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Sly Stone’s 10 Essential Songs: From ‘Dance to the Music’ to ‘Everyday People’ to ‘Family Affair,’ and More
Sly Stone, who died Monday at 82, was one of the most innovative and influential musicians of the 20th century — here are 10 reasons why.
Sly Stone wasn’t only among the first songwriter-musician-producers to create pop music that combined so many genres, and a band that mixed genders and races, so fluidly: He was also a world-class performer, an innovative lyricist, a godfather of hip-hop (and one of the most sampled artists in history), one of the first major musicians to play every instrument himself on many songs, and, before he descended into substance abuse, a symbol of positivity. “Sing a Simple Song” (1969) — With its unforgettable “Hey-hey-hey-hey” hook and innovative rhythms (driven by the group’s stellar drummer, Greg Errico), this was Sly’s next iteration of not letting things get too complex — the message is in the title, but try getting the breakdown in the middle out of your head. “Everybody Is a Star”(1969) — A kind of farewell to Sly’s era of positivity, it’s hard to imagine a stronger send-off, with its deeply soulful vocals and heartfelt melody and message: “Everybody is a star/ Who would rain and chase the dust away/ Everybody wants to shine/ Who’ll come out on a cloudy day… When the system tries to bring you down/ You don’t need darkness to do what you think is right.”
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