1968 - May: Sly and the Family Stone “Dance to the Music”

08/19/24 • 29 min

Sylvester Stewart was born in Dallas, Texas, but moved to the Bay area of California before becoming a multi-instrumentalist and changing his name to Sly Stone - the primary driver of the group Sly and the Family Stone. This was one of the first integrated groups, and one that crossed many genres. They played what would become known as psychedelic soul, but you can trace the origins of funk, soul, and psychedelic music through Sly and the Family Stone.

The first Family Stone album was called “A Whole New Thing,” and it caught good critical coverage. Unfortunately it was a commercial failure. Clive Davis asked for a more pop friendly sound, and Sly Stone created an approach to their second album, Dance to the Music, which followed a formula. Each lead singer would take turns on lead vocals or sing together in unison, the songs would feature a prominent solo for the instrumentalists, and the lyrics would appeal to a wide audience even though they would still focus on peace, love, and opposition to racism. The group really did not care for the formulaic approach of this album, but it worked when it came to commercial appeal. “Dance to the Music” became a top 10 pop hit, and it inspired several groups to gravitate towards psychedelic soul, including the Temptations, the Impressions, and the Four Tops.

Sly Stone is the primary driver of the group, writing almost all of their songs, serving as a multi-instrumentalist, and as a primary vocalist. His borhter Freddie Stone is on vocals and guitar, and his sister Rose Stone joins the group for the first time on this album. Other members are Larry Graham on vocals and bass, Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and vocals, Jerri Martini on saxophone, Greg Errico on drums, and backing vocals by Little Sister (Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, and Elva Mouton).

Sly and the Family Stone would release a number of songs to hit the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the years to come. The follow-up album to this one is called "Stand!," and is considered the band's high water mark, along with their performance in 1969 at Woodstock. The band would encounter instability and drug problems as time went on, with the original group dissolving in 1975. Sly Stone would continue to record as "Sly and the Family Stone" for many years afterwards using rotating musicians, until drug problems basically forced him to retire by 1987.

Bruce brings the early funk for this week's podcast.

Are You Ready
This song is an expression of opposition to racism with lyrics like "Don't hate the black, don't hate the white, of you get bit, just hate the bite. Make sure you heart is beatin' right."

Ride the Rhythm
This song starts off side two of the album. It is a straightforward dance song, and has some obvious comparisons to James Brown. It has a nice mix of horns and "wah wah" guitar.

Don't Burn Baby
Scat was an early precursor to rap music, and this track is a good example of a rapid rhyme scat. The eastern feel is also reminiscent of George Harrison. "Don't burn, baby, burn. Just learn, baby, learn."

Dance to the Music
Here is the big hit off the album, and the first Sly and the Family Stone single to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Charts, peaking at number 8. It is a straight up party record, but was also one of the most influential songs of the late 60's. The formula used by Sly Stone to make the songs on this record are clear here, even though he and the group did not like that approach.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost and the Troopers (from the motion picture Wild In the Streets)
This dystopian comedy-drama became a cult hit of 1960's counterculture. Max Frost and the Troopers was a fictional rock band in the film.

STAFF PICKS:

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Lynch starts out the staff picks with a smooth grooving song off the soul duo's album “United.” Ashford & Simpson wrote and produced this song, which became a hit within a week of its release, going to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Anyone for Tennis by Cream
Rob brings us the theme song for the 1968 film “The Savage Seven,” an outlaw biker exploitation movie. Eric Clapton's lyrics depict a callous disregard for all the turmoil going on in the world, with the singers discussing going out for a game of tennis while everything disintegrates around them.

She's A Heartbreaker by Gene Pitney
Wayne features an early 60's crooner who tur...

Bruce brings the early funk for this week's podcast.

Ride the Rhythm
This song starts off side two of the album. It is a straightforward dance song, and has some obvious comparisons to James Brown. It has a nice mix of horns and "wah wah" guitar.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

STAFF PICKS:

She's A Heartbreaker by Gene Pitney
Wayne features an early 60's crooner who tur...

Previous Episode

1980 - April: Styx “Cornerstone”

Styx is approaching the height of their popularity and a bit of a turning point when they released their ninth studio album, Cornerstone. Keyboardist and vocalist Dennis DeYoung, and lead guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw take the lion's share of the songwriting duites, with one or both developing all tracks save one. The lead vocalist duties also alternate between DeYoung and Shaw, again with the sole exception being a song written and sung by guitarist James "JY" Young.

This album finds the group shifting from a more prog rock sound to a pop rock orientation. This transition would create a commercial success, with Cornerstone becoming the groups first top 5 album on the US charts - peaking at number 2. The album would produce the groups first and only number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the power ballad "Babe." It would also be a critical success, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. Not bad for a self-produced album.

The successes, however would be tempered with the first fractures appearing between the group's primary singers and songwriters. Dennis DeYoung wanted to see the group move in a more pop direction, while Tommy Shaw preferred the rock orientation of previous albums. James Young sided with Shaw in this dispute. It would eventually cause a rift in the band in the mid-80's, with Shaw and DeYoung splitting up.

Friend of the show Steve Hardin presents this classic rock and pop sensation in today's podcast.

Borrowed Time
The third single from the album was the lead track to side 2. The song is a political one, portraying a United States in trouble, but oblivious to its decline. DeYoung and Shaw co-wrote this song, and Dennis DeYoung takes lead vocal duties on this high energy track.

