1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #160. Sly And The Family Stone - Stand! (1969)

160. Sly and The Family Stone - Stand! (1969)

Label – Epic
Producer – Sly Stone
Art Direction – Uncredited
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 41:40

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Stand!
2. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
3. I Want To Take You Higher
4. Somebody's Watching You
5. Sing A Simple Song
6. Everyday People
7. Sex Machine
8. You Can Make It If You Try

“Stand!” was the 4rth studio record by Sly & the Family Stone, and is easily the crown achievement in his recorded works. I had never heard this record before, but of course had heard the ‘big three’ tracks on the record – “Stand!”; “I Want To Take You Higher” and “Everyday People” – which was a number-one hit single in the United States by the time of the album's release. Those songs are so ingrained in the musical landscape it’s hard to judge the songs around it, but overall I liked the record. The ‘big three’ are the best tracks, and “Sing A Simple Song” is also a great track. Sadly, the other half of the record is not so great. The jam tracks ("Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," "Sex Machine") are overblown, guideless and dated, but they are nestled in between such fantastic tracks that it hardly seems to matter. The music is infectious, powerful and the harmonies are outstanding.
The record went on to sell over three million copies, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard 200 and became one of the most successful albums of the 1960s. In 2003, the album was ranked number 118 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
It is recommended.


You can purchase the CD here or the vinyl here