As Gil was living in Silver Spring, MD when he recorded it, it’s technically Mid-Atlantic Soul! As I’m also from greater DC, I’m seriously proud Gil was a local artist, as were the Blackbyrds, Roberta Flack, Chuck Brown, Eva Cassidy, and even the Starlight Vocal Band! Regardless, this song fits perfectly into the Northern Soul genre! Long love GSH and soul music!
Just surfing on RUclips brought me up to some music with the Northern Soul title. Being a soul brother I wondered what this Northern Soul was so I continued to look at more videos. The dancing surely surprised me, what do they call those moves? Some good moves, would like to see the dancing in sync with the music. What surprised me more was when Gil Scott Heron - The Bottle popped up. What! This is Brooklyn, USA in the house! Music just has that power were it can make people thousands of miles away enjoy the same experience, a kind of brotherhood, sisterhood that I hope we achieve more of in the future. Stay safe and peace. By the way I'm dancing now too. Gil Scott Heron is the best - The Bottle, a masterpiece, all-time great.
Most Northern tracks are out of the USA. Read up on the origins. Timeless music. Beautiful music. Great track. An old friend from Leeds played session for G S Heron ( Joe Gallagher). He was so proud. This a great track. But once smitten by Northern it’s with you for life ! 47 years for me. Tough part. A favourite track. I have possibly 50+. Enjoy. Keep dancing and Keep The Faith !
@Mike BTek.........I read your post with great interest - and thought you might be similarly interested in a reply I posted earlier about Gil Scott-Heron's 'The Bottle'? [I should mention that I am along with my twin brother, British, a long-time Soul/Black music fan, record collector and ex-DJ. I was privileged to be involved in the 'Northern Soul' scene from 1971 until the late 1970's - although I have never stopped loving the music! 'The Bottle' was first played at the highly revered Northern Soul club - the Blackpool Mecca [Highland Room] by influential DJ's Colin Curtis and Ian Levine in 1974. It immediately became a massive hit with the fans and signified a dramatic 'shift' away from the uptempo '60s 'stompers' - that had been so popular up until that point - towards a more sophisticated, 'floater' style of Soul music. Records such as 'The Bottle', 'I've Got the Need' [the Moments], 'She'll Coming Running Back' [Mel Britt], 'I can see him loving you' [Anderson Brothers'], 'Cashing in' [Voices of East Harlem], 'Hung up on your love' [the Montclairs], 'Lady, Lady, Lady' [Boogie Man Orchestra] etc etc - became the 'Modern' Northern Soul. So it's important to recognise the vital role 'The Bottle' played in this transformation [and that of the Northern Soul scene itself] as well as to explain why you [and many others] may not be aware of this extraordinary 'underground' British youth culture. ''When 'The Bottle' was originally released [on the absolutely sublime 'Winter in America' LP] by Strata-East Records in 1974, pretty much nobody - outside of the Northern Soul scene and a few select clubs in the South - had ever heard of Gil Scott-Heron before or knew of his music. In fact, when my brother and I bought 'Winter in America', we actually wrote to Gil Scott-Heron to tell him how brilliant we thought the album was and asked if he ever planned to tour Britain. To our total amazement, several weeks later GSH actually replied - and sent us a signed promo copy of his upcoming album 'The first minute of a new day' [Arista records 1975]. GSH went on to say that he was not aware that he had 'fans' in Britain and that he really appreciated our contacting him! He also mentioned, that yes he and the Midnight Band [including his highly-talented co-writer and flutist, Brian Jackson] were coming to the UK for a short tour - and hoped that we would come and see them play. And we did! They appeared at a really tacky [and infamously 'rough'!] nightclub called ''Rebeccas'' in Birmingham. Although it wasn't really a surprise given the fact that GSH was still relatively unknown as I've said, the concert was quite poorly attended. But luckily as there wasn't much of a crowd - my brother and I got the chance to introduce ourselves to GSH and the other members of the band. They were really impressed that we had come along - and even more so when we produced both of our 'Winter in America' LPs [we had bought 2 copies] which GSH and the rest of the band were very happy to sign! It has to be one of the most 'special' nights we have ever had in over 50 years of being devoted and fanatical Soul fans!''
