Hello people, I'm new here. I've been trying to find a great music forum to hang out on, and I found this one. You people are great.

Anyways, I want to get you guys and girls opinions on Sly Stone's Fresh album. I think this is the greatest album ever, to me.

Have you ever heard bass sound so good as it does on "If You Want Me To Stay"? Have you ever heard a funky three headed monster in "Frisky", "Thankful and Thoughtful" and "Let Me Have It All"?

"Keep On Dancin" isn't my favorite, but it's cool. "In Time" is a masterpiece.

And the album cover...speechless.

[img:$uid]http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/ad284/DerrianWilliams/slyandfamilystone-fresh.jpg[/img:$uid]

Mindbells9 said:

Classic album! My favorites are If You Want Me To Stay, I Don't Know, and In Time but the whole album is great! [Edited 7/26/12 6:13am]

I wish "If You Want Me To Stay" was at least 4 minutes.

Probably the 1st album that showcased funk in it's mature form which was consequently emulated from then on.

Incredible album. The combination of funk and soul has never been matched in my opinion and i think this album is a strong template for artists like Prince (see the sped up voice in IYWMTS).

I prefer Sly when he's dabbling in all kinds of genres like on Stand or Life, but on Fresh, he perfected funk and took it to a new level.

My fave track is IYWMTS - in my opinion, one of the greatest RnB productions ever, but i also nominate In Time as one of the ultimate Funk songs and one of the best of that decade.

My fave Sly album is Riot.

Dee1991 said:

Mindbells9 said:

Classic album! My favorites are If You Want Me To Stay, I Don't Know, and In Time but the whole album is great! [Edited 7/26/12 6:13am]

I wish "If You Want Me To Stay" was at least 4 minutes.

The scat he does during his Key playing at the end was screaming to be extended. It's a crime it wasn't.

WetDream said:

Probably the 1st album that showcased funk in it's mature form which was consequently emulated from then on.

Incredible album. The combination of funk and soul has never been matched in my opinion and i think this album is a strong template for artists like Prince (see the sped up voice in IYWMTS).

I prefer Sly when he's dabbling in all kinds of genres like on Stand or Life, but on Fresh, he perfected funk and took it to a new level.

My fave track is IYWMTS - in my opinion, one of the greatest RnB productions ever, but i also nominate In Time as one of the ultimate Funk songs and one of the best of that decade.

My fave Sly album is Riot.

Right on! Prince and Sly are always exchanging the #1 spot for my favorite artist.

I haven't heard anything like Fresh since I bought this album last November. I've been asking around for advice on some funk and soul that come close, no luck. Sly is just outstanding.

Stand! on the other hand (hey, that rhymes) is so marvelous. "Don't Call Me Ni**er, Whitey" is like the sound of the late 60's. It's so dark. It even got me into Miles Davis Jack Johnson album.

WetDream said:

Dee1991 said:

I wish "If You Want Me To Stay" was at least 4 minutes.

The scat he does during his Key playing at the end was screaming to be extended. It's a crime it wasn't.

The version he played on Mike Douglas in '74 is forever my favorite. I like it when he hum the horn line, "do, do do do, do do do, do do do", classic.

Dee1991 said:

WetDream said:

Probably the 1st album that showcased funk in it's mature form which was consequently emulated from then on.

Incredible album. The combination of funk and soul has never been matched in my opinion and i think this album is a strong template for artists like Prince (see the sped up voice in IYWMTS).

I prefer Sly when he's dabbling in all kinds of genres like on Stand or Life, but on Fresh, he perfected funk and took it to a new level.

My fave track is IYWMTS - in my opinion, one of the greatest RnB productions ever, but i also nominate In Time as one of the ultimate Funk songs and one of the best of that decade.

My fave Sly album is Riot.

Right on! Prince and Sly are always exchanging the #1 spot for my favorite artist.

I haven't heard anything like Fresh since I bought this album last November. I've been asking around for advice on some funk and soul that come close, no luck. Sly is just outstanding.

Stand! on the other hand (hey, that rhymes) is so marvelous. "Don't Call Me Ni**er, Whitey" is like the sound of the late 60's. It's so dark. It even got me into Miles Davis Jack Johnson album.

Absolutely. I don't think you will match Fresh to be honest. There may be better funk albums, but they don't exactly sound like Fresh and above all it's subjective. For example, i think Betty Davis's 4 albums are the funkiest albums i've ever heard, but they don't sound like Fresh (and technically, Fresh is better).

Prince takes the cake for me because he took all that came before and elevated it to the highest ever, all the while being an original. That man's done it all, he's unmatched. If anything, i reckon he also finished what Sly set out to do.

It's great you're just getting into these albums, by the way.

Oh and i agree, Mike Douglas '74 was sublime.

Welcome Dee1991.

"Fresh" is a classic and innovative record IMHO. Sly fused evrything together on here from pop to soul to funk to gospel. I thought that his take of taking a happy, upbeat tune like "Ce Sera" and morphing it into a brooding, slow gospel like jam was brilliant.

