“Gun” the 6th track on Gil Scott-Heron’s 1981 album, “Reflections”, is a musical fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time.
Brother man nowadays livin' in the ghetto
Where the dangers sure enough real
Well when he's out late at night
And if he's got his head on right
Well, I lay you 9 to 5 he's walking with steel
Brother Man says he's 'fraid of gangsters
Messing with people just for fun
He don't want to be next
He got a family to protect
So just last week he bought himself a gun
Everybody got a pistol, everybody got a .45
And the philosophy seem to be
At least as near as I can see
When other folks give up theirs, I'll give up mine
This is a violent civilization;
If civilization's where I am
Every channel that I stop on
Got a different kind of cop on
Killing them by the million for Uncle Sam
Saturday night just ain't that special
Yeah, I got the constitution on the run
'Cause even though we've got the right
To defend our home, to defend our life
Got to understand to get it in hand about the guns
Everybody's got a pistol. Everybody got a .45
The philosophy seems to be
At least as near as I can see
When other folks give up, I, I'll give up...
Saturday night just ain't that special
Freedom to be afraid is all you want
Yes if you don't want to be next
You've got a family to protect
9 out of 10, you've got a friend, you've got a gun
Everybody got a pistol. Everybody got a .45
And the philosophy seems to be
At least as near as I can see
When other folks give up theirs, I'll give up mine
Everybody got a pistol, this mosty be the NRA
Yeah 'cause when it's time to line up
You know damn well they're gonna shine up
Everybody...
And the philosophy seem to be
At least as near as I can see
When other folks give up theirs, I'll give up mine
Gun was written by Gil Scott-Heron.
Gun was produced by Gil Scott-Heron & Malcolm Cecil.