The Bottle
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"The Bottle" is a song by American soul musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron and musician Brian Jackson, released in 1974 on Strata-East Records in the United States and on Champagne Records in the United Kingdom. The song was written by Scott-Heron and produced by engineer Jose Williams, Jackson and Scott-Heron. "The Bottle" is a commentary on alcohol abuse with a Caribbean beat and a notable flute solo by Jackson, with Scott-Heron playing keyboards. The song was issued as the first and only single for Scott-Heron's and Jackson's album Winter in America (1974). It became an underground and cult hit upon its release, and the single peaked at number 15 on the R&B Singles Chart. Cited by music critics as the album's best recording, the commercial success of "The Bottle" helped lead to Jackson's and Scott-Heron's next recording contract with Arista Records. Similar to other compositions by Scott-Heron, the song has been sampled extensively by hip hop artists.