We Are Family

This is also the best Chic album. You can hear Nile Rodgers and his funky-ass guitar all over it. It's impossible for me to be subjective about some music, and that's especially the case for this album's title track. I used to always associate it with the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and their sabotaging of the song for their pennant run. That was until 1996, when it was played as the last song at 1:00 AM at our wedding reception. Even though the party was ending, there were close to 20 of members of my family who immediately took to the dance floor to jam out to some Sister Sledge. Thankfully someone had the wherewithal to video tape the moment, and I can still watch my Uncles and Aunts, brothers and sisters, and my 80 year-old grandmother joyfully tearing up a rug to "We Are Family". It's one of my favorite moments of the entire night. My marriage may not have lasted, but "We Are Family" certainly has.

I first met the Sledge sisters whilst backpacking around Papua New Guinea. Each evening one of them would approach me in private and scream "We Are Family" in my face for up to two hours. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have forced them to have that orgy in front of their grandparents, but what's a boy to do?

I used to be a sniffy about disco. It was not serious music, not very cred, too formula driven, etc. In nearly 30 years of mulling over these issues, I have come to the viewpoint that I was pretty much wrong on all counts. The “Disco sucks” movement was largely based in racist and homophobic resentment of anyone having fun without straight white men being in charge. Ideas of musical cred are also based in an exclusionary viewpoint by largely entitlement straight white guys (most critics) trying to gatekeep “good” music. So, now I am talking to all my white, straight, male homies: all of those criticism miss the point that disco is enormous fun. It is absolutely built from the ground up for dancing (which is awesome), and largely attuned to the tastes of women and gay men. And if you’re looking for a fun night out, you can’t beat dancing with a group of women and/or gay men. They know how to how to have a good time out on the floor, and, if you’re lucky, they’ll let you tag along. If you think you’re cool by shunning disco, you are a fool and missing out. I have been DJing parties a bit lately (with my mate Peter), and there is nothing as amazing as getting a room full of people to dance, and, to really get the dancing going, you need some disco. As to the accusation that disco is formulaic, I refer you to Sturgeon’s Law: “ninety percent of everything is crap". There is a lot of crap disco out there, but this Sister Sledge album is the gold standard. Produced by Chic at the height of their powers, I would argue that “We Are Family”, “Lost in Music” and “He’s the Greatest Dancer” are among the greatest disco songs ever. With the exception of the lackluster ballad “Somebody Loves Me”, the rest of the album tracks are excellent. I particularly enjoy “Thinking of You”. The band is tight and lays down a great groove, the tunes are memorable, and the vocal performances and harmonies are terrific (maybe not quite to the standard of contemporaries like the Pointer Sisters or Labelle, but still really strong). This is a consistently slick, groovy and (above all) fun album, that ranks amongst the best disco of all time, and should be celebrated.

04/08/2022 Bops on bops on bops! The girls just wont quit! Listened on Spotify, and the final 3 tracks are 24 mins of extended disco remixes, and I honestly unlocked a new level of homosexual after listening.

This album is funky, it swings. It makes me want to sing and dance. The vocals are incredible and the instruments are clear and good. This is music.

🕺Tastes like rusty cum.

This feels like you're wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket travelling on the grooviest spaceship around. The spaceship is shaped and lit like a lava lamp. What a refreshing and gorgeous album to listen to, especially in 2022 when it feels like we all need some warmth. Liked almost all of this except for the title track, which I've heard 450 million times in my life and is now on my DNL (Do Not Listen) list.

He's The Greatest Dancer - An absolute Banger! Infectious beat that gets your hips moving and your foot tappin. Lost In Music - Fun Disco song that's easy to dance to. Almost like a marching song for disco. Could see a lot of clapping going on to this song. Somebody Love Me - Great love song that I'd never heard before. Gives me 10cc's vibes. Hauntingly beautiful and sweet. Thinking Of You - That Bass walk is fuckin solid. Mixed with Niles Rodgers guitar riff carries this gem to be another Banger of a disco classic. We Are Family - Obvious gold standard of Disco. Song about unification produced to perfection. The hi hat is the backbone that the bass riff bounces along as the piano and strings hi five each other in celebration each time they tip toe along this fantastic groove. Easier To Love - Slowing it down after the roof raiser before the Sledge Sister ease you in to a harmonic hammock. Your body sways with the comforting beat of the bongos and the soothing strings. You're a Friend To Me - Wow slowing it down even more. Um not too sure how I feel about this one... It's fine, the strings are nice. Definitely the weakest of the bunch. One More Time - Fun little song to wrap the album up with. Songs like unused rhythms from their bangers but it's fun enough. The little guitar solo was fun.

