The Bottle

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For other uses, see Bottle (disambiguation).
"The Bottle"
The Bottle 12inch.jpg
Single by Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
from the album Winter in America
B-side"The Bottle (Drunken mix)"
Released1974
RecordedOctober 15, 1973
D&B Sound
(Silver Spring, Maryland)
GenreSoul, jazz-funk, disco
Length5:14
LabelStrata-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.

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.

Composition[]

"The Bottle" is a social commentary on alcohol abuse with a Caribbean beat.[1] Scott-Heron wrote it after seeing men line up every day in front of a liquor store called the Log Cabin, bringing back their empty bottles to get a discount on their next purchase.[2] 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."[2]

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."[1] 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."[1]

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.[1][3] 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.[4]

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.[5] Soon after, it also became one of Scott-Heron's most successful singles, as it reached the number 15 spot on the R&B Singles Chart.[3] 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.[6]

"The Bottle" has been cited by critics as Winter in America's best song.[7] Paul J. MacArthur of the Houston Press called it a "strong anti-alcohol rant with a funky bass hook and chilly flute fills."[7] "The Bottle" was later ranked number 92 on NME's list of The Top 150 Singles of All-Time and was included in Q magazine's 1010 Songs You Must Own! publication.[8]

Track listings and formats[]

These are the formats and track listings of the U.K. single releases of "The Bottle":[9][10]

Personnel[]

Charts[]

Billboard Music Charts (North America) – "The Bottle"[3]

  • 1974: Top R&B Singles – #15

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. 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 became one of his most notable recordings from the album.[11]

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

The Christians covered "The Bottle" for their 1992 album Happy In Hell. [12]

Paul Weller covered "The Bottle" for his 2004 album Studio 150.[13]

British funk group Jamiroquai performed the song during their 1993 Emergency on Planet Earth Tour. [14]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Jean-Critin (2001), p. 2.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Stephen Smith, "The Legendary Godfather of Rap Returns" BBC News (November 16, 2009). Retrieved June 7, 2011
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "20 People Who Changed Black Music – Revolutionary Poet Gil Scott-Heron, the First Rap Rebel". The Miami Herald Media Company. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  4. ^ "Review of Winter in America". Soul Music: January 12, 2009.
  5. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron at All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 2009-01-18. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  6. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron: American Visions - Find Articles at BNET". CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Catching Up with Gil - Music - Houston Press". Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  8. ^ "Acclaimed Music - The Bottle". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  9. ^ Discogs.com - Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson* - The Bottle (7"). Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-24.
  10. ^ Discogs.com - Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson* - The Bottle (12"). Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-24.
  11. ^ "Bataan* - The Bottle (La Botella)". Discogs.com. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  12. ^ "The Christians - Happy In Hell". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  13. ^ "Paul Weller - Studio 150 (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  14. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbBOffKCBSE

References[]

  • Gil Scott-Heron, Pierre Jean-Critin (2001). Winter in America (Charly) CD reissue booklet. liner notes. Charly Licensing Aps/Artistry Music Ltd./Snapper Music Plc., London, UK.

External links[]

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