Brothers Sly Stone and singer/guitarist Freddie Stone combined their bands (Sly & the Stoners and Freddie & the Stone Souls) at the end of 1966. Sly and Freddie Stone, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, drummer Gregg Errico, saxophonist Jerry Martini, and bassist Larry Graham completed the original lineup; Sly and Freddie's sister, singer/keyboardist Rose Stone, joined within a year. This collective recorded five Top 10 hits and four groundbreaking albums, which greatly influenced the sound of American pop music, soul, R&B, funk, and hip hop music. In the preface of his 1998 book For the Record: Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History, Joel Selvin sums up the importance of Sly & the Family Stone's influence on African American music by stating "there are two types of black music: black music before Sly Stone, and black music after Sly Stone". The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
During the early 1970s, the band switched to a grittier funk sound, which was as influential on the music industry as their earlier work. The band began to fall apart during this period because of drug abuse and ego clashes; consequently, the fortunes and reliability of the band deteriorated, leading to its dissolution in 1975. Sly Stone continued to record albums and tour with a new rotating lineup under the "Sly & the Family Stone" name from 1975 to 1983. In 1987, Sly Stone was arrested and sentenced for cocaine use, after which he went into effective retirement.
Cynthia Robinson - January 12, 1944 ā November 23, 2015
I Want to Take You Higher
Sly & The Family Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Music's gettin' longer too
Music is flashin' me
I want to, I want to, I want to take you higher
I want to take you higher
Baby, baby, baby, light my fire
I want to take you higher
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Feeling's nitty-gritty
Sound is in your city too
Music's still flashin' me
Don't ya, don't ya, don't ya want to get higher
Don't ya want to get higher
Baby, baby, baby, light my fire
Want to take you higher
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Higher!
Higher!
Higher!
Higher!
Higher!
C'mon light my fire
Want to take you higher
Feeling that should make you move
Sounds is there to help you groove
Music still flashin' me
Take your places
I want to take you higher
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I want to take you higher
Baby, baby, baby, light my fire
I want to take you higher
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Higher!
Let's take you
Higher!
Do you want to go
Higher!
Just meet me
Higher!
Yes, you do
Higher!
Would you light my fire
Higher!
Wanna take you higher
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Higher!
I'm feelin'
Higher!
Yeah
Higher!
Higher!
Higher
Just wanna go higher!
Higher!
I wanna take you higher!
Yea, yea
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Higher!
Always got the slip
Higher!
Ain't no way to miss
Higher!
Higher!
I wanna take you higher
Higher!
Higher!
I wanna take you higher
Higher!
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Everybody higher, higher, higher, higher, higher, higher
Sly & The Family Stone's hit single "I Want To Take You Higher" is an invitation to the listener to enjoy the ecstatic experience of music and dance. The lyrics exult in the joy of music and the feeling of being transported to another level of consciousness. The phrase "I want to take you higher" speaks to the desire to transcend the mundane and reach a state of euphoria where one is connected to the rhythm of the universe.
The repeated use of the phrase "Baby, baby, baby, light my fire" suggests the idea of passion and desire, and how music can awaken that desire within us. The frenzied repetition of "Boom shaka-laka-laka" adds to the sense of urgency and the need to let go and get lost in the music.
The lines "Feeling that should make you move/Sounds is there to help you groove" are an invitation to dance and let the music move you. The final chorus where everyone is urged to go higher, higher, higher is a call to join in the collective experience of dance and enjoyment of music.
Overall, "I Want To Take You Higher" is an uplifting and joyous celebration of the power of music to connect us to our bodies, each other, and the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
Feeling's gettin' stronger
The emotions are becoming more intense and powerful.
Music's gettin' longer too
The music is increasing in duration as well.
Music is flashin' me
The music is exciting and energizing.
I want to, I want to, I want to take you higher
I want to elevate you to a higher level of happiness and excitement.
I want to take you higher
My goal is to bring you to a higher state of consciousness.
Baby, baby, baby, light my fire
Hey baby, I want you to ignite my passion and desire.
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
An expression used to convey excitement and enthusiasm.
Feeling's nitty-gritty
The feelings are getting real and intense.
Sound is in your city too
The music is also in your local surroundings.
Don't ya, don't ya, don't ya want to get higher
Don't you want to be taken to a higher level of excitement and enjoyment?
Don't ya want to get higher
Do you not want to elevate yourself to a better state of mind and experience?
Want to take you higher
I want to bring you to a higher level of consciousness and enjoyment.
Higher!
I want to go higher and elevate my experience.
C'mon light my fire
Come on and ignite my passion and desire.
Feeling that should make you move
The feeling is so powerful that it should inspire you to dance and move your body.
Sounds is there to help you groove
The music is there to help you find your rhythm and dance along.
Take your places
Get ready to move and dance to the music.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.
Boom shaka-laka-laka
Boom shaka-laka-laka
A rhythmic expression of excitement and enthusiasm.
Let's take you
Let's elevate you and bring you to a higher level of experience.
Do you want to go
Do you want to be taken to a higher state of consciousness and enjoyment?
Just meet me
Join me and we can experience this together.
Yes, you do
You know you want to experience this.
Would you light my fire
Can you ignite my passion and desire?
Always got the slip
Always able to find a way out of difficult situations.
Ain't no way to miss
There is no way you can miss the exciting and energizing music.
Everybody higher, higher, higher, higher, higher, higher
Everyone should elevate themselves and experience this exciting and enjoyable music.
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sylvester Stewart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Feeling's gettin' stronger
Music's gettin' longer too
Music is flashin' me
I want to take you higher
Baby, baby, baby light my fire
I wanna take you higher
Boom laka-laka-laka, boom laka-laka-laka boom
Feeling's nitty-gritty
Sound is in the city too
Music's still flashin' me
Don't ya, don't ya, don't don't don't ya want to get higher
Feeling that should make you move
Sounds that should help you groove
Music still flashin' me
Take your places
...
@markkraft6719
Sly and the family stone were Way ahead of their time. Their music is awesome! Sylvester Stewart was a musical genius!
@alessandrazeni8874
1:07
@markkraft6719
@@alessandrazeni8874 I wanna take you higher! š
@andyandcallie
THIS song is the epitome of funk. Brilliant.
@mikesawyer4707
At 66 years young I am still rocking sly and the family stone.
@markallred190
He'll yell bro man
@Pgnchld
Same
@cmralph...
67 here and going strong. ā¤š§”šššš
@pjef1956
Same here ....
@nicidevine6670
Same here