Enjoy the instrumentation and smooth production but as the album goes on I start to lose interest. Some nice tracks but as an album it doesn't hold tigether for me.

I tried. Disco sucks.

This was a rough one for me. I did admittedly listen to it at the end of the day which may have colored how I felt about it but it was repetitive and just felt like it took forever to finish.

When the material works, this is really good. "We Are Family" is enduring and easily the best track. Hard not to sing along. The upbeat, feel-good, self-empowering messages are all welcome, nothing wrong with a positive message in the music (and god, what a stark contrast from the Alice In Chains album), but too often, this gets trite (and I hope and pray, oh please let the children play, all this killing each other, you should be loving your brother) and that significantly diminishes the impact of the album for me. It sounds great — Nile Rodgers must not have gotten any sleep in the '70-80s. Dude is all over the place. Pleasant enough, and brilliant in spots, but as a whole, it's a down-the-middle affair.

Good pick to start this 1001 days

Meh...

I absolutely love this. Impossible not to tap your foot or nod your head. Nile Rodgers is excellent, had no idea he was on this album but his guitar sound is instantly recognisable. Love the strings and the tight beats, such a groove. Just makes you feel good. He’s The Greatest Dancer, Lost in Music and Thinking of You are incredible. Played this album 4 times on Friday and had a good old boogie in the kitchen. 🕺🕺🕺🪩🪩🪩

This was a great listen. Well-written songs. Amazing bass lines. Great singing and production. I've really been enjoying disco the past few years. I can't believe how great the genre is, and this is a choice example of it. Is it a 5-star album? Hmmm... maybe? But today I'm going with a 4 because not every song grabbed me.

Disco is the worst. But the guys from Chic did a decent job writing an album for the ladies of Sister Sledge considering that they never even met them before writing it. See that?! THAT sentence is part of the problem with disco. One artist was asked by their label to write an ENTIRE ALBUM for another artist that they'd never even met. That's bullshit and I hate it. While the songs are alright (for disco), the whole idea of the album is enough to kill a star. Disco is the worst.

Not into this album at all. Just not my thing. Not a big fan of disco.

For the most part this was pretty good. I think some of the song were a bit repetitive and drawn out. I'm torn between giving this a 2 or 3, so I would give it a 2.5 if possible.

I loved EVERY song in this album. Came in knowing two originally, finished with loving every single song. I LOVE funky music, disco music and sister sledge is just amazing.

This whole thing is amazing. I usually skip any bonus tracks, but I was even hooked on those.

We Are Family ‘Just let me staple the vicar’ The sort of album I would have been a bit sniffy about in my younger days, but now it's the sort of album I really appreciate. Of course Nile Rogers and Bernard Fowler are a fantastic songwriting and production team. The whole record sounds great, but Nile’s guitar sound and Bernard’s bass sound in particular are so good - the bright, clean and rhythmic against the deep, warm and melodic is such a great, contrasting combination. Bernard Fowler would absolutely be in my top ten favourite bassists As well as that the Nile Rogers - Bernard Fowler - Tony Thompson playing axis is absolutely superb, and the sororal voices are excellent too, harmonising and blending as only siblings can. I guess He’s the Greatest Dancer, after being sampled by Will Smith, and We Are Family might be seen as slightly jokey, novelty disco records, but they are so much more than that, they are fantastic bits of pop song writing, full of hooks, big choruses and killer grooves, and ultimately they are just joyous bits of pop music. Lost in Music and Thinking of You are also superb of course, Thinking of You’s hypnotic groove is so satisfying and addictive, the swirling strings against the repeating chug of the guitar while being driven forward by the bass. That may well broadly be the Chic template, but it doesn’t matter when it's done as superbly as this. I’m less familiar with the other album tracks, but I really liked Somebody to Love and Easier to Love as lower tempo, lower key songs to contrast and counterpoint the 4 big bangers. Somebody to Love is a actually great 70s soul ballad, with less of the obvious Chic elements and with great vocals and harmonies. You’re a Friend to Me is really great, a real grower, getting better with every listen. Again a slower tempo track, but with the weight and dynamism of the uptempo songs. The bass is fantastic, particularly that repeating climb. One More Time perhaps feels a bit too Chic by numbers, not quite reaching the heights of the big songs, although the piano pattern is very good and I really like the slightly un-Nile Rogers-like guitar solo. I’m right on the cusp of 4 and 5. It really is a fantastic 40 minutes of disco pop satisfaction, but I’m not sure it's quite in the top bracket of albums. The 4 big songs are absolute bangers and they are well supported by the other songs, but it is probably a bit two tiered. A 5 would also give it a chance at a podium place, as in the final reckoning I think it would be worthy of a bronze (assuming you both don’t hate it). Hmm, tricky. It’s a beautiful sunny day, the album makes me happy with its joyfulness and I’m visualising Dan in his tiny pants by a Croatian pool, so I’ll let all that get the better of me and go 5. 🛷🛷🛷🛷🛷 Playlist submission: Toss up between Thinking of You and We Are Family, I’ll go We Are Family for its pure joyous disco pop infectiousness.

Arguably the best disco record, back to back bangers. Feels a bit like a Chic album, but that can only be said as a compliment. One of my favorite feel good records.

Some massive bangers in this album and a good vibe overall

disco. nice beat. loved the album.

#blessed for Sister Sledge. "We Are Family" is easily one of the best disco songs of all time, but unlike many other albums that contain the artist's biggest hit, the rest of the album is solid. There is no dull point. Sure, the other songs are practically nobodies, but they are so smooth and delightful. Several songs are worth going into my regular rotation! Anyway, Nile Rodgers as a producer should surprise exactly no one--and I don't know how I had the audacity to be surprised.

Was ready to give this a 3 until I listened again on the good speakers and it suddenly made more sense. The drums and keys are consistently solid. The guitar is groovy. The BASS is absolutely nasty in the best way. Not every song is a winner, but the highlights are such jams. Favorites were He’s The Greatest Dancer, Lost In Music, We Are Family, and One More Time.

No. 57/1001 He's the Greatest Dancer 4/5 Lost in Music 4/5 Somebody Loves Me 4/5 Thinking of You 4/5 We are Family 4/5 Easier to Love 4/5 You're a Friend to Me 3/5 One More Time 3/5 Average: 3,75 Songs that are easy to listen to, funky and all around fun.

Man I love disco. This one was fun, some tracks you can't help but bop along to. It wasn't phenomenal but definitely good.

An enjoyable disco romp

Let's hear it for sibling ensembles like Brothers Gibb and Sisters Sledge, coincidentally both into disco funk with violins. For me it's still just too soon to reminisce about disco and this record was released just as the genre was lapsing as an ignominious fad. However, Nile Rogers and Daft Punk have done a lot since to keep it cool.

I mean, it's not bad. I've listened to much MUCH worse in the past month. Great late-70s R&B riffs going on here. You can hear Nile Rodgers all over this record. And while it's a bit repetitive, you can see why it has been sampled so much in the last 40 years.

Growing up, I used to listen to some of the songs with my mom. It was a happy time when we listened to that. It got annoying after a while though. Don’t like the rest. Could never be reminded of my childhood again.

I was not pleased to see a disco album here. I have a bias. I'm sorry. However I didn't really hate it. I actually liked the funkier parts a bit. My main problem with the album is that some of the songs go on longer than I need them too. The opening track which is a pretty good song otherwise could've tapped out about 2 minutes sooner. I'm on the fence between a 2 and a 3 here. It really should be a 2.5 for me. I'm leaning toward a 3 for being better than I expected...but no it's a 2 because disco sucks. Sorry. Bias wins.

Pretty generic and repetitive. Guess I don't find R&B as genre to be particularly appealing beyond a casual listen. The title track was ironically not something I expected lol. // Favs: We Are Family Score: Strong 2

Didn't like their style. Too soft and generic sounding.

It's pretty underwhelming. I'm not a fan of disco so I got bored pretty quickly, specially with all the remixes at the end.

