life

Sly and the Family Stone sharpened their own thing and told it like it was with the fuzzy psychedelic funk and infectious grooves of this vivacious celebration.  Just five months after the release of 'Dance to the Music' the band pulled together and improved their musical stew with the release of 'Life'. 

The album features Sly Stone on production, vocals, organ, guitar, piano, harmonica, and more; Freddie Stone on vocals and guitar; Larry Graham on vocals and bass guitar; Rosie Stone on vocals, piano, and keyboard; Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and vocal ad-libs; Jerry Martini on saxophone; Greg Errico on drums; and Little Sister (Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, Elva Mouton) on background vocals.  

'Life' only charted at number one hundred and ninety-five in the US, making it their lowest charting album; but it signaled a change in soul music that proved highly influential.   The singles ('Life' and 'M'Lady') barely made it onto the hot 100 in the US, although they were both top forty hits in the UK.  The lyrics reflect the challenges of racial identity and their integrated lineup with themes of unity, brotherhood, and acceptance of differences filling out their funky fusion.  The joyous sound of 'Life' is a counterpoint to the darkening times, as the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy occurred during the recording of the album.  The album quotes from their own past (the familiar strains of 'Dance to the Music' are reprised on 'Dynamite!' and 'M'Lady') and from others (as with the Beatles' 'Eleanor Rigby' in 'Plastic Jim'); but it never seems derivative.  You might recognize the intro for 'Into My Own Thing' from the Fatboy Slim hit 'Weapon of Choice'.  






http://www.slystonemusic.com/







'Life'
full album:




All songs written by Sylvester Stewart, and produced and arranged by Sly Stone for Stone Flower Productions.

Side one
"Dynamite!" – 2:46
"Chicken" – 2:14
"Plastic Jim" – 3:31
"Fun" – 2:23
"Into My Own Thing" – 2:15
"Harmony" – 2:52
Side two
"Life" – 3:02
"Love City" – 2:44
"I'm an Animal" – 3:20
"M'Lady" – 2:46
"Jane Is a Groupee" – 2:50
bonus tracks
"Dynamite" (mono single version)
"Seven More Days" (previously unreleased)
"Pressure" (previously unreleased)
"Sorrow" (previously unreleased)