Much of Gils music was so hard to pigeon hole into a specific genre.. Jazz, Funk, soul, poetry, rap, it was all in there.. The best terms I've heard for Gil are " The soul poet" and "The Godfather of Rap", which are both correct in my opinion.. Gil and Curtis Mayfield were both so attuned to what was happening in the world and able to articulate it through word and music..
Tolly T ……….In 1974, my brother and I bought a copy of the LP 'Winter in America' [featuring the iconic track, ''The Bottle''] by the then totally unknown - in the UK anyway - Gil Scott-Heron. We were so blown away by it we actually wrote to tell him how brilliant he was and asked if he ever planned to tour Britain. Several weeks later and to our total surprise, we got a package from America. Inside it was a 'thank you' note from Scott-Heron himself and a signed demo copy of his upcoming LP release - 'The First Minute of a New Day', with Scott-Heron, flutist Brian Jackson and the rest of the 'Midnight band'. Scott-Heron mentioned in his letter that he had no idea that he had any fans in the UK [and how appreciative he was to hear from us!] and that yes, he would be visiting for a limited tour. A few months later and true to word, 'GSH' came over and thankfully, my brother and I were amongst the relatively small crowd that made the effort to go and see him. Despite the disappointing turnout, it was an astonishing performance - the musicianship and arrangements were stunning - and Scott-Heron's prophetic and edgy lyrics were unlike anything we had ever heard before. We even managed to introduce ourselves and got him to sign our copy of the 'Winter in America' LP that we took along with us. Following that concert, my brother and I managed to buy several of Scott-Heron and the Midnight Band's albums [including 2 more copies of 'Winter in America'], 'Pieces of a Man', 'From South Africa to South Carolina', 'It's Your World', 'Bridges' - as well as a few copies of the 7'' and 12'' releases of 'The Bottle'. They all take pride of place in our record collection - but none more so than the signed copies he so generously gave us. In my opinion, Gil Scott-Heron was way ahead of his time. His insightful and poetic songwriting was perhaps only equalled during the mid-late '70's by the likes of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. So it is a great injustice to 'pigeon-hole' him as just a Soul, Jazz, Funk etc. artist. The true genius of Gil Scott-Heron [and Brian Jackson to be fair] was that their music transcended everything and we just should be grateful that he contributed to all of them so indelibly.
@David Thompson............I first heard 'The Bottle' when it was played at one of the best and most revered Northern Soul Clubs ever - Blackpool Mecca [DJ's Ian Levine & Colin Curtis] in 1974. However, I can also remember reading in 'Blues & Soul' magazine that it was being played in clubs such as 'The Goldmine' in Canvey Island [DJ Chris Hill]. So 'The Bottle' was originally a massively successful 'sound' on both the Northern Soul scene as well as in the more funk-oriented Southern/London clubs. In truth, it transcended the then 'North-South' musical divide and was accepted by two vastly divergent groups of Soul fans. But if you then fast-forward to the mid-eighties [and the emergence of 'rare-groove' and 'jazz-funk'] ''The Bottle'' again became very popular. [I remember playing it when I DJ'd in clubs in both the North and South of UK and packing the floor out!] It had a sort of 'second wind' - and despite it being an 'oldie' it appealed to the younger as well as the older club-goers. So I'm sorry - but I strongly disagree with you 'pigeon-holing' the record as only 'jazz-funk'. The genius of Gil Scott-Heron's music was that it was unlike anything or anyone else [except for possibly Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield] at that time. So although I will always personally consider it as a great Northern Soul track - I recognise it first and foremost as a 'classic' piece of Black soul music. PS.... A more purer 'jazz-funk' version of the ''Bottle'' ['La Botella'] was released in 1974 by Latin-jazz/Boogaloo musician Joe Bataan on the Epic Record label.
