The members of Sister Sledge were born and raised in Philadelphia and began singing in local Philadelphia churches like Williams Temple CME and Second Macedonia Baptist Church. They are granddaughters of the former opera singer Viola Williams.
Their professional music career launched when they entered the UK Singles Chart in 1975 with "Mama Never Told Me". The young girl group released their first two albums, Circle of Love and Together in 1975 and 1977, respectively but, aside from scoring the Silver Prize at the 1975 Tokyo Musical for Gwen Guthrie's composition "Pain Reliever" and oft-recorded "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me," Produced by Bert Deco and Tom Bell.
The group attained pop success with their next album: 1979's We Are Family. The album would become the group's best selling. Singles included "He's the Greatest Dancer" (#9 US, #1 R&B) and "We Are Family" (#2 US, #1 R&B), the latter song becoming their biggest hit. The album was written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the group Chic.
Sister Sledge's next album was 1980's Love Somebody Today. The album included the songs "Got to Love Somebody" (#64 US, #6 R&B, #34 UK) and "Pretty Baby".
Collaborating with producer Narada Michael Walden in 1981, they released the album "All-American Girls", yielding the title track single, which reached No. 3 R&B and No. 79 Pop in the U.S. and No. 41 Pop in the UK; and the single "Next Time You'll Know", which reached No. 28 R&B in the U.S. The sisters continued singing new material throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although not matching the success of the late 1970s. They achieved a hit with "Frankie" in 1985 (#1 in the UK). In 1989 Kathy Sledge left the group to pursue her solo career. Joni Sledge produced and recorded the album "African Eyes" with her sisters Debbie and Kim Sledge in 1998 which was nominated for a Grammy as best produced CD, as well as the Live in Concert album in 1997. In 2003, Debbie and Joni Sledge performed with three other female singers which included Debbie's daughters Amber and Camille in the PBS special, My Music: 70's Soul Superstars, which is also available on DVD.
Their most popular songs have been re-released and re-recorded several times in Europe, often in newly-remixed versions. Their song "Il Macquillage Lady" written by Joni Sledge is believe to be sampled for French electronic duo Daft Punk's 2001 track Aerodynamic although Daft Punk have denied sampling the song.
The sisters continue to perform collectively and individually worldwide. The four original group members were reunited in 2011 on Oprah Winfrey's "Women Who Rock" episode, highlighting their song "We Are Family" as one of the most requested songs of all time.
We Are Family
Sister Sledge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
(And) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
(All) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose
We are family (Hey, y'all)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of this world's delights
(High) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
(We) no, we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh no
This is our family jewel
We are family (hey, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (oh, I can hear you now)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (get up, get up y'all)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family (I got all my sisters with me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (Get up and sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me (we're having fun)
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Get up, get up, get up and sing it to me
Oh, I can't hear you y'all
Oh, have faith in you and the things you do
Hey hey, oh hey hey hey
Get up, get up y'all
Oh, hey hey hey
I got my sisters with me
Everybody, hey hey hey
Get up, get up and sing it to me
We're having fun
Life, life has just begun for me
Me, me and my family
Get up, get up and sing it
Sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it to me
Yeah, we're back together like birds of a feather
Get up, come on y'all
We are family (yeah, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing (get up and sing it to me)
We are family (we're having lots of fun now)
I got all my sisters with me (get up and sing it sing it to me)
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (I got my sisters with me)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
I got all my sisters and sing
In Sister Sledge's song "We Are Family," the singer is celebrating the bond she shares with her sisters. She proudly declares, "I got all my sisters with me," emphasizing the unity and love they share as a family. Through their actions and words, they convey to others that they are united and strong together. This bond is visible to everyone around them, as they walk together as a group, and are as tightly-knit as birds of a feather. The singer asserts that their closeness is not something that can be easily dismissed or ignored by others, and they're committed to providing love ("a family dose") to those around them.
The second part of the song highlights the energy and optimism that the sisters share with each other. They speak of the fun they have in life and "the world's delights" they are yet to discover. Their shared aspirations, the energy they emanate, and their unwavering faith in each other and in themselves, keep them driving forward confidently. Ultimately, they credit their solidarity and shared values as their family jewel, an essential component that keeps them grounded while propelling them towards their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
We are family
We are all connected, and we stick together as a family.
I got all my sisters with me
I have my female family members with me, and we are united as one.
Get up everybody and sing
We encourage everyone to join us and sing along, to have fun and create joy together.
Everyone can see we're together
We are not trying to hide our unity, and we display it for all to witness.
As we walk on by
As we go about our daily lives, people can see that we are family.
And we fly just like birds of a feather
We have a strong, natural connection, just like birds of the same feather flock together.
I won't tell no lie
I am being truthful about our strong bond, and there is no need to hide it or be ashamed.
All of the people around us they say
People notice our strong connection and wonder how we can be so close.
Can they be that close
People question how close we are, doubting that familial bonds can be so strong.
Just let me state for the record
I am stating this as a fact, and there is no need to question it or be skeptical.
We're giving love in a family dose
We are spreading love and positivity, and it is amplified because we are a family unit.
Living life is fun and we've just begun
We see life as a joyous and exciting adventure, and we are just starting to experience it fully.
To get our share of this world's delights
We are taking pleasure in everything that life has to offer, and we believe we deserve it.
High hopes we have for the future
We are optimistic about what the future holds, and we believe that our dreams will come true.
And our goal's in sight
We have a clear vision and plan to achieve our aspirations.
No, we don't get depressed
We do not let setbacks or hardships bring us down, and we keep a positive outlook.
Here's what we call our golden rule
We have a guiding principle that we follow, which is to have faith in ourselves and our actions.
Have faith in you and the things you do
We believe in ourselves and our abilities, and we know that we can do great things.
You won't go wrong, oh no
If we have faith in ourselves and our actions, we will not fail, and we will succeed.
This is our family jewel
Our close bond as a family is our most valuable asset and source of pride.
We're having fun
We enjoy each other's company and spending time together, and we create joy in each other's lives.
Me, me and my family
My family is an essential part of my life, and I cherish our connection.
Yeah, we're back together like birds of a feather
Our reunion is joyful and natural, like birds of the same feather flocking back together.
We are family
We are all connected as a family unit.
Get up everybody and sing
We encourage everyone to join us and create joyful noise together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind