Stand!

You can picture Sylvester Stewart leaning back, head on the pillow of his own fro, finger connecting with James Brown's 'The Creation of Adam' style. Truly, he was touched by the divine during his period of artistic fecundity (roughly 69-73) got underway here. The music he produced was so unspeakably great that were I a musician looking for motivation it would kill my aspirations on the spot. I mean, Stand! wasn't even his best album, yet 62.5% of it would show up on any all-time best list. Those songs would reappear on Greatest Hits a year later. That was my glorious entry point to Sly, followed by the mindbending There's a Riot... and ineffable Fresh. But I've always steered clear of Stand! after reading a warning against it. Well, I thought I'd read one. I realise now I must have dreamt it. It's obvious after listening to this that no one could possibly have written it for real.

Track 2 is something

Now we're talking! This is exactly the kind of album that belongs on lists of great albums (coming from Album Guy, that means a lot). Sly & the Family Stone is one of those bands that I know I've heard, but I hadn't listened to any of their albums. Playing this album, I recognized a handful of tracks, which speaks to the ubiquity of their brand of funk. This is an American cultural milestone, without question. It works really well as an album, too. I could see myself putting this on and listening all the way through any time. I hear traces of Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!", which was obviously influenced by acts like Sly and Funkadelic (and on that note, I can't wait to listen to Maggot Brain again because there's no way it's not on this list). Sign me up for more albums like this! Favorite tracks: I Want to Take You Higher, Everyday People, Sex Machine. Cover art: Honestly, not good. The album's biggest weakness. Granted, it was the '60s, but what are we even looking at? Like multiple projections of photos on a wall of boxes? Admittedly, it's the sort of thing that would've turned me off from listening to this on my own. I would've opted for a Sly album with a better cover (like There's a Riot Going On). 4.5/5 [Ramones S/T = 3.5/5, Station to Station = 4/5]

Wow that's a lot of iconic pop in one place. The level of creative originality is incredible.

I thought this would be overly funky but it was just a great album start to finish.

Not exactly my vibe - psych/funk/soul with long instrumental breaks and very 60s melodies. I see why it might have been particularly important for it’s time given it’s social content, so historically I understand the inclusion of it but I didn’t find much that interested me musically or melodically.

Everyday People is a song that never fails to make me feel better. Pure pop perfection

A great album that shows Sly and the Family busting out tons of funk classics that can all stand (heh) tall when separated. I will say that, whilst I do kinda prefer the versions of the songs done during their segment of the Woodstock concert, as they had a fire that’s not captured in the album. This isn’t to say the album versions aren’t good, they’re still excellent and showcase the psychedelic side that the songs have.

I get the feeling it's difficult to rate this 'objectively' because this set the standard for so much music to come. All funk bands still sound like this. It's easy to forget that Sly & The Family Stone were there first. I like it because it is punchy and heavy and to the point (well, except for that 14 minute track on side 2). 7/10

This one started out rough but, by track 4, it finds its literal groove and starts bringing the deep funk that one expects from a Sly joint. That's not to say that the first few tracks are bad. From a songwriting perspective, they're solid and drop you neck deep into some serious social commentary. They're just rough... and not very funky. Still an absolute crusher of a band and a really good album with some of their most recognizable hits on it ("Everyday People" and "You Can Make It If You Try" being the biggest).

I first heard Everyday People on the radio in late 1968 & copied it onto my reel-to-reel tape recorder. It had been released as a single 6 months before this album was released. In the meantime, the band were the highlight at Woodstock. But I did not get this album until after I bought the Woodstock 3-lp set & then saw the Woodstock film, which was released in 1970. When I look at Sly’s Woodstock set-list, 5 of the 8 songs they performed were from this album. No wonder. This is a truly amazing album. And to think that Sing A Simple Song was the flipside of the Everyday People single & I Want To Take You Higher was the flipside of the Stand single. What value. The band closed their Woodstock set with Stand. What shocked me when I finally got the album was the title of Track 2 - you just didn’t hear the n-word in those days. What thrills me when I hear the album now is Sex Machine - I’m lost for words (& the band didn’t need any). Stand is one of the great 60’s albums.