Yea. NS. Jazz. Who cares.great track.im 50. Been listening to since i was 15. Who is the dude in the red tracksuit top 'wobble dancing'home????🤣 Love him. I GOT to know him😆 Luci🐝
I wouldn't exactly call this Northern. Not as such. But I can see the appeal that it has for Northern Soul fanatics. Personally, I don't think you can pigeon hole this track.
Used to slow stomp to this late 1970s Wigan Casino, part of my collection, till an x witch of a girlfriend robbed em an sould em. She has poor genetics time will get her back.
Remember this years ago 70 yrs old now and still love the music, best time of my life, wish I could live it over again ❤
As Gil was living in Silver Spring, MD when he recorded it, it’s technically Mid-Atlantic Soul! As I’m also from greater DC, I’m seriously proud Gil was a local artist, as were the Blackbyrds, Roberta Flack, Chuck Brown, Eva Cassidy, and even the Starlight Vocal Band! Regardless, this song fits perfectly into the Northern Soul genre! Long love GSH and soul music!
Just surfing on RUclips brought me up to some music with the Northern Soul title. Being a soul brother I wondered what this Northern Soul was so I continued to look at more videos. The dancing surely surprised me, what do they call those moves? Some good moves, would like to see the dancing in sync with the music. What surprised me more was when Gil Scott Heron - The Bottle popped up. What! This is Brooklyn, USA in the house! Music just has that power were it can make people thousands of miles away enjoy the same experience, a kind of brotherhood, sisterhood that I hope we achieve more of in the future. Stay safe and peace. By the way I'm dancing now too. Gil Scott Heron is the best - The Bottle, a masterpiece, all-time great.
The bottle is massive in the UK
To see more of northern soul dancing, look at benny troy I wanna give you tomorrow on uppyraptor49
His father, Gilbert Saint Elmo Heron, played for Glasgow Celtic in the 50's...First black professional player in Scotland....He had The Bottle.....
Most Northern tracks are out of the USA. Read up on the origins. Timeless music. Beautiful music. Great track. An old friend from Leeds played session for G S Heron ( Joe Gallagher). He was so proud. This a great track. But once smitten by Northern it’s with you for life ! 47 years for me. Tough part. A favourite track. I have possibly 50+. Enjoy. Keep dancing and Keep The Faith !
@Mike BTek.........I read your post with great interest - and thought you might be similarly interested in a reply I posted earlier about Gil Scott-Heron's 'The Bottle'? [I should mention that I am along with my twin brother, British, a long-time Soul/Black music fan, record collector and ex-DJ.
I was privileged to be involved in the 'Northern Soul' scene from 1971 until the late 1970's - although I have never stopped loving the music! 'The Bottle' was first played at the highly revered Northern Soul club - the Blackpool Mecca [Highland Room] by influential DJ's Colin Curtis and Ian Levine in 1974.
It immediately became a massive hit with the fans and signified a dramatic 'shift' away from the uptempo '60s 'stompers' - that had been so popular up until that point - towards a more sophisticated, 'floater' style of Soul music.
Records such as 'The Bottle', 'I've Got the Need' [the Moments], 'She'll Coming Running Back' [Mel Britt], 'I can see him loving you' [Anderson Brothers'], 'Cashing in' [Voices of East Harlem], 'Hung up on your love' [the Montclairs], 'Lady, Lady, Lady' [Boogie Man Orchestra] etc etc - became the 'Modern' Northern Soul.
So it's important to recognise the vital role 'The Bottle' played in this transformation [and that of the Northern Soul scene itself] as well as to explain why you [and many others] may not be aware of this extraordinary 'underground' British youth culture.
''When 'The Bottle' was originally released [on the absolutely sublime 'Winter in America' LP] by Strata-East Records in 1974, pretty much nobody - outside of the Northern Soul scene and a few select clubs in the South - had ever heard of Gil Scott-Heron before or knew of his music.