I think that's him playing everything on "Keep On Dancin'". The boxset outakes from this (and "Riot") are incredibile. I think after the darkness of "Riot" he wanted something bright like "Fresh" put out.

The real question (as asked in the box set) is "Fresh" a funk record or is it a soul record?

WetDream said:

Dee1991 said:

Right on! Prince and Sly are always exchanging the #1 spot for my favorite artist.

I haven't heard anything like Fresh since I bought this album last November. I've been asking around for advice on some funk and soul that come close, no luck. Sly is just outstanding.

Stand! on the other hand (hey, that rhymes) is so marvelous. "Don't Call Me Ni**er, Whitey" is like the sound of the late 60's. It's so dark. It even got me into Miles Davis Jack Johnson album.

Absolutely. I don't think you will match Fresh to be honest. There may be better funk albums, but they don't exactly sound like Fresh and above all it's subjective. For example, i think Betty Davis's 4 albums are the funkiest albums i've ever heard, but they don't sound like Fresh (and technically, Fresh is better).

Prince takes the cake for me because he took all that came before and elevated it to the highest ever, all the while being an original. That man's done it all, he's unmatched. If anything, i reckon he also finished what Sly set out to do.

It's great you're just getting into these albums, by the way.

Oh and i agree, Mike Douglas '74 was sublime.

Exactly. Yesterday I bought the Ohio Players' Honey album because some people were saying it was kind of Sly influenced. I dug the album, but I didn't hear Sly to much. Being 20 and finding all of these funk albums are cool, I get to talk to the "old funk heads" now. AHA

Do you know of any underrated soul/funk musicians? Shuggie Otis status. With some Sly type music.

SKIN I'M IN!

babybrutha said:

SKIN I'M IN!

OMG! That song is so funky. It sounds like one of those Blaxploitation films track.

That was the B-Side album to "There's A Riot Going On" IMO. In the sense that both compliment each other when you listen to them, back to back.

Both albums are the quintessential HEADPHONES albums ever made. Sly put his ass into the production as well as the mixing process, everytime you listen to both album in your headphones, you're liable to find out moments that skipped your radar previously. Its like an adventure listening to these albums.

Harlepolis said:

That was the B-Side album to "There's A Riot Going On" IMO. In the sense that both compliment each other when you listen to them, back to back.

Both albums are the quintessential HEADPHONES albums ever made. Sly put his ass into the production as well as the mixing process, everytime you listen to both album in your headphones, you're liable to find out moments that skipped your radar previously. Its like an adventure listening to these albums.

Exactly! Fresh is my favorite headphones album. "Skin I'm In" on headphones is subline.

I wonder how he made this album while so high on those drugs.

[Edited 7/26/12 7:04am]

One of my favorite albums.

Fresh, Riot, Stand, High On You, and Stand are all a masterpiece also you should take a listen to Back On The Right Track which to me is his last album of signifigance. One of my favorites on Fresh is Babies Makin' Babies!!!!! His influence to funk in the seventies is unmatched.

madhattter said:

Fresh, Riot, Stand, High On You, and Stand are all a masterpiece also you should take a listen to Back On The Right Track which to me is his last album of signifigance. One of my favorites on Fresh is Babies Makin' Babies!!!!! His influence to funk in the seventies is unmatched.

I've listened to all of his stuff. He's like my favorite artist.

[Edited 7/26/12 13:16pm]

Dee1991 said:

WetDream said:

The scat he does during his Key playing at the end was screaming to be extended. It's a crime it wasn't.

The version he played on Mike Douglas in '74 is forever my favorite. I like it when he hum the horn line, "do, do do do, do do do, do do do", classic.

LOL!

I thought I was the only one who absolutely loves the Mike Douglas version. The organ intro is so timeless. I love the part you're referring too, but that organ intro just sets it off so perfectly. Wish I has an mp3 of that performance.

Fresh's my all time favorite Sly album (on most days), favorite song is, hands down, Thankful & Thoughtful. In Time, Skin I'm In, and Babies are all tied for a close 2nd.

CoolMF said:

Dee1991 said:

The version he played on Mike Douglas in '74 is forever my favorite. I like it when he hum the horn line, "do, do do do, do do do, do do do", classic.

LOL!

I thought I was the only one who absolutely loves the Mike Douglas version. The organ intro is so timeless. I love the part you're referring too, but that organ intro just sets it off so perfectly. Wish I has an mp3 of that performance.

Fresh's my all time favorite Sly album (on most days), favorite song is, hands down, Thankful & Thoughtful. In Time, Skin I'm In, and Babies are all tied for a close 2nd.

I think your talking about the Soul Train version. The Mike Douglas version was him playing the piano.

Dee1991 said:

CoolMF said:

LOL!

I thought I was the only one who absolutely loves the Mike Douglas version. The organ intro is so timeless. I love the part you're referring too, but that organ intro just sets it off so perfectly. Wish I has an mp3 of that performance.