I think I’d be bopping my head along to Nile Rodgers playing guitar and Bernard Edwards playing bass while I was being drawn and quartered. That’s some irresistible good times, right there. This album might be the pinnacle of disco, methinks. Such a head bopper.

Once again I am forced to ask «why on earth do so many hate on disco?»

Dit album is geweldig album! Het heeft alle hits!! *****

I knew Nile Rodgers by name, but now I know Bernard Edwards by name too. I want to listen to this again and just zone in on that funky bass. I loved loved loved this! Lost in Music is about to become my anthem. And it's such a little thrill when you get to appreciate a classic that you've heard a million times in the context of an all around great record.

Remarkable to have so many massive disco hits in one album, it must have been unbelievable when it was first released Truly, peak disco.

Great album! Great rhythm, catchy tunes, I can't help but dance and snap my fingers to it. All songs are instantly recognisable, and you know they hit it big when the tracks are still remixed decades later. The remastered version also adds production value making it an amazing listening experience. Would definitely play again!

WOW. This is great. Perfect for a Monday morning walk to work cos of the feel good vibes and perfect brisk walking speed tempo. Maybe lags slightly at the end if I had to find a negative.

The ultimate Disco Queens - Sister Sledge and Nile Rodgers. This album is not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 absolute disco dancefloor classics. Anyone who does fw disco, must have a misunderstanding the genre's complexities. Thinking of You is one of my all time top favourite songs (at least top 10). Love!

This is flat out one of the best so far. The hooks we know - We Are Family is something everyone who has attended a wedding in the past 30 years is familiar with - but the lesser known tracks are orchestral, great lyrics, beautiful voices. I WAS born in Detroit early 70s, so maybe these jams just speak to my soul, but a firm YES.

Yes <3

Nile Rodger's fingerprints are all over this album and that's a very good thing. Another easy 5.

I should listen to more disco. Lost in Music is the theme tune of this exercise.

Six things about this album and why it’s a five. Absolute disco bangers: He’s The Greatest Dancer, Lost In Music, We are Family. Like any great pop album if you can marshal three classic singles (Madonna, Prince er and probably Jackson) then who cares what the rest of the album is like. There is no point in discussing the rest of the album, which is mostly fine mid-tempo disco with one ballad, when these three demand your complete attention. Each starts with a leisurely introduction. Exactly like electronic music would do just over a decade later, Chic knew how to build tension and release. So the first track starts with the bass, drums and Nile Rodger’s brilliant guitar hook, then we get the keyboards, then the strings. Only after a minute of establishing exactly how great this groove is do we get the vocals. They start with the chorus. Worked for Motown, works here. Only perhaps Prince and Bowie have enjoyed a purple patch as rich as Rodgers and Edwards did in 1979. As well as this complete classic - to which they gave three of their very best songs, they released Risque with Le Freak and gave Spacer to Sheila B Devotion. A year later they would reboot Diana Ross with I’m Coming Out, Debbie Harry’s first solo album a year later and the quite magnificent Why by Carly Simon a year later. A few years later there would be Let’s Dance and Like A Virgin… wow. If you’ve only ever heard the single version of Lost In Music the full album track contains four minutes of quite exceptional gospel-inspired vocal shredding by Kathy Sledge. And that’s why an album of eight tracks can be a five star album on only three tracks.

Awesome, upbeat, danceable. Just what I needed. I’ll definitely return to this album.

This is an iconic album

Pure disco vibes! Love it!

Delicious yummy disco goodness. Only problem is there aren’t enough remixes!

So cool

Great album

Groovin!

I loved this - anything that gets me up and dancing on a Monday morning is a 5. Full of joyful bops and classic, funky disco. And it'd of course be remiss of me to not mention the excellent title track, which is one of the most enduring, famous disco tracks of all time. Favourite track: He's the Greatest Dancer

Came for the bangers but stayed for the lesser known tracks, all immaculately sung and played.

5 stars! Great album

5*

Wow. He's The Greatest Dancer, Lost In Music, We Are Family, One More Time.

Última semana de agosto, en una Argentina que no da respiro. Hoy toca disco de artistas que conozco porque su música está en películas y seguro que en alguna que otra serie. Álbum bien arriba, tiene tremendo groove en todas sus canciones (el toque de Nile Rodgers es innegable) y las voces del grupo son envidiables. Discazo de éste reto.

