ever.

Just got it over the weekend. It's got me all

I'm only up to "Brave and Strong" and it's so cool, it's
an album that will be a long time favorite, I can tell!!

There are so many parts where you just go "oh so THAT'S
where Prince got that line from in that song".

So since I'm relatively new to Sly and this is the first
complete album I bought (Only had a greatesthits before)
which album should I get next?

Stand!

Or, as AllMusic says;

Stand! is the pinnacle of Sly & the Family Stone's early work, a record that represents a culmination of the group's musical vision and accomplishment. Life hinted at this record's boundless enthusiasm and blurred stylistic boundaries, yet everything simply gels here, resulting in no separation between the astounding funk, effervescent irresistible melodies, psychedelicized guitars, and deep rhythms. Add to this a sharpened sense of pop songcraft, elastic band interplay, and a flowering of Sly's social conscious, and the result is utterly stunning. Yes, the jams ("Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," "Sex Machine") wind up meandering ever so slightly, but they're surrounded by utter brilliance, from the rousing call to arms of "Stand" to the unification anthem "Everyday People" to the unstoppable "I Want to Take You Higher." All of it sounds like the Family Stone, thanks not just to the communal lead vocals but to the brilliant interplay, but each track is distinct, emphasizing a different side of their musical personality. As a result, Stand! winds up infectious and informative, invigorating and thought-provoking — stimulating in every sense of the word. Few records of its time touched it, and Sly topped it only by offering its opposite the next time out.

let's hope Stand is floating on the wires somewhere

So how you like Riot?

HamsterHuey said:

riot is

or the short version: an amazing album!

IstenSzek said:

Here ya' go.....

A Whole Nother Thing (Not the original album cover)


Dance To The Music



Life




Stand




Greatest Hits



There's A Riot Goin' On



Fresh



Small Talk




High On You

IstenSzek said:

Try to find (preferably on vinyl) "Fresh", and after that get the European CD release (on Epic/Sony) which has the alternate version of the original album...

Neversin.

Any of the first six albums. The first three are criminally underrated

jacktheimprovident said:

So true...

So much innovating material on all three....
[Edited 9/26/05 9:39am]

funkpill said:

Just listened to the 2CD Best Of today! The grooves are DEEP! So many great songs, it's incredible. I looked for their stuff on amazon, it's really a shame how little there is.

IstenSzek said:

An all time fave for me!

IstenSzek said:

Which Riot do you have? US or UK?

seanski said:

What is the difference?

GooeyTheHamster said:

Yeah, this is new for me too...
I think the US version had a different cover back in the day...

I'm not sure what version I have, I have the one that begins with
"Luv N' Haight" and ends with "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa"

I keep hearing Prince songs in this album, or better said stuff
that Prince took for his own albums.

Just now "Africa talks to You" came on and the first three secs
are really just like the beginning of the original "Rave Un2".

I've heard anything from "Rave" to "Animal Kingdom" bits and bobs
on this album.

I absolutely love it now. Have been listening to it constantly
and it's on again now, since first thing this morning!

Can not can not can not believe I slept on this so long since I
heard so many good things about it everywhere and especially on
prince.org

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

I've been trying to put together a good list of all the musicians that played on the album and here's what I've come up with so far

Just like a baby-Bobby Womack: guitar, vocals
Family Affair-Billy Preston: electric piano
You Caught Me Smiling, Runnin Away, Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa-Larry Graham: bass
Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa-Greg Erico: Drums
You Caught Me Smiling: uh...some guy who auditioned on the master take: drums

Anyone else know what other parts WEREN'T played by Sly himself?

jacktheimprovident said:

Wrong, You caught me smiling is Sly on bass.
Bobby Womack is playing guitar on Brave and Strong

GooeyTheHamster said:

The UK version sounds better than the US version!

What is everyone's favorite song? I know there are many, many slammin' tunes but for me it would be "I want to take you higher". I cannot believe how much that song rocks and funks and whatever. I LOVE the the dark, deep groove of it.

calldapplwondery83 said:

I don't know. I've always loved "family affair", it's just incredible!

On this album "Africa Talks To You" and "Poet" are stand outs for me,
although that's hard to say since the entire album is so good.

calldapplwondery83 said:

"Thank You For Talking To Me Africa" is my all time fave jam!!!

Haven't got the album to hand, but all the tracks Sly plays bass on are pretty obvious as he uses a pick.
Best track has to be "Just Like A Baby".
I would suggest "Fresh" next and "High On You". The quad version of the latter has many different takes and extended versions; the best is the version of "Crossword Puzzle" where the drummer drops his sticks in the middle!

jjam said:

Can't believe I missed out "Thank You". This version is unbelievable. So let's put that as my favourite track.

jjam said:

Thank You is the only 'real'Family Stone song, with Sly on Guitar, Larry on bass and Greg on drums, Freddie and Rose are only singing.

Information from http://www.sly-and-the-fa.../main.html
Musicians Instruments
Sly Stone lead vocals, keyboards, everything
Freddie Stone guitar, background vocals
Rose Stone lead and background vocals
Greg Errico
Gerry Gibson drums, background vocals
Jerry Martini saxophone, background vocals
Cynthia Robinson trumpet, background vocals
Larry Graham, Jr. bass guitar, background vocals
Billy Preston electric piano on "Family Affair"

-----
Billboard Information
This album reached #1 on the US Top 200 on Dec. 18, 1971 and stayed in that position for two weeks. The album debuted on Feb. 5, 1972 in the UK and reached #31.
"Family Affair" debuted at #50 (US Pop/Rock) on November 13, 1971 and then rose from #50-21-8-5 to #1 on Dec. 4, 1971, where it remained for three weeks and lasted a total of 14 weeks in the charts. It also reached #1 on the US R&B charts on Dec. 4, 1971 where it remained for five weeks and lasted a total of 13 weeks in the charts. The song debuted on Jan. 8, 1972 in the UK, was #14 for three weeks and remained in the charts for eight weeks.
"Runnin' Away" debuted on February 19, 1972 and reached #15 on the US R&B charts. It also reached #23 in the US Pop/Rock charts and remained in the charts for 7 weeks. It debuted on April 15, 1972 in the UK and reached #17 in the UK charts.
"Smilin'" debuted on April 29, 1972, reached #42 in the US Pop/Rock charts and reached #21 in the US R&B charts. It remained in the charts for 7 weeks.

Additional Information
All songs written and produced by Sylvester Stewart.
This album was mastered by Bob Ludwig although he is not credited in the liner notes. This album was released in the UK with a "newspaper"-esque insert as well as an EP containing 4 previously released Sly & the Family Stone songs.
There is a "jukebox" EP for this album with six songs. (Supposedly) Bobby Womack and Buddy Miles appear on this album.
Sony/Epic has recently re-released this album on vinyl.

calldapplwondery83 said:

I just got that 2CD disc last week and I can't stop listening to it. Throughout his music I hear his strong influences on Prince, D'Angelo and a lot of other artists. I can't believe I slept on Sly for so long. Not one bad song but Underdog, If You Want Me To Stay, Skin I'm In, Luv N' Haight and Just Like A Baby are among my many favorites. Now I have to buy all the original records and I can't decide what to get first.