This is one of the greatest bands ever, and Sly is one of the greatest but unsung musical geniuses, he took funk to another whole level further than where it was at with James Brown his creator. So what are you top 20 best songs, please feel free to include those from his "solo" career, I know he was making his own thing since Riot but still. I need to think through mine, but the number one spot is Family Affair with no doubt.

1. Family Affair

2. Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf

3. Sing A Simple Song

4. Stand

5. Dance To The Music

6. Everybody Is A Star

7. if You Want Me Stay

8. Hot Fun In The Summertime

9. M' Lady

10. Life

11. Everyday People

12. I Want To Take You Higher

13. You Can Make It If You Try

14. Underdog

15. You Caught Me Smilin

16. Runnin Away

17. Dont Call Me Nigger, Whitey

18. In Time

19. Brave & Strong

20. Thank You For Talking To Me, Africa

C'mon, Son! 20? Who does a list of 20???? Anyway, and in no particular order, these are my favorites (not necessarily "best" or "biggest hits")...

1. Trip To Your Heart

2. Advice

3. Are You Ready

4. Life

5. Fun

6. Sing A Simple Song

7. I Want To Take You Higher

8. Everybody's A Star

9. Thank You...

10. Luv and Haight

11. Just Like A Baby

12. Africa Talks To You

13. Smilin

14. Thank You For Talking...

15. In Time

16. Thankful and Thoughtful

17. Que Sera Sera

18. Babies Making Babies

19. Small Talk

20. Loose Booty

Honorable Mentions- Love City (Live/Fillmore show 1), We Love All (Live/Fillmore show 1), St. James Infirmary (Live/Fillmore show 2), Music Lover (Live/Woodstock)

RJOrion said:

1. Family Affair

2. Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf

3. Sing A Simple Song

4. Stand

5. Dance To The Music

6. Everybody Is A Star

7. if You Want Me Stay

8. Hot Fun In The Summertime

9. M' Lady

10. Life

11. Everyday People

12. I Want To Take You Higher

13. You Can Make It If You Try

14. Underdog

15. You Caught Me Smilin

16. Runnin Away

17. Dont Call Me Nigger, Whitey

18. In Time

19. Brave & Strong

20. Thank You For Talking To Me, Africa

Not a thing from Small Talk onwards?

slyjackson said:

slyjackson said:

RJOrion said:

slyjackson said:

Not a thing from Small Talk onwards?

nah...once the drugs took over Mr. Stone's life, i graduated to Earth Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Prince, The Police, and then Hip-Hop

You should give it a try, it's a really beautiful album.

RJOrion said:

once Greg Errico and Larry Graham left, the music was trash and Sly was strung out bad. Errico's superfunky drumming and Larry's basslines were the foundation of their whole sound... Sly started using those prehistoric drum machines and rambling incoherently through songs...he lost me after Fresh...and Larry Grahams basslines saved that album...L.G. left after that lp, and Sly was pretty much done and runnin on dope fumes

Small Talk and High On You say otherwise. He was great with or without them.

SantanaMaitreya said:

slyjackson said:

This is one of the greatest bands ever, and Sly is one of the greatest but unsung musical geniuses, he took funk to another whole level further than where it was at with James Brown his creator. So what are you top 20 best songs, please feel free to include those from his "solo" career, I know he was making his own thing since Riot but still. I need to think through mine, but the number one spot is Family Affair with no doubt.

That's also the only hit he ever had in the Netherlands.

Isn't unsual such a song was number one in USA and a hit in many countries, it's a wonderful song but a far cry from hit material.

Sly was revolutionary.

As 'unconscious' suburban teens, we knew his songs by heart. But we had no real comprehension of the level of musicianship his and other amazing bands like his were exposing us to.

