Lyrics to
Delta Man (Where I’m Comin’ From)

This version of Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) was released by Gil Scott-Heron in 1977.

Our About Gil Scott-Heron page at Decade Lyrics includes the lyrics for Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) from 1977 as well as all of the other lyrics from Gil Scott-Heron that we have in our lyrics database.

Here's more interesting things in songs and lyrics tied to Gil Scott-Heron or about the 1970s in general.

This is a song about change, you see
We say many things about the changing aspects of our lives
We say that since change is inevitable, we should direct the change
Rather than simply continue to go through the change
We sing a song of revolution as change
To the brothers in the Caribbean and Africa,
Where I’m Coming from

Early in the mornin’ I heard the call of the crow.
He said “C’mon now Brother, I want you to fly with me.
Can’t you see, it’s time to go?”
I been working on this delta underneath the burnin’ sun.
Seem like a Mississippi revolution feel like where I’m coming from.

Brother man run to Nebraska after the Civil War was through.
He worked with his hands, he worked on the land alla his life–
nothin’ else he know to do.
Rootin’-tootin’, wild-west-shootin’-up Brothers!
Though His story don’t teach us none.
Seem like a Wild West Revolution oughta be where I’m comin’ from.

Brother man raised on welfare
He live his life in the heart of the city.
Among the junkies and the desperate people
he learned about life without pity.
But he’s just been thinkin’ and waitin’ and thinkin’ and waitin’,
know his chance was bound to come.
Seem like big city revolution oughta be where I’m comin’ from.

The point I’m trying to make, movin’ from place to place and time to time
(is that) vibrations that bring on new vibrations
is all that’s on peoples minds.
(They tell me) Don’t be ‘fraid of revolution!
It ain’t nothin’ but change and change is surely bound to come.
Put a little revolution in your life
and you’ll understand where I’m comin’ from.

---

Want more lyrics and songs by Gil Scott-Heron?

Gil Scott-Heron has released many songs over the years besides Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From). Gil Scott-Heron released songs from 1970 to 2005 spanning across albums like Small Talk At 125th And Lenox, Pieces Of A Man, Free Will, Winter In America, The First Minute Of A New Day, It's Your World, From South Africa To South Carolina, Bridges, Secrets, The Mind Of Gil Scott-Heron, 1980, Real Eyes, Reflections, Moving Target, Spirits, and Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Messages (Anthology). Decade Lyrics has over lyrics & songs by Gil Scott-Heron.

If you're a fan of popular 1970s songs looking for more songs from 1977 or the 1970s overall, you've come to the right place!

About Lyrics and Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) by Gil Scott-Heron

The lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) are the words, verses and chorus for the song released by Gil Scott-Heron in 1977. Elements of the lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) are both direct in meaning and also metaphorical with the real meanings of the song only known by Gil Scott-Heron and any collaborating writers working on the lyrics for Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) back when it was created.

Some people have an interest in the etymology behind words and phrases. You can take apart the lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) by Gil Scott-Heron in a number of ways. The word "lyric" itself derives from the Latin word lyricus, with the actual English word lyrics applied to the definition "words set to music" listed in Stainer and Barrett's 1876 Dictionary of Musical Terms. Continuing the chain, the Latin word lyricus derives from the Greek word λυρικός or lyrikós. This somewhat means "poetry accompanied by the lyre" or "words set to music." You can easily see that by looking at the background of the word lyric, that the "lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From)" means the words set to the music of Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From), or poetry accompanied by the lyre played by Gil Scott-Heron. The singular form "lyric" is still used to mean the complete words to a song. However, the singular form lyric is also commonly used to refer to a specific line (or phrase) within a song's lyrics. Hence, by this analysis of word structure, you could say that the lyric to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) and the lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From) are both one and the same thing. None of this talk about the word Lyrics is really relevant to fans of Gil Scott-Heron who came here looking just for the lyrics to Delta Man (Where I’M Comin’ From), but we feel it is still fun to learn what's behind commonly used words and lyrics in songs.

More Songs & Lyrics by Gil Scott-Heron

Visit our Gil Scott-Heron profile for more Gil Scott-Heron songs, lyrics & info!

)