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Sly and the Family Stone was one of my favorite bands in high school. Their records spun around my turntable until they were covered with scratches. Therefore, I was excited to discover that they now have their Greatest Hits on CD.
This group was one of the first popular bands that was racially integrated. I also remember that it was cool for both whites and blacks to listen and dance to, which was unusual for the early ‘70s. Their style incorporated R&B with rock and included such distinct voices as Sly’s gritty sound, sister Rose’s strong belting vocals and cousin Larry Graham’s bass tones. Their lyrics included messages of hope and social conscience, both common themes in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
However, this CD is the same greatest hits that I had on vinyl from 1970. Some cuts on the album were not even popular. Therefore, their later hits, “Family Affair” from 1971 (my favorite) and “If You Want Me to Stay” from 1973 are excluded. I also wish that the songs on the album could have been digitally remastered to equal the quality of today’s recordings.
Some albums are timeless and can be enjoyed decades later. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them, and this surprised me as I listened to it for the first time in 30 years. Though the messages of “Everybody is A Star,” “You Can Make it if You Try,” and “Everyday People” still ring true, the lyrics now seem trite. Though somewhat sophisticated for the time, the music is simple and bouncy by today’s standards. This is no fault of the artist, but the result of the evolution of music.
There is no question that Sly and the Family Stone had an important role in music history. However, releasing a true greatest hits compilation should have included later hits, instead of just a change from vinyl to CD format.