RJOrion said:

once Greg Errico and Larry Graham left, the music was trash and Sly was strung out bad. Errico's superfunky drumming and Larry's basslines were the foundation of their whole sound... Sly started using those prehistoric drum machines and rambling incoherently through songs...he lost me after Fresh...and Larry Grahams basslines saved that album...L.G. left after that lp, and Sly was pretty much done and runnin on dope fumes

No, the music changed but it wasn't trash. Fresh was/is/will forever be my shit. Give that one another try one day...

CoolMF said:

RJOrion said:

once Greg Errico and Larry Graham left, the music was trash and Sly was strung out bad. Errico's superfunky drumming and Larry's basslines were the foundation of their whole sound... Sly started using those prehistoric drum machines and rambling incoherently through songs...he lost me after Fresh...and Larry Grahams basslines saved that album...L.G. left after that lp, and Sly was pretty much done and runnin on dope fumes

No, the music changed but it wasn't trash. Fresh was/is/will forever be my shit. Give that one another try one day...

i liked Fresh...after that album is where i lost interest

I can't think of his 20 best, but "Riot", "Fresh", "Small Talk" and "High On You" are my favorites. I even dig "Remember Who You Are". "Back On The Right Track" and "Ain't But The One Way".....Sly was pretty much burnt out and finshed by the mid 70's......Although Sly had some influence, acts like P-Funk, Stevie, The Isley Bros, Bros. Johnson, EWF, The Jacksons and disco were kicking his tail and made his music sound pretty dated by the late 1970's.

Small Talk is a great album with songs like Time For Living, Holding On, Can't Strain My Brain, Loose Booty, Wishful Thinking and Say You Will.

^I agree with this^...You can definitely hear how the "Small Talk" album influenced cats like D'angelo and Van Hunt.

SPYZFAN1 said:

^I agree with this^...You can definitely hear how the "Small Talk" album influenced cats like D'angelo and Van Hunt.

Yes me too

slyjackson said:

RJOrion said:

CoolMF said:

No, the music changed but it wasn't trash. Fresh was/is/will forever be my shit. Give that one another try one day...

i liked Fresh...after that album is where i lost interest

Understood but try Small Talk one more time. Kinda like Public Enemy's Apocalypse '91- not nearly as solid or consistent as the albums that proceeded it but still has some really great songs. After Small Talk, yeah I lost interest too...

SantanaMaitreya said:

slyjackson said:

Small Talk is a great album with songs like Time For Living, Holding On, Can't Strain My Brain, Loose Booty, Wishful Thinking and Say You Will.

The violin is really something else, you don't expect that on a funk album.

Indeed and a beautiful plus

CoolMF said:

CoolMF said:

RJOrion said:

RJOrion said:

once Greg Errico and Larry Graham left, the music was trash and Sly was strung out bad. Errico's superfunky drumming and Larry's basslines were the foundation of their whole sound... Sly started using those prehistoric drum machines and rambling incoherently through songs...he lost me after Fresh...and Larry Grahams basslines saved that album...L.G. left after that lp, and Sly was pretty much done and runnin on dope fumes

YES!!!! Errico & Graham is My FAVE Rhythm Section!!! As a Drummer, Errico is in My Top 5!!!

MAN!!!! I'll come back 2 this LATER! But for NOW, If None of You haven't yet (and there may be Some), cop the FIRST 3 Sly & The Family Stone Albums: 1)A Whole New Thing (1967) 2)Dance To The Music (1968) & Life (1968). Among These You will find such Gems as:

-Underdog (sampled on Cypress Hill's 1st Album)

-Advice (Sampled in Ice Cube's "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted")

-I Cannot Make It

-Trip To Your Heart (Mama Said Knock You Out, Anyone??)

-Higher

-Are You Ready

-Color Me True (Outro used on Craig Mack's 1st Album"s Intro)

-Into My Own Thing (George Clinton bit the Words & Fatboy Slim sampled the Intro)

-Jane Is A Groupee (A WHOLE 7 Years before Funkadelic's "No Head, No Backstage Pass")