The Bottle

(album: Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson – Messages (Anthology) - 2005)

See that black boy over there, running scared
his ol' man's in a bottle.
He done quit his 9 to 5 he drink full time
so now he's living in the bottle.
See that black boy over there, running scared
his ol' man got a problem and it's a bad one
Pawned off damn near everything, his ol'
woman's wedding ring for a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that sista, sho wuz fine before she
started drinking wine
from the bottle.
Said her ol' man committed a crime
and he's doing time,
so now she's in the bottle.
She's out there on the avenue, all by herself
sho' needs help from the bottle.
Preacherman tried to help her out,
she cussed him out and hit him in the head with a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that gent in the wrinkled suit
he done damn near blown his cool
to the bottle
He wuz a doctor helping young girls along
if they wuzn't too far gone to have problems.
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doing, Doc, it ain't legal,"
and now he's in the bottle.
Now we watch him everyday trying to
chase the pigeons away
from the bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.