You Will Not Be Able To Stay Home Brother is a verse from the song The Revolution Will Not Be Televised sung by Gil Scott-Heron. The lyrics of the song are written by Gil Scott-Heron.
You Will Not Be Able To Stay Home Brother Lyrics
[Verse]
You will not be able to stay home, brother
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip out for beer during commercials, because
The revolution will not be televised
The revolution will not be televised
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox in four parts without commercial interruptions
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John Mitchell, General Abrams, and Spiro Agnew to eat hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary
The revolution will not be televised
The revolution will not be brought to you by the Schaefer Award Theatre
And will not star Natalie Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia
The revolution will not give your mouth s^^ appeal
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs
The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner, because
The revolution will not be televised, brother
There will be no pictures of you and Willie Mays pushing that shopping cart down the block on a dead run or trying to slide that color TV into a stolen ambulance
NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32 on report from 29 districts
The revolution will not be televised
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers on the instant replay
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers on the instant replay
There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process
There will be no slow motion or still lifes of Roy Wilkins
Strolling through Watts in a red, black, and green liberation jumpsuit that he has been saving for just the proper occasion
Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville Junction will no longer be so d^^n relevant
And women will not care if D^^k finally got down with Jane on Search for Tomorrow
Because Black people will be in the street looking for a brighter day
The revolution will not be televised
There will be no highlights on the eleven o’clock news and no pictures of hairy armed women liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb or Francis Scott Keys, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Engelbert Humperdinck, or The Rare Earth
The revolution will not be televised
The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people
You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom, the tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl
The revolution will not go better with Coke
The revolution will not fight germs that may cause bad breath
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat
The revolution will not be televised
Will not be televised
Will not be televised
Will not be televised
The revolution will be no re-run, brothers
The revolution will be live
Music Video
Song Credits
| Song | The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |
| Artist | Gil Scott-Heron |
| Album | The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |
| Writer | Gil Scott-Heron |
| Producer | Bob Thiele |
About the Song
“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron is a powerful and influential spoken-word piece that challenges how people understand change, media, and social awareness. Rather than being a traditional song, it feels like a sharp conversation delivered with rhythm, attitude, and urgency.
The piece talks directly to the listener, calling out the idea that real change can be watched passively on television. Gil Scott-Heron uses references to TV shows, commercials, celebrities, and brands to show how media can distract people from what truly matters. His message is clear: real revolution happens in real life, not on a screen, and it requires personal involvement, not comfort or entertainment.
The delivery is confident and unapologetic. His voice carries intelligence, frustration, and determination, making every line feel intentional. The backing music is minimal but effective, allowing the words to stay front and center. This keeps the focus on the message rather than the melody, which strengthens its impact.
What makes this piece so timeless is how relevant it still feels today. Even though it was created decades ago, the themes of media control, social injustice, and public awareness continue to resonate. Listeners can easily connect its message to modern news, social media, and political movements.
“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is not meant to comfort or entertain in a traditional way. It is meant to wake people up. It challenges listeners to think, question, and take responsibility. That bold honesty is why the piece remains iconic and why Gil Scott-Heron is remembered as a voice that spoke truth without fear.