oh, hell yes! Here's a record that got a LOT of play in the first share house I lived in; this and Greatest Hits (1970), which has about a 50% overlap with Stand! This mix of funk, soul, R'n'B and rock is infectious and exhilarating, even more than 50 years since its first release. I won't deny that Sex Machine is 13 minutes of filler on an otherwise tight and catchy 41 minute album. And the songs are _so_catchy. Stand!, Sing a Simple Song, I Want To Take You Higher, Everyday People and You Can Make It If You Try are all classics. Many have become standards. Within a year of the release of this album, songs have been covered or referenced by Jimi Hendrix, Ike and Tina Turner, Miles Davis, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Jackson 5, the Meters, Booker T. and the MGs. The songs on this album have been sampled hundreds or possibly even thousands of times, which makes their influence continuous to today. Prince was clearly influenced by the multi-racial, diverse gendered, and multi-genre approach of the Family Stone. The influence of this record was both instant and long lasting, and permeates much of what we do. Even down to the way that Larry Graham is laying the foundations for what funk bass playing should be. He is just starting to develop slap bass, brought to its early peak on Thankyoufalletinme (Me Mice Elf Again) the following year. You can see how important Sly & The Family Stone were at the time. Their appearance at the Summer of Soul Festival is clearly the high point of the festival for the audience, and you can see where they are pushing black music and musicians. If you watch the Summer of Soul documentary (highly, highly, highly recommended), you can see that many bands are still wearing matching suits and playing in an R'n'B style, although the beginnings of funk are starting to appear. And then out come the family Stone in their funky freak clothes, and tearing it up with their mix of rock and soul and funk. Some audience members talk about how they threw away their wardrobes and bought new clothes after seeing Sly & the Family Stone. You can see the influence they have on Hendrix and Stevie Wonder and P.Funk and the Motown bands and everyone. Their music, their fashion, their attitude, their arrangements, their inclusiveness. And the songs, those amazing songs. In 2012, I was in New York for a few weeks, when I saw that Larry Graham was playing a free lunchtime gig in a park in Brooklyn. I dragged the family down there, and he tore it up! At the end of the set he played a bunch of Sly songs, and those songs still have the power to raise the roof (even in an outdoor venue). Look at the sober, lunchtime crowd reacts to I Wanna Take You Higher. Still one of the greatest shows I have even seen. You can see some highlights at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuWUfI0z51U Here's another video, where at 1:35 you can see Ed and Alfie (briefly) onstage dancing with the band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u_b-yv9h7Q Good times!

“Stand!” is a perfect distillation of a band at the height of their powers: here, Sly and the Family Stone stride between funk, soul and psychedelia, influencing generations of musicians across all three areas and more. There are the phenomenal makings of a Greatest Hits compilation here, and all of the shorter tracks shine in their own way. While “Everyday People” is my all-time favourite for its buoyant singalong refrain, the other songs crackle with the same level of life and optimism. The title track and “You Can Make It If You Try” bookend the album with positivity, serving as anthems for the underdogs. (Also, “Stand” has a killer funky outro that hits harder than anything else here). “I Want to Take You Higher” is a barrage of heavy soul, while “Somebody’s Watching You” cleanses the palate with a sunnier, twee-without-being-naff melody. Finally, “Sing a Simple Song” manages to sit a “doh-reh-mi” major scale singalong in the middle of a rip-roaring funk track… without derailing the whole thing. Inspired. The remaining 19 minutes of the album is devoted to two tracks: “Don’t Call me N****r, Whitey” and a THIRTEEN MINUTE instrumental jam to “Sex Machine.” Both of these songs retain spunk and aggression, but also give way to extended, hazy jam sessions. They may showcase the band’s live power, but they aren’t quite as compelling on record. There’s also a heavy reliance on the talkbox here, which takes some getting used to. It goes without saying that to make it all work, the musicians are on absolutely splendid form, though drummer Greg Errico deserves a special mention for his controlled chaos at the end of “Sex Machine” and for elevating “I Want to Take You Higher”… well, higher. If “Sex Machine” had been half as long, this would have been an easy five stars. As it is, it teeters right on the edge… but I’m rounding up anyway. It’s just too much fun. (On a side note, Questlove’s 2021 documentary, “Summer of Soul”, showcases Sly Stone and co. at their peak, with earth-shattering renditions of “Everyday People” and “Sing a Simple Song”. After I saw this film and realised what a powerhouse the band must have been live, “Stand!” solidified itself as an absolute classic.)