In fact, when my brother and I bought 'Winter in America', we actually wrote to Gil Scott-Heron to tell him how brilliant we thought the album was and asked if he ever planned to tour Britain. To our total amazement, several weeks later GSH actually replied - and sent us a signed promo copy of his upcoming album 'The first minute of a new day' [Arista records 1975].
GSH went on to say that he was not aware that he had 'fans' in Britain and that he really appreciated our contacting him! He also mentioned, that yes he and the Midnight Band [including his highly-talented co-writer and flutist, Brian Jackson] were coming to the UK for a short tour - and hoped that we would come and see them play.
And we did! They appeared at a really tacky [and infamously 'rough'!] nightclub called ''Rebeccas'' in Birmingham. Although it wasn't really a surprise given the fact that GSH was still relatively unknown as I've said, the concert was quite poorly attended. But luckily as there wasn't much of a crowd - my brother and I got the chance to introduce ourselves to GSH and the other members of the band.
They were really impressed that we had come along - and even more so when we produced both of our 'Winter in America' LPs [we had bought 2 copies] which GSH and the rest of the band were very happy to sign! It has to be one of the most 'special' nights we have ever had in over 50 years of being devoted and fanatical Soul fans!''
Brilliant tune loved it at the casino slow shuffle stomper
Saw him play live at Glastonbury doing this Sun beating down memories
His dad Gil Heron played for Celtic. Both Legends
Brilliant! Got to be one of the favourites.
Not sure this is Northern Soul, but it's my favourite ever song and Gil is father of everything going on today!
TOP 10 RECORDS TO ENSURE THAT I AM JUST DANCING FOR ME TO GIVE ME THE REAL BUZZ OF WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT. KEEP THE FAITH
Looking forward to getting back into the Scooter scene
Absolute banger keep the faith ✊✊
Absolute full stomper Andy from England Mr night owl 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great tune danced to this in late 70s 80s in clubs will still cut it if I'm ever at a club for the over something's
Classic NORTHERN BAK in day HA;-) u work it out
Straight up classic American Soul/Jazz!!
I get up everytime this played xx
It’s Jazz/ Funk , but the Northern scene adopted it and gave it air time when nobody was interested.
Many versions of this tune.Bataan,Brother to brother all good in there own style.
it maybe jazz but its a great northern soul tune! great to dance to!
Got to be one of my favorite Northern Soul record. Great sound
Much of Gils music was so hard to pigeon hole into a specific genre.. Jazz, Funk, soul, poetry, rap, it was all in there.. The best terms I've heard for Gil are " The soul poet" and "The Godfather of Rap", which are both correct in my opinion.. Gil and Curtis Mayfield were both so attuned to what was happening in the world and able to articulate it through word and music..
Tolly T ……….In 1974, my brother and I bought a copy of the LP 'Winter in America' [featuring the iconic track, ''The Bottle''] by the then totally unknown - in the UK anyway - Gil Scott-Heron. We were so blown away by it we actually wrote to tell him how brilliant he was and asked if he ever planned to tour Britain.
Several weeks later and to our total surprise, we got a package from America. Inside it was a 'thank you' note from Scott-Heron himself and a signed demo copy of his upcoming LP release - 'The First Minute of a New Day', with Scott-Heron, flutist Brian Jackson and the rest of the 'Midnight band'.
Scott-Heron mentioned in his letter that he had no idea that he had any fans in the UK [and how appreciative he was to hear from us!] and that yes, he would be visiting for a limited tour. A few months later and true to word, 'GSH' came over and thankfully, my brother and I were amongst the relatively small crowd that made the effort to go and see him.
Despite the disappointing turnout, it was an astonishing performance - the musicianship and arrangements were stunning - and Scott-Heron's prophetic and edgy lyrics were unlike anything we had ever heard before. We even managed to introduce ourselves and got him to sign our copy of the 'Winter in America' LP that we took along with us.
