Customer Reviews

Stand

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To say that Sly & The Family stone were influential is probably an understatement. Prince has admitted many times that he grew up listening to (and loving) Sly & Company's music, and if you listen to Prince's music, you can hear where he got some of his ideas and techniques. George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic were influenced as well. Sly was probably the singlemost interesting (not to mention, the baddest) funkmeister this side of James Brown (and for what it's worth, I grew up listening to, and loving the music of other funksters like The Ohio Players, Rufus/Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind & Fire, George Clinton and others.)

1969's _Stand_ is a non-stop joy-fest: it's almost impossible not to feel uplifted after listening to this. Similarly, it'll also be difficult to stay still, as the grooves on here are just sexy, funky, infectious and downright delicious. Sly mixed up genders and races in his band, and when listening to the music, you can feel the celebration of harmony, and desire for transcendence over the many ills that have plagued society for the longest time. It was all about injecting positivity and exuberance into this mix of psychedelic funk, soul and rock, and the sunny vibe that runs throughout this album is one of the many things that make this effort highly intoxicating - so intoxicating, that even after three decades since it's release, listeners are, more than possibly, still feeling drunk from it's juices.

Just take a look at some of the song titles: "Stand!," "I Want To Take You Higher," "You Can Make It If You Try" -- the vibes are positive and spiritually uplifting throughout. And leave it to clever Sly to turn something as controversial and touchy as racism ("Don't Call Me...") into something so sexy, intoxicating, scrumptious and downright orgasmic. It's one of the most powerful forms of irony, I think. A reviewer below says there's not enough substance in the lyrics to support the topic. Well, all I have to say about that, is sometimes it's best to let the music do most -- if not all -- of the talking.. and this music doesn't just talk, it hollers! Just listen to the motif in particular (it opens up the song) where Sly is featured on what sounds like a guitar talk box (not sure if it's that, or a production technique), and how it blends with the trumpet calls, the wah-wah (or what I call the 'wow-wow') pedals, the underlying funky two-note bassline punch, and other subtle things. This particular motif is repeated many times throughout the song. However, when this particular motif is heard the final time, it reaches such an intense climax, as these instruments increase in volume and dynamics, not to mention sprinkles of soulful voices coiling around the whole thing, it becomes a devouring, orgasmic ocean of sound and emotion.

The aforementioned gargantuan of sound heard in the previous track said alot more to me than most things ever have (or could) through words. What is it that this music is hollering about? What is it trying to say? What is it pleading for? Transcendence - it's begging and screaming for transcendence over most of the unfortunate happenings (and stupidity) that plague society - racism being a part of this stupidity.

Elsewhere, tracks like "Sing A Simple Song" will get you to do just that -- sing (and dance) right along, and many people (especially of this generation) must be familiar with "Everyday People," as it's been used in certain commercials (as well as being covered by hip-hop band Arrested Development), and the 13-minute "Sex Machine" gives a bluesy I-IV-V a sexy, intoxicating, psychedelic twist, topped off by a drum solo, and some joyful laughter from Sly and gang at the end of the track.

Not much more can be said from me, as words fail to do this band and album justice. The positivity sadly turned sour on their next effort, 1971's _There's A Riot Goin' On_ (another intoxicating effort), as Sly would fall (deeper) into drug abuse and depression. Sly & The Family Stone's music has influenced countless musicians, and they are revered for good reason. This album is one example of their talent and influence.

This is one of the CDs you can't get away from. It was 1969 when this album by Sly & TFS was released and I bet the people haven't heard & seen something like this before. First of all the musical style: Too positive to be blues, too much rock to be soul and too much soul to be rock - the PROTOTYPE of a FUNK album. Then the look: Sly was the first one dressed in multi-colored clothes onstage what even inspired George Clinton for Parliament and -most of all- Funkadelic. Then they were a multi-racial group. The title track "Stand!" is more related to the Beatles' music in the first part of the song but is transforming into Sly's thang in second. Amazing ! Then the other tracks are reflecting every band member (remind Larry Graham's Central Station), they're full of political attitude (f.e. Stand!, Don't Call Me N*****, Whitey !; Sly's tracking down a guitar sound made with his mouth and Wah-Wah effect), sexual exploitation (a sharp bluesy track called "Sex Machine") and Pop standards ("Everyday People"). Wild things and topics were explored on this OVERLOOKED (yes, it is !)'69 masterpiece and you could also find a bunch of HipHop samples in here like Digital Underground's beat for the "Humpty Dance" (f.e.). It seems that the kids 2day are not interested in this music so the way to teach them simply is HipHop. Sampling kept the FUNK alive. But it's all about the promotion, then Sly would even beat out the Stones... !

Other suggestions are: "There's A Riot Going On", "Dance To The Music", "Life" and "Fresh."

Time has done nothing to diminish the impact of this music. This is the most perfect collection of songs this dynamic band ever recorded. Notice I used the term band? Because Sly Stone and Co. were truly a band in every sense of the word; a strong, cohesive unit that kept pushed one another to new hieghts on every new release and played with such funk and fire in concert, that thier power could get an entire audience dancing and chanting to the heavens (for proof, check out the bands appearance on film at Woodstock!) From Sly's soulful singing and organ playing, to the (still unmatched) funky fervor of Larry Graham's bass playing and Cynthia 'Ecco' Robinson's drop dead, blaring trumpet the band finds a groove on EVERY tune, locks in and never lets up until the closing song. The title track is a transendent piece of pop music that still gives me chills (on the second chorus when all the voices join in to sing, with building intensity;STAND! STAND! STAND! , crank up your volume and see if it doesn't give you goosebumps!) and urges the listener to take responsibilty in thier lives. "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" is still one of the most overtly political, innovative songs ever recorded. With it's almost robotic, hypnotic arrangement, and pointed lyrics, it's a mini-masterpiece on an album chock full of them. "I Want To Take You Higher" does just that, it's simply impossible to not dance when this tune is playing. "Sing A Simple Song" has yet another tricky arrangement with several breakdowns, vocal interludes, spoken word courtesy of pianist/vocalist Rosie Stone, and a jazzy horn section over Greg Errico's snapping, funky drums in the background that will have you nodding your head and pressing rewind, several times! We are all familiar with "Everyday People", a classic that secures Sly Stone's place in history as a brilliant songwriter, and is still uplifting no matter how many times you've heard it. The sprawling, epic and almost unbearably bluesy "Sex Machine" is the bands' recorded tour-de-force, and not a single note is wasted. The group truly stretches out on this extended (13:43) track that, breaks down to the slowest drumbeats I've ever heard and a really cool coda (Special Note: the joy these people felt when recording is apparent when you hear them say, 'Time' which is followed by a burst of laughter, and Sly accurately summing up the listeners' feeling with a classic one-liner, 'we blew your mind huh! ')

DAMN RIGHT.

Maybe the best rock or soul album of the 60's.I first heard this in 1969 in Vietnam and yes there were racial tensions there.This album transcended them and maybe the war itself.A work of genius that is as fresh now as 30 years ago.If this album doesn't get you up and moving nothing will.

Sly. What an innovator! Seems as if just about every popular group from Chicago Transit Authority to Funkadelic owed Sly many props (not to mention Toyota!)

It was sure hard to top Sly's first album but somehow this one did. "I Want To Take You Higher", "Stand", "Everyday People", "Sex Machine".There was not much better in that time. This music still sounds great today, with sharp horn sections, LIVE vocals, and driving rhythms.

Wonderful music. Great messages. It doesn't get any better than this.

This album was one of the first life-changing albums
for me in my musical evolution!
It's just chucked with funk classics, and if you want
to know what the pre-cursor to the funk phenomenon of the 1970's was, then this is it!
( with due respect to JB & "The One!!")
"Stand"--- begat Parliament / Funkadelic,
The Ohio Players, Mandrill, WAR, E,W&F, Cameo,
Graham Central Station (literally!),
Bootsy's Rubberband, The '70's incarnation of the
Isley Brothers, Prince, etc., etc.!!
Not to mention that, quite ironically, a lot of these generational touchstone songs are mere T.V. jingles now!

This was Sly, the genius, before the ravages of drugs and
dissipation clipped his creative wings!---Sly at 1000%!!
Even though he did some great ditties after this album like
"Thank You (Faletinmebemiceelfagin!)", "Everybody Is A Star",
"Hot Fun In The Summertime", "Family Affair",
"You Caught Me Smilin'", Runnin' Away",
"If You Want Me To Stay", "In Time", "Que Sera, Sera"
& "Loose Booty" to name a few...all which had their
impact on later decades as well, this album is his
and that ground-breaking multi-gender / multi-racial
band's funk masterpiece!

Too bad Sly Stone is only a footnote today, because he
didn't stay coherent enough to pimp his legacy like
other great pop artists of the past have!
Because he definitely deserves a place up there with
Hendrix, Brown, Lennon & McCartney, Dylan,
Clinton, Marley, etc.!!
But as long as there are die-hard music purists like myself
and many of the inquisitive young 'unz coming up today
who have boldly dared to pick up real instruments,
hone their craft and learn their music history,
then Sly & The Family Stone's legacy will survive!

I would have to agree with Brady's review that the novice should start with Greatest Hits, but Stand is probably the most eclectic, and therefore most representative album Sly ever did.

I was a college student in Columbus Ohio from '69 to '71 and had the privilege of ushering at all the rock acts that came thru the college town.

Only Ike and Tina Soul Review could even come close to Sly live and in concert. Even though he showed up a couple hours late, no one remembered that after he got done with us. The snippet of Sly in the Woodstock movie is a very small sip of Sly live.

As for "Sex Machine", I once sat in the backyard of my boyhood farm with my girlfriend and watched a Midwestern, summertime thunderstorm roll in across the prairie horizon. The noises, the anticipation, the buildup, were all perfectly captured in Sex Machine. I never tire of it.

Yeah, Sly's lyrics may sometimes be repetitive, but this was 1969 and Sly and his group broke so much new ground in music, texture, topical lyrics, politics, that the depth of the lyrics can be forgiven. The total package was a great ride for the short time they lasted.

I first got into Sly and The Fam when I listened to "Theres A Riot Goin On". I thought that could not be beaten.I mean the albums incredible, from the begaining with the kick bum " Luv and Haight" to the mind blowing " Space cowboy" and "Running Away". The sort of dread that laces the album also stands out. Then through friends I was introduced to "Life" and then " Stand". what a pair of albums, you have everything. "Stand" just blows me away.From long musical exchanges from rock to funk, to stunning melodys that even Brian Wilson and Arthur Lee cant match and then the lyrics. The production is also worth mentioning. In the history of popular music the great producers are Brian Wilson and Phil Specter and George Martin. Well Sly, who produces most of the albums that the Family have done, just has a complete knack of making the music sound so complete. Buy it and be blown away.

kiddies, this is the album i judge any black good music by, the prototype black music album from which any black artist worth his or her salt has as their primary musicial influence, these cats broke more musical ground from 67-73 with the exception of the beatles or motown, the prototype funk album, social statement. marvin gaye, george clinton, gamble and huff and norman whitfield drank from its fountain, miles davis changed his music because of it and it holds up as major musical statement 34 yrs later enuf said.

One of the greatest albums ever made. My Stero never sounded better. Everyone was talking about this record when it came out. Its almost like a greatest hit tape,you want to play the whole Album. "Stand," "You can make it if you Try," and "Everyday People,"really helped alot of people who lost there way in the 60's. Prince couldn't come close to Sly when he was in his prime. I bought a couple of Albums after this one,but this is by far the best Sly and the Family Stone have recorded.