One of a few brief forays into a joyous, jovial yet biting Family Stone, this is one of the more impactful albums that came of the late Sixties and most of the blueprint that soul and funk offered in the eventual decade can be traced to this album. Indispensable.

Slyyyyyyyyyy

I can't help think that groups like Arrested Development were strongly influenced by this. So good. So creative.

I’m a huge funk fan, why did I not listen to this sooner?! Will be revisiting often for the foreseeable future.

Calling this record a “classic” doesn’t even scratch the surface…Stand! is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. It’s funky, soulful, psychedelic and rocking. It has energy, swagger, purpose and poignancy. The songs, one after another, don’t just hit the mark, they obliterate it. Sly and the Family Stone is without a doubt one of the greatest American bands, standing head and shoulders above almost all of the competition.

Oustanding album, a bit of funk history. Bring back the 60s - and if we can do that then let's bring back Sly

A late 60’s classic. I had a Sly and the family stone out Greatest Hits album in high school and listen to it a lot (mind you, this was in the 80s). I think five of the eight songs on the original album made it onto that Greatest Hits record to give you an idea of how solid of a record this is.

This album knows what it’s about. We played a couple songs from it in jazz band in high school. 9/10

Essential in every way. Sly belongs on the Mt Rushmore of funk

Funky, joyful, political.

Excellent album. Perhaps one of my favorite. It has a really cool sound that is emblematic of the early 70s period. Not replicated in today's artists yet truly timeless. This is an album I will definitely revisit and deserves to be high on the 1001 album list. Favorite songs: Stand You can make it if you try Don't call me.....

This record is better than a double shot of espresso in making you feel alive and energized. I dug every second of this.

The apex of what sly started with this band. It is optimistic and hopeful. The band is starting to be overtly political and it grooves.

This is an amazing album. I'm realizing my preconceptions of Sly & The Family Stone being a bit loose and unfocused are based on something other than reality. This was jubilant, defiant, and inspired, and while there is a loose vibe, there's nothing unfocused about it. From the compositions to the message to harnessing the playing and singing of what sounds like a dozen people, this is awesome. I was at a 5 up until "Sex Machine," and while I'm OK with long tracks, that track seemed indulgent or... I don't know. Maybe live, a 13-minute jam would be the bomb. It dragged on the album and made me wonder if I should knock a star off the review, but as I write this, that seems frivolous. This one took me higher.

What I liked about this album : Organ, vocoder, powerful vocals, AMAZING GUITAR and harmonica, Gospel, strong racial affirmation, percussions, hands clapping, diversity, brass section, harmonies, great simplicity-complexity balance, BASS. What I didn't like about this album : It lasts less than an hour, I can never listen to it for the first time again, I will never get to experience it live at Woodstock '69.

Few bands can translate the live sound to record like Sly and the Family Stone. I Want to Take You Higher in particular jams like you’re watching them at Woodstock. The album has strength all around, from creative pop songs like Sing a Simple Song And Everyday People to the bluesy Sex Machine jam.

