"Rivers of My Fathers" is a song by American recording artist Gil Scott-Heron and musician Brian Jackson. It was written and composed by Scott-Heron and Jackson for their first collaborative album, Winter in America (1974). The song was recorded on October 15, 1973 at D&B Sound Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland and produced by Scott-Heron and Jackson with assistance from engineer Jose Williams.
"Rivers of My Fathers" is a soul song with a jazz arrangement and bluesy, minor chords piano by Jackson. Scott-Heron's Afrocentric lyrics make references to African-American cultural roots and slavery. Although it was not released as a single, the song was recognized by writers for its instrumentation and theme of cultural significance, and regarded as one of Scott-Heron's best compositions.
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Famous quotes containing the words rivers of, rivers and/or fathers:
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept: when we remembered Zion.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalms, 137:1.
“The whole appearance is a toy. For this,
The dove in the belly builds his nest and coos,
Selah, tempestuous bird. How is it that
The rivers shine and hold their mirrors up,
Like excellence collecting excellence?”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“If fathers who fear fathering and run away from it could only see how little fathering is enough. Mostly, the father just needs to be there.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)