"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:
“I remember once dreaming of pushing a canoe up the rivers of Maine, and that, when I had got so high that the channels were dry, I kept on through the ravines and gorges, nearly as well as before, by pushing a little harder, and now it seemed to me that my dream was partially realized.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, then we remembered Zion.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalm CXXXVII (l. CXXXVII, 1)
“Fortunately, children do not need “perfect” parents. They do need mothers and fathers who will think on their feet and who will be thoughtful about what they have done. They do need parents who can be flexible, and who can use a variety of approaches to discipline.”
—James L. Hymes, Jr. (20th century)