Unreal. To be a fly on the wall in these sessions would be amazing. Great vocals, timeless playing, and perfect production/remaster. I dig it.

Sister Sledge must have back problems from carrying Will Smith around all these years.

ICONIC 💫💫💫💫💫

Excellent! Nile Rodgers at his best

What you have to listen to when you want to listen to some funk + disco

I love disco. I love the memories. I love this album.

10/10. :) This is such a fun disco album! The music is funky and groovy. The vocals are great. The melodies are great. There is a lot of good bass. There are a lot of good strings. :) I totally would recommend this album. It definitely belongs on the list of 1001 must-listen albums. :)

Ja geweldig dit, echt heerlijk

Straight to the point, this is just some excellent disco produced by one of the greats. 4.5 upped to 5.

A masterpiece of disco. The singing and playing are both brilliant. It's astonishing that Rogers and Edwards had never met the Sledges before writing these songs.

Loved it!!!!!!!

He’s The Greatest Dancer // Lost In Music // Somebody Loves Me // Thinking Of You // We Are Family // You’re a Friend to Me // One More Time

Such a great album. Everyone knows the title track that will surely make you dance. But there are so many other wonderful tunes on that album like You're a Friend to me and especially thinking of you. Both should be mandatory on every wedding playlist.

This album has so many famous songs on it but I've somehow never heard their band name before. I liked this entire album, it was disco stripped down to its fundamentals. "He's The Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family" were my favorite tracks. It was all easy to listen to - I was doing lots of foot tapping and head bobbing. It wasn't too long either so I didn't get bored of the sound. Disco isn't my favorite genre to listen to at my desk chair, but I can see that this is the good stuff. 9/10

No skips

Five stars

Definition of fire. If you dont fw disco your soul is imbalanced

I have never once thought about who wrote We Are Family, but damn this was pretty good. I low key kind of like how groovy and funky disco as a whole is, and this is great disco. He's the Greatest Dancer is an awesome opener, didn't realize Gettin Jiggy Wit It sampled this, and I also really liked Lost in Music and Thinking of You.

I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. We Are Family is iconic, but the rest was unknown to me. The disco vibe is strong, the bass lines are prominent, and it was just generally a fun album to listen to. Disco is so far from what I normally listen to, but I must have been in the right mood for this album!

All the best from this era are just solely fun and good times, I will dance to this any day. And Nile Rogers once again pushing a great album to be even better.

The Niles Rodgers involvement can be heard often and I love it.

Some outrageously huge black bear ledge dancefloor energy all over this.

Classic album, so many classics on here that I knew but didn't know were sister sledge songs.

Splendid

This album grooved like crazy! This disco and R&B combo is soooo soooo good. 4.5

I really struggled to find any moment of this album that I didn't enjoy.

A delightful listen on my way to and from work on my bike, brought smiles to a lot of people's faces at stop lights

Not a bad track on this album. Loved it! Had me bopping the whole time.

Brilliant disco songs with great songwriting by Edwards and Rogers from Chic

Nile Rogers at the peak of his powers + powerhouse vocals = the best full length of the Disco era and a total desert island record

Highly enjoyable

Nice disco!! Halston, Gucci, Fiorucci…💎

disco bangers ! Nile Rodgers produced. Makes you want to get up and dance.

This is a fun album if you let it have fun--Oh, what, wow?! I mean come on, that is fun even without roller skates. However, the title track will now have a special place in my life and probably make me cry going forward. This happened to be my 1001 album the day I went to visit my dad in the ICU. I like to keep him updated with my journey as he was a big influence to my musical tastes. He said this was one of his most popular during his disco DJ and lighting days. As I was talking about it, I said I'd play a bit of it for him but had to wait for "We are family" until my other sisters arrived. We had a blast once we got to play it. Get well soon dad! <3 Favorite track "We are family" 5/5

Full to the brim with classic iconic R’n’B and soul tracks. Will Smith owes a lot to Sister Sledge. Getting Jiggy with it

R&B Bass playing is one of the best things in the world. I found myself bobbing and dancing in my chair subconsciously constantly while listening to this. Just a fuckin incredible album. Favorite Song(s): Thinking of You, You're a Friend to Me

Brilliant takes me back to my youth. Good music. What's not to like