Following that concert, my brother and I managed to buy several of Scott-Heron and the Midnight Band's albums [including 2 more copies of 'Winter in America'], 'Pieces of a Man', 'From South Africa to South Carolina', 'It's Your World', 'Bridges' - as well as a few copies of the 7'' and 12'' releases of 'The Bottle'. They all take pride of place in our record collection - but none more so than the signed copies he so generously gave us.
In my opinion, Gil Scott-Heron was way ahead of his time. His insightful and poetic songwriting was perhaps only equalled during the mid-late '70's by the likes of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. So it is a great injustice to 'pigeon-hole' him as just a Soul, Jazz, Funk etc. artist. The true genius of Gil Scott-Heron [and Brian Jackson to be fair] was that their music transcended everything and we just should be grateful that he contributed to all of them so indelibly.
👍👌
The only thing GSH wasn't was a Northern Soul performer, it's a disgrace to name him so, and this seminal track Northern
Top top top tune used to get lost in this rhythm xxx
Very nice tune to glide along to
Picked up the Joe boy 12 inch reissue of this couple of weeks ago great ghetto scene on the front cover
perfect! thanks,
Every one enjoys NS for every great dancer on the floor theirs 10 just enjoying theirselves
Great tune
Classic.often used but with tune Classic just dose'nt do it justic............dam i just wish i had words to do this justic.
Doug
WHAT a time another lost V
Northern soul this ain’t its jazz funk Gil pure class
Still classic pal goes down well at both
You say jazz funk I say and many more say Northern soul?
@David Thompson............I first heard 'The Bottle' when it was played at one of the best and most revered Northern Soul Clubs ever - Blackpool Mecca [DJ's Ian Levine & Colin Curtis] in 1974. However, I can also remember reading in 'Blues & Soul' magazine that it was being played in clubs such as 'The Goldmine' in Canvey Island [DJ Chris Hill].
So 'The Bottle' was originally a massively successful 'sound' on both the Northern Soul scene as well as in the more funk-oriented Southern/London clubs. In truth, it transcended the then 'North-South' musical divide and was accepted by two vastly divergent groups of Soul fans.
But if you then fast-forward to the mid-eighties [and the emergence of 'rare-groove' and 'jazz-funk'] ''The Bottle'' again became very popular. [I remember playing it when I DJ'd in clubs in both the North and South of UK and packing the floor out!] It had a sort of 'second wind' - and despite it being an 'oldie' it appealed to the younger as well as the older club-goers.
So I'm sorry - but I strongly disagree with you 'pigeon-holing' the record as only 'jazz-funk'. The genius of Gil Scott-Heron's music was that it was unlike anything or anyone else [except for possibly Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield] at that time. So although I will always personally consider it as a great Northern Soul track - I recognise it first and foremost as a 'classic' piece of Black soul music.
PS.... A more purer 'jazz-funk' version of the ''Bottle'' ['La Botella'] was released in 1974 by Latin-jazz/Boogaloo musician Joe Bataan on the Epic Record label.
Yea.
NS.
Jazz.
Who cares.great track.im 50.
Been listening to since i was 15.
Who is the dude in the red tracksuit top 'wobble dancing'home????🤣
Love him.
I GOT to know him😆
Luci🐝
I wouldn't exactly call this Northern. Not as such. But I can see the appeal that it has for Northern Soul fanatics. Personally, I don't think you can pigeon hole this track.
Still it x
Class ktf
Brilliant. ta
Tuuuuune
Luv
yes
yes jazz funk but still goes down well at Northern soul do's
Blackpool mecca and the Ritz 1:46 1:46 1:46 1:46
Sad story though
Famous Lady at 1.06
BAK IN THE DAy jazzfu nk
The Bottle isn't Northern Soul.
Blackpool Mecca!!!!
A bit funky more than souly this one
Used to slow stomp to this late 1970s Wigan Casino, part of my collection, till an x witch of a girlfriend robbed em an sould em. She has poor genetics time will get her back.
This is a Jazz Funk/Acid Jazz Anthem.. Brilliant BUT NOT Northern Soul..