Fresh's my all time favorite Sly album (on most days), favorite song is, hands down, Thankful & Thoughtful. In Time, Skin I'm In, and Babies are all tied for a close 2nd.

I think your talking about the Soul Train version. The Mike Douglas version was him playing the piano.

No, it wasn't Soul Train, but it wasn't Mike Douglas either (although I really like that version).

I'm not sure what it's from, but the version I'm referring to is part of a longer live performance (circa '73 or '74) where he's wearing a white hat with a red brim and a big "Sly" belt buckle. He screws up the lyrics by getting the verses confused but I like it anyway.

CoolMF said:

Dee1991 said:

I think your talking about the Soul Train version. The Mike Douglas version was him playing the piano.

No, it wasn't Soul Train, but it wasn't Mike Douglas either (although I really like that version).

I'm not sure what it's from, but the version I'm referring to is part of a longer live performance (circa '73 or '74) where he's wearing a white hat with a red brim and a big "Sly" belt buckle. He screws up the lyrics by getting the verses confused but I like it anyway.

Fresh has to be one of the coolest, rawest, and funkiest albums ever recorded. Period. As someone previously noted from the liner notes of the 2007 reissue of this classic, to make a distinction between whether this album classifies as "soul" or "funk" is a hard task. Like all of Sly's work (specifically 1967-1975), you can never easily categorize his sound. This classic album really had Sly pushing his jazz bag further and that is what I've always admired about this album. The laidback and hard-hitting grooves just perfectly puts Sly's styles in perspective. I'm surprised no one mentioned the alternate version of this album that was accidently released on CD back in 1991. That is a headbuster as well.

silverchild said:

Fresh has to be one of the coolest, rawest, and funkiest albums ever recorded. Period. As someone previously noted from the liner notes of the 2007 reissue of this classic, to make a distinction between whether this album classifies as "soul" or "funk" is a hard task. Like all of Sly's work (specifically 1967-1975), you can never easily categorize his sound. This classic album really had Sly pushing his jazz bag further and that is what I've always admired about this album. The laidback and hard-hitting grooves just perfectly puts Sly's styles in perspective. I'm surprised no one mentioned the alternate version of this album that was accidently released on CD back in 1991. That is a headbuster as well.

I change the album version of "If You Want Me To Stay" with a version that's 2:35 version of the song simply because the drums are more present. This version doesn't include his screaming at the beginning.

Dee1991 said:

silverchild said:

Fresh has to be one of the coolest, rawest, and funkiest albums ever recorded. Period. As someone previously noted from the liner notes of the 2007 reissue of this classic, to make a distinction between whether this album classifies as "soul" or "funk" is a hard task. Like all of Sly's work (specifically 1967-1975), you can never easily categorize his sound. This classic album really had Sly pushing his jazz bag further and that is what I've always admired about this album. The laidback and hard-hitting grooves just perfectly puts Sly's styles in perspective. I'm surprised no one mentioned the alternate version of this album that was accidently released on CD back in 1991. That is a headbuster as well.

I change the album version of "If You Want Me To Stay" with a version that's 2:35 version of the song simply because the drums are more present. This version doesn't include his screaming at the beginning.

There are alot of changes in those alternate versions that I just find mindbogging. The alternate version of "Frisky" is very reminiscent of the Riot-era.

silverchild said:

Dee1991 said:

I change the album version of "If You Want Me To Stay" with a version that's 2:35 version of the song simply because the drums are more present. This version doesn't include his screaming at the beginning.

There are alot of changes in those alternate versions that I just find mindbogging. The alternate version of "Frisky" is very reminiscent of the Riot-era.

I'm totally confused on which is the alternate version. The 3:27 version or the 3:02 or the 3:15 version.

Ok here's a question,,,,

Am I still crazy for thinking that Mr.Stewart creeped in like a coold breeze and stole Doris Day's song and made it his?

My mother gave me the corporate side way with the crooked eyelashes to boot, like I just called her out her name when I said that.

Harlepolis said:

Ok here's a question,,,,

Am I still crazy for thinking that Mr.Stewart creeped in like a coold breeze and stole Doris Day's song and made it his?

My mother gave me the corporate side way with the crooked eyelashes to boot, like I just called her out her name when I said that.

He pretty much did. There's another version of that song that he did. And it's better than the album version.

Dee1991 said:

Harlepolis said:

Ok here's a question,,,,

Am I still crazy for thinking that Mr.Stewart creeped in like a coold breeze and stole Doris Day's song and made it his?

My mother gave me the corporate side way with the crooked eyelashes to boot, like I just called her out her name when I said that.

He pretty much did. There's another version of that song that he did. And it's better than the album version.

Which version? You mean the alternate version?

Harlepolis said:

Dee1991 said:

He pretty much did. There's another version of that song that he did. And it's better than the album version.

Which version? You mean the alternate version?

I think. There'a 9 minute version Youtube. The album version is 5 minutes.

Dee1991 said:

Harlepolis said:

Which version? You mean the alternate version?

I think. There'a 9 minute version Youtube. The album version is 5 minutes.

Are you kidding?!