Late 60s early 70s funk might very well be my favorite genre, and Sly and the Family Stone's Stand! epitomizes it. This album is probably the best representation of Sly at his peak, before the drugs really started to turn him inside out as he watched the Civil Rights Movement crater. Its such a shame cuz this album is bursting with so much energy and ingenuity (the arrangements are brilliant musicianship, the sociopolitical commentary is a perfect balance of biting and idealistic) that we can only imagine what would have been had that momentum been sustained consistently over a longer period. In fact even in spite of this, some of my favorite Sly songs are from the later, darker period. Random note: I love how the production changes 10 minutes into Sex Machine. But yeah there isn't a single song on this album that I don't fully enjoy from start to finish. I'm really jealous of those who were alive when this came out. It must have blown people away.

A great album by one of the most exciting bands of all time. What a wonderful fusion of rock and funk and political and party music. I can’t believe this many hits are on one album and the long jam track was not bad either! Easy 5 for me.

This album is essentially half of a greatest hits album. The flow throughout is perfect and the album is paced well, even with the penultimate track which is about 15 minutes long. Sly & The Family Stone are one of the most important funk band of all time, and this is likely their artistic high point. The energy on this album is high and the sense of purpose and optimism shines through even as the world was falling apart around them.

If the drum breaks, bass lines, and in-your-face horn sections couldn't push the revolution to victory, nothing was going to do it.

By far one of my favorite album covers. Despite the dark lyrical subject, the music's so bright and lush. Sly is the star with his versatility, but all four vocalists have their roles, especially when they combine them into a group singalong or gospel effect. I interpreted "Sing a Simple Song" as a direct response to other types of funk that people like the Temptations were making at the time, except this is much more fun. Production is tight, and everyone is playing super well, taking turns getting their time to shine. I loved every song here. You have your hits; you have your long jammy track; and you have your deep cuts taking different styles of funk but are just as accessible and interesting. Every track has something impressive to share, and the track order was perfect too, starting with "Stand!", putting hits in the middle, and leaving "Sex Machine" near the end.

You can hear the stitches popping at the seams, this record's so full of ideas, hooks and the occasional sonic non-sequitur. This is a messy record and I love a good mess.

Another great funk album. The title track and ‘Everyday People’ are the two best songs on the album: two immortal statements in music form. ‘Sex Machine’ has great guitar, although it’s too long.

An absolute gem of a record. Social justice messages with a party sound and exquisite musicianship. Very fine!

I'm a Sly & The Family Stone fan through their Greatest Hits compilations. Unfortunately I was missing great things like the 13+ minute jam Sex Machine. Can someone please get me a cigarette? I enjoyed the more complete taste of their talents provided by this great album chock full of everything I love about this group and more. BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA-LAKA!

Right, first thing have a listen to the verse in Stand, then put Jack and Jill by Raydio into your cassette player and I think you will find that perhaps Ray Parker Jnr has listened a little too closely to Stand...Second thing...I think Rocky Mountain High enjoys a cosey relationship with Sex Machine (and maybe a bit of Frampton's Do You Feel Like We Do)...but what do I know...anyway...I think a LOT of musicians were listening very closely to this album back in the day. This album represents what I thought the 1001 was going to be all about; amazing music, great song writing and brilliant musicians. Jesus Mary and Joseph this is a phenomenal record, every track. Melody and rhythm flows out of every fibre of Sly's being, he's pulled together every Black music tradition and fused it with the best elements of White music to create something unique and special. What a band, what an ensemble, all are players and all can sing, the blend of voices, Rose, Fred, Cynthia, just sublime. And what can we say about Greg Errico, not many points of reference around for what Sly wanted but he got it, pretty fly for a white guy. And I think it would be worth getting Don't Call Me Nigger Whitey played more, it will greatly help the maturity of the discourse out there right now, he got that one absolutely right. And I wonder what Gene Allison thought of Sly's take on You Can Make It, we are a long way from 1957 Toto.. Easily one of the greatest records of all time.

14th November 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home and fixing the blocked sink. This seems to capture life, walking down the street, having lunch at a family members, sex, everything. And done with verve and heart.