Boat on the River
This more folk-oriented tune was a charting single in the UK and hit number 5 on the German charts, but was not released as a single in the US. Tommy Shaw wrote and sings lead on this track, as well as playing mandolin. It began as an experiment when Shaw first acquired a mandolin, but the band thought it sounded good enough to make it on the album.

Why Me
The second single was a compromise choice. Originally DeYoung wanted the power ballad "First Time" to be released as the second single, but when Tommy Shaw objected so strenuously to releasing two ballads in a row that he threated to leave the band over it, "Why Me" became the single. Also written and sung by DeYoung, it is about feeling depressed even in the midst of success.

Babe
The band's sole number 1 single is a ballad about having to leave the one you love for a period of time. Dennis DeYoung wrote it as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne. Despite its success, it was not originally intended to appear on the album. Tommy Shaw and James Young convinced DeYoung to put it on the album.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Rawhide by the Blues Brothers
The band performs behind a protective fence in a country bar in one scene, and this is the single song from the Country AND Western genre they can play.

STAFF PICKS:

Mystery Train by UFO
Wayne launches the staff picks with a cover of a song originally recorded by Junior Parker in 1953. UFO were an English rock band originally formed in 1968. This song is off their eighth studio album which was produced by George Martin of Beatles fame.

Love Stinks by the J. Geils Band
Lynch's staff pick is a description of a love triangle in which no one gets what they want. Lead Singer Peter Wolf was married to actress Faye Dunaway at the time, and was headed towards a divorce which may have inspired the lyrics. Many will remember this song from Adam Sandler's performance in "The Wedding Singer."

Even It Up by Heart
Rob brings us the first single from Heart's fifth studio album, "Bebe le Strange." It features the Tower of Power horn section in the instrumentation. The lyrics call for reciprocity in a relationship, and also a subtle rant against the obstacles women face in the rock world.

Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd
Steve Hardin wraps up the staff picks with a song written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters. The song is used in the film "The Wall" to depict rock anti-hero Pink as a fascist dictator turning the audience into a lynch mob.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Seduction by Giorgio Moroder
This instrumental love theme from the movie "American Gigolo" was on the charts at the time.

Next Episode

1980 - May: Devo “Freedom of Choice”

While Devo is known as an early 80's new wave synth pop band, their history goes back to 1973. The classic lineup of Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, and Alan Myers developed the name Devo from "De-evolution," the idea that mankind is regressing to a herd mentality. This was a bit of a joke idea that Gerald Casale and co-founder Bob Lewis formed while at Kent State University. The band gained some local fame in 1976, and were signed to Warner Brothers in 1978 with recommendations from David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

Freedom of Choice is Devo's third studio album and their breakout commercial success. While their first two albums had generated some following, the commercial success was not at the level Warner Brothers sought, and the third album was considered a "make or break," one with the studio ready to drop the group. Success did follow this album, with Devo exploiting the upcoming popularity of new wave while drifting a little bit towards R&B and funk sensibilities within their synth-pop framework.

The album was recorded and mixed in six weeks, with bass, guitars, and drums being recorded together live, and with synthesizers and vocals being overdubbed later. The album peaked at number 22 on the Billboard 200, and the big single, "Whip It," reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Rob brings us this synthisizer-driven new wave album for this week's foray into the early 80's.

Freedom of Choice
Thie post-punk title song initially sounds like it is about freedom of choice. However, it is really about people not really having freedom of choice. Consumerism - choosing between green sneakers and blue sneakers for example - isn't really choice at all. "Freedom of choice is what you got. Freedom from choice is what you want."

Whip It
Everyone knows this signature Devo song. Mark Mothersbaugh has stated that the song was written as a subtle Dale Carnegie-esque message to Jimmy Carter, saying "you can do it." The song benefitted greatly from airplay on the fledgling cable channel MTV, where their strange video involving a guy knocking the clothes off a girl with a bullwhip received continual play.

Gates of Steel
The lead song from side 2 is a bit of a commentary on the mechanization of humanity. No matter how much we believe mankind has accomplished, we're not far removed from the ape. "A man is real, not made of steel."

Girl U Want
This was the first single released from the album, though it did not chart well. The song was supposedly inspired by The Knack, though the track reminds us more of The Cars. "She's just the girl, she's just the girl, the girl you want."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Fame by Irene Cara (from the motion picture “Fame”)
Irene Cara sings the theme song and stars in this teen musical drama about students auditioning to study at the High School of Performing Arts.

STAFF PICKS:

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
Lynch's staff pick is a song inspired by Elvis Presley. Freddie Mercury wrote the song lyrics in about 10 minutes, and the band created the song in about 30 minutes. Mercury played lead guitar for the original stuido recording. It was the first number 1 hit that Queen had on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Cars by Gary Numan
Wayne brings us the signature song from Gary Numan. It was inspired by an incident of road rage Numan experienced in London, where he had to lock his doors and drive on the sidewalk to avoid getting attacked. He was safe in his car, and inspired to write a song in about 30 minutes. It is a signature song of the New Wave genre, and there are no guitars in this track.

Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer) by Roky Erickson
Bruce features a strange hard rock song with lyrics inspired by Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov. Demikhov's research focusted on organ transplants, and he conducted dog head transplants in the 1950's. This song is off Erickson's debut album with his band the Aliens, and is considered a cult classic.

Call Me by Blondie
Rob finishes the staff picks with a hit that feaured in the film "American Gigolo." It went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, the biggest hit of Blondie's career. Lead vocalist Debbie Harry wrote the lyrics from the perspective of the main character in the film, a male prostitute.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Airlane by Gary Numan
We close out with a double dip on new wav...