned around so that up looked down
It was turned around so that those who marched in the streets with bibles and signs of peace became enemies of the state and risk to national security
So that those who questioned the operations of those in authority on the principles of justice, liberty, and equality became the vanguard of a communist attack
It became so you couldn't call a spade a motherfucking spade
Brother Torres is dead, the Wilmington Ten are still incarcerated
Ed Davis, Ronald Regan, James Hunt, and Frank Rizzo are still alive
And the dogs are in the motherfucking street
I had said I wasn't going to write no more poems like this
I made a mistake
Other Lyrics by Artist
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- Gil Scott-Heron - Storm Music
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- Gil Scott-Heron - Blue Collar
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- Gil Scott-Heron - A Legend In His Own Mind
- Gil Scott-Heron - Combinations
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Gil Scott-Heron Jose Campos Torres Comments
This is going on today every day listen WORLD
Jose Campos torres was thrown in the bayou drown houston police hancuff.
Damn im dead.... Im not going to write poems like this. Who else found this today 08/03/18
Antony... Fear not, young man. Find yourself one of those hip, lounge venues that encourages open mike spoken-word performances and do your thing... The memory of Mr. Scott-Heron will be smiling on you.
Chilling and correct......
I was looking at some of those videos of The Moody Park riots and the story of Joe Campos Torres. That was a sad day for me. I was 18 years old and I was celebrating Cinco de Mayo our independence day. Beautiful day to celebrate. When it kicked off, I heard there was an incident or something like that later I found out that someone was stabbed. The cops came out and started to arrest everybody. I was freaked out people were running around thanks for being thrown around I put my back to the wall and didn't worry too much because I didn't do nothing wrong. A moment later a police officer comes around the corner without a word he strikes me with his baton split my head wide open didn't say a word I was lucky for everybody saw it and they started throwing bottles and anything they could pick up at us or should I say at him. I was lucky young and strong got up ran off in fear for my life I really thought I was going to get shot in the back to this day I still don't trust the police and I'm 58 years of age.
'
"I had I wasn't gonna write no more poems like this
But the battlefield has oozed away from stilted debates of semantics
Beyond the questionable flexibility of our primal screaming"
Those 3 verses are some of the best I've ever read. A succinct yet exhaustive explanation of why we need poetry.
"Couldn't call a spade a m#thaf@$kin spade"
Kendrick should sample Gil now
I wonder where Stallone got the idea for Rambo?
Master sergeant Roy p. Benavides
Mercury Cafe,Denver,Colorado,22nd & California St HANGING OUT WITH Gil and the MIDNIGHT BAND
Remember hearing this but didn't know the title! Glad I found it!
Detroit 1981 first time I heard this, I was amazed! thanks Gil, RIP!
I feel like jcole sampled this
At least 1,160 people have been killed by US police in 2015, according to an online aggregator of police killings, exceeding last year’s figure of 1,108. . . . the wave of police violence has only intensified despite nationwide mass protests by tens of thousands this year against police brutality.. . . demonstrates that the epidemic of police violence affects broad layers of the American population from all ethnic backgrounds. While African-Americans were killed at nearly 2.5 times the rate of whites, the total number of white victims of police killings, 537 was larger than the total number of either black or Hispanic victims.
Vivid memory of the first time I heard this. 1981 Central High, Pontiac, Mi. 12th grade Music Appreciation Class Mr Domurath played this to a stunned class about 3 minutes before dismissal.
iamnotfernando.. You were very fortunate to have Mr. Domurath as a teacher.
That's astounding. In 77-78 at 16ish this song sort of looked me in the eye, nodded "we see each other" declared that we werent mistaken in our horror and anger, but make sure you get clear of this place, it'll corrode you.
What a beautiful poet! Makes my skin crawl!
The Poem! The Dogs are in the M###F#** Street!
2017, & still.
This brother is my poetic inspiration!
SAY DAT
Rest in Peace to the Greatest Spoken Word Artist
GIL Scott-Heron...A TRUE BLACK WARRIOR WHO SPOKE TRUTH WITH FIRE ON THE BATTLEFRONT...MAY HE BE RESTING IN PEACE
Jose's story is so tragic! Great poem
Legend. Never heard this track before.
this is real.
GHS, A true visionary poet of our times. Years before the Trayvon Martin murder he shed light on the atrocities that happen all too often in America. Wake up Everybody!!!
Why doesn't Gil get taught in schools. I feel that this song should be required listening for everyone
@peterscotty being from Houston, I remember Mr. Torres, His situation was typical of HPD at the time. I, a few years later transported his young son to and from school.
the world lost a great poet.
Rest In Revolution Brother Gil, i guess you can now hold your Grandmas hands again.
RIP Gil Scott Heron your wisdom will live on in our hearts and minds
Gil is gone. But never forgotten. Mother Fucking Right, brother.
@hotforcb ...you're right--but its not just the fear-thing... they also use and probably to even a greater degree and with even greater results: diversion. they divert our attention away from everything that is important by getting us to concentrate on shit that "don't mean nothing" ...not really. its all about the pie-chart, and if the establishment can keep diverting us to jail or whacked out on drugs and other stupid shit, there's more of that pie for them to keep for themselves.
This man is a straight OG...Godfather of Hip-Hop..and this poem is vicious.
Thanks so much for posting