On Coming From a Broken Home, Part 1 Songtext
von Gil Scott‐Heron

I want to make this a special tribute
To a family that contradicts the concepts
Heard the rules, but wouldn′t accept
And women-folk raised me
And I was full grown before I knew
I came from a broken home

Sent to live with my grandma down South
Where my uncle was leaving
And my grandfather had just left for heaven, they said
And as every -ologist would certainly note
I had no strong male figure, right?

But Lily Scott was absolutely not
Your mail order, room service, type-cast black grandmother
I was moved in with her, temporarily, just until things were patched
'Til this was patched and ′til that was patched
Until I became at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10


The patch that held Lily Scott who held me and like them four
I became one more
And I loved her from the absolute marrow of my bones
And we was holdin' on
I come from a broken home

She had more then the five senses
She knew more then books could teach
And raised everyone she touched just a little bit higher
And all around her there was a natural sense
As though she sensed what the stars say, what the birds say
What the wind and the clouds say
A sensual soul and self, that African sense

And she raised me like she raised four of her own
And I was hurt and scared and shocked
When Lily Scott left suddenly one night
And they sent a limousine from heaven to take her to God, if there is one
So I knew she had gone
And I came from a broken home