There's lots to enjoy on this album; a mixture of vocal styles, swirling keyboards, stabbing brass, funky bass lines, Latin drum rhythms and psychedelic effects. I love the extended nature of some of the tracks and there's a few familiar hits present ('Stand', 'I Want To Take You Higher' and the absolute classic 'Everyday People'. Other highlights include the summery vibe of 'Somebody's Watching You' and the groovy 'Sing A Simple Song'. All in all, it's a very accessible (and danceable) counter culture record. Groovy baby!

A classic. Everyday People is too short, Sex Machine is too long (or maybe the right length for sex?@!?), but the rest is glorious. If you can, check out the documentary The Summer of Soul to see them in their prime.

Sly & The Family Stone's fourth album and their first to reach the Billboard Top 200. A much more focused album than their subsequent "There's a Riot Goin' On", taking nothing away from the brilliance of that album. This is a band effort with multiple leading and backing vocals laying down a great funky groove. The overarching feeling is one of optimism and hopefulness addressing issues such as racial and social injustice. And, one of those albums the Library of Congress included in the National Recording Registry for its aesthetical significance. The album includes their great song and #1 hit "Every Day People" which apparently popularized "Different Strokes for Different Folks." Good to know. A lot of highlights: The blues vibe and endless great groove of "I Want to Take You Higher", the optimism and great backing vocals of "Stand!" and the funky psychedelia, distorted keyboards and wah-wah guitar of the 13-minute long "Sex Machine." This album has to be one of the high points (if not the high point) of Sly & The Family Stone. My favorite for sure.

"Stand!" is such a great achievement for a band that, until this release, was struggling to reach the spotlight of american popular music. Maybe that's the reason why this is such a frenetic mix of soul and funk, with a lot of psychodelia and a rawness in the lyrical themes that shows a band working on it's political views in a way that would be more clear in future records, with equality and peace as the main themes. It's a breakthrough album that enbodies the zeitgeist of the time with near perfection. "Stand!", "I Want to Take You Higher" and, specially, "Everyday People" are the highlights.

So many well known songs it almost felt like a greatest hits album. I also really enjoyed the long jam on "side 2". A triumph of an album.

Big fan of this compared to “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” actually. Not that that album is bad, but it just never lived up to the hype for me. The lyrics are pretty direct & simple, especially compared to the more obscure Gil-Scott Heron and Eugene McDaniels stuff, but I think it fits with the live jam quality that the music has. And I guess that makes sense considering that Sly & the Family Stone was the band that made the mold for most soul music that followed. Ultimately, this is really good.

Such a good album. Nice and funky. Great mix of music.

Feels so raw and energetic and purposeful. The whole album earns that exclamation point

Soulful and jazzy. Instruments were very dynamic.

The first song made me stand up and dance, and the second song sat me down and taught me a valuable lesson. Thanks, Sly!

Aww, I've been waiting for a Sly Stone album to come up. Not the one I exactly wanted to see (which would be There's a Riot Goin' On), but this one is always a great listen. This band of delightful weirdos, I love them. Sly & The Family Stone is one of those bands whose songs are so familiar and embedded in the musical firmament, that we have to remind people of how significant they are. An interracial, gender mixed band that blended funk, soul, pop and psychedelic rock... in 1969? Sign me up. They were musical revolutionaries whose influence can still be found in any number of genres today. And oh, they're also just so much fun to listen to. That's a party you really want to be at. The album takes a few songs to heat up, but when it gets there, look out. The funk is strong with this one. The tone is exuberant and joyful. You can tell they are having fun here. The music is soulful and groovy and a little hectic with more than a hint of psychedelic flavor. Lyrically, Stone hints at social commentary without really going incredibly deep with it. It’s more of a feel good activism he embraces in songs like “Everyday People” and “Stand.” That said, "Don't Call Me..." is probably even more jarring on the ear than it might have sounded in 1969. It is really a time capsule from another era, not to mention just kind of a musically weird song. Even with all the stone cold classics on this album, today I'm digging "Somebody's Watching You," which is the sleeper track of the album. “Sex Machine” is some kind of marvelous, funky musical odyssey that really stands out from the others. Love it. Must have been a blast live. Fave Songs: I Want to Take You Higher, Sing a Simple Song, Everyday People, Somebody's Watching You, Stand, You Can Make It If You Try

Funk album that's got a lot of variety, seems like everyone in the band gets their own vocal track or at least a lot of shifting around. Some major hits on here people should recognize, a couple of songs I couldn't really get into, but overall thought it was pretty good. Added a few songs to the playlist off of this one.

Funky and feel-good music with amazing grooves. Definitely a product of 1969. Features a few of their big hits.

Good album. Always enjoy multi lead singers and a horn section.

worth for Everyday People alone but there's so much more under the apparent joy of these songs

Optimism mix with defiance to create a powerful expression of black pride - set the tone for a huge number of artists in the 70s. I didn't sex machine to go on for 13 mins. But then again, a never-ending sex jam also sets the tone for the 70s.

a wee bit wanky, but well intentioned. I'm not massive on funk as it borders self indulgent. everyday people though - yaas

Debería gustarme mas de lo que me gusta. No le doy cogido el punto

So I don’t hate this, but I don’t really love it. I can hear the beginnings of disco in it, and I think I’m not the biggest fan of disco.

Ehhhhh. Ik y’all seemed to like this one but I’m not getting behind it. A lot of it blended together with not much standing out. Stand! and Sing A Simple Song were good though. A 2 through and through

For the second time, I think I just don't get Sly and the Family Stone. It seems like a lot of wasted potential to me. "Stand!" was ok, but I stayed in my seat. "Don't Call Me..." sounded too silly for a song that feels like it should be serious, and the use of the talk box didn't help. "Sex Machine" is not sexy, and just goes on and on and on. "Everyday People" is still a classic, and a couple other tracks have a good energy, but too much of this album sounds like a mess. Apparently this was before Sly became addicted to cocaine and his behavior became "erratic," but I can't really tell much of a difference from "There's a Riot Goin' On."

None of them really stood out to me, and I actively disliked a few. Expected to like it more

I don't get it. I'm not sure there's much enjoyable about this album and wtf on song 2. certainly not an album for people looking for hidden meaning in lyrics. outside of everyday people, this isn't worth listening to.

I can see mid-teen me enjoying this. Or, more likely, claiming to enjoy this because he thought it was cool. But it's all rather rather dull and repetitive.

Veery cool!

An all time fav!!

фанк, энерджи буст, хайп, буду очень рада вернуться к этому альбому Это была первая группа в истории американской сцены, в которой на равных участвовали белые и чёрные, мужчины и женщины Историки популярной музыки значение Sly & the Family Stone видят ещё и в том, что они привили музыке чернокожих традицию социально-политического комментария

Such a great album, funk at it’s finest by one of the best bands to ever do it! Sprinkle in some remnants of 60’s pop and Motown to the funk and you have this amazing record.

4.5

4.5

10 ★★★★★

A grand slice of classic funk. You cannot stop moving listening to this… but why would you want to stop?

Sly says The Revolution will be televised, and The Revolution will be funky. Just because you are fighting the man doesn't mean you can't shake your ass. Matter of fact, if shaking your ass is wrong, Sly don't want to be right.

Different strokes for different folks, and so on and so on...great album, great band!

Yes, f*cking Sly! Hier had ik zin in. Voor mij is Sly and the Family Stone altijd de perfecte mix tussen Funk, Soul en (Psychedelic) Rock. Het is niet te overly funk (wat ik James Brown of Parliament-Funkadelic soms wel vind). Ondanks heerlijke solo's en improvisatie is het zo toegankelijk als veel popmuziek. Het is minder zwaar beladen als bijvoorbeeld Gil Scott-Heron (lijkt zijn stem wel op), maar bezingt net zo goed dezelfde politieke onderwerpen. En Stand! dan? Die heeft alles! Het nummer Stand! vind ik echt een grandioze opener. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey vind ik wat lastig maar is niet slecht I Want To Take You Higher is heerlijke funky en bevat blazers! (Boom Laka Laka!) Somebody's Watching You en Sing a Simple Song zijn prima. Everyday People is prachtig soul-nummer waar je volgens mij het refrein niet niet mooi van kunt vinden. Sex Machine is één lang hoogtepunt, wat een heerlijke jam zeg. En dan afsluiten met You Can Make It If You Try. 5 ballen 9/10 Highlights Stand! Everyday People Sex Machine

Time still creepin Specially when you're sleepin Wake up and go For what you know Yeah yeah yeah You can make it if you try I wonder if you can judge an album by how many samples it generated for later works. Anyway, if thats the case then this is like the greatest album of all time. If we're just judging on usual criteria (composition, production, lyrics, etc) then this is still an absolutely outstanding album. 5/5

an easy 5 stars! Almost a greatest hits album. Never gets old!

Wonderful album! 9/10

One of the most culturally significant records in American history. Iconic from start to finish. Genre defining

Was this before or after maggot brain? How Bay Area is this group of musicians? Gotta contextualize it to the time… but nothing but the deluxe on streaming Clearly a classic.

Stand! is good, but this is for There's a Riot Going on, which i gave a 4. I was so naive then

One of the best groups of musicians ever formed, that innovated so much seemingly without even trying. While the sounds on this album weren't as wildly unique as those to follow, you can hear that simply no one was making music like this at the time. While some might argue, I also feel as though music like this hasn't been made since. Aural experimentation for the sake of passion and joy will always sound better than experimentation for the sake of innovation alone and this record stands as a testament to that

Amazing mix of soul/gospel/funk and some rock with a very experimental feel overall. This album made me consider the time and political/social landscape it was made for. Not just because of its strong themes regarding racism and coming together, but also of positivity and keeping your head up. I think it's an absolute banger and knows how to speak to your own morale, ethics and feelings. It is also an inspiration to see this band reach such heights with a such a diverse group of people, just showing how much can be done by coming together.

Incredible stuff

Brilliant. Not a bad track on the album and the Soul/Funk/Rock of the era is still as vibrant today as it was 50 odd years ago. Influential but also danceable.

Very enjoyable album, the only one I wasn't really into was the title track for some reason. Can see how influential this was as well, classic album. At the same time, it's not one I'd be dying to put on again. Solid 9/10

Funky. Filled with classics. Doesn’t have any weaker songs and oft sampled, which again shows its quality.

Loved it, never heard it before

Groovy, feel-good funk. Loved it. Favorites: "Stand!", "I Want to Take You Higher", "Everyday People", "Sex Machine"

After the first few bars of the album I was a bit skeptical, but as the album progressed I became more and more interested. The album is a cool mix of soul and funk. And when Sly really takes his time, as in SexMachine, it becomes psychedelic. It was fun to listen to. It's worth listening to these 1000 albums for discoveries like this. 5/5

Love, love this album! From start to finish, groovy, funky, powerful.

As always, Sly and the Family Stone have brought the funkiest grooves and greatest music to the table. So good. In fact, I think my favorite tracks were actually ones that I'd never heard before. The familiar songs were (and still are) great, but there was so much other stuff that had a sound I'd never heard before from the Family, and I really dug it. A couple times I forgot who I was even listening to and had to remind myself. Very good -- five stars.

Ok I’m standing

This album blew my mind the first time I ever put it on and it still yet never disappoints. Sly burned brightly to capture all of his inner joy, turmoil, and optimism in the face of a world that did not share the brilliant colors of his spirit. This record captures his ensemble riding high with messages of equality, tenacity, and soaring raw funk played with fervor.

Banging jams on this thing, fun to just put on this vinyl and fall in love and get lost in time

好听

Rating: 9.5/10 So damn funky and soulful, can't believe this came out in 1969. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Somebody's Watching You.

Fucking love it

Great find from the list. Amazing. Favorite track: i want to take you higher other picks: everyday people, sex machine

A joyful, tender classic filled with uplift and great musicianship