Sly & the Family Stone were an important and influential band from Vallejo,… Read Full Bio ↴Sly & the Family Stone were an important and influential band from Vallejo, California, United States. Active from 1966 until 1975, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia. Headed by singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and containing several of his family members and friends, the band was the first major American rock band to have an integrated lineup in both race and gender.

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 – November 23, 2015

Life
Sly & The Family Stone Lyrics

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Life, life
Clouds and clowns
You don't have to come down

Life, woo ooo, life, woo ooo
Tell it like it is
You don't have to die before you live

You might get angry sometimes
But don't let it turn you around
All you gotta do is get your livin' now

Life, life
Clouds and clowns
You don't have to come down

You might be scared of somethin' look at Mr. Stewart
He's the only person he has to fear
He'd only let himself get near

He don't trust nobody
If he stopped bein' so shady
He could have a nice young lady

Life, life
Tell it like it is
You don't have to die before you live

You're gonna be sad sometimes
You might wake up to find your pet is gone
But maybe, he's tired of bein' alone

Dog gets hip, it has to go
If you're lovin' you can't be sad no more

Life, life
Clouds and clowns
You don't have to come down

Life, woo ooo, life, woo ooo

Tell it like it is
You don't have to die before you live

Overall Meaning

The song "Life" by Sly and the Family Stone is a reassuring and uplifting song about living life to the fullest. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace life, even with its ups and downs, and to not give up or get bogged down in negativity. The repeated line "Life, woo ooo, life, woo ooo" emphasizes the importance of living in the moment and enjoying all that life has to offer.

The song also discusses the idea of fear and mistrust, using Mr. Stewart as an example. The lyrics suggest that he has a good reason to be wary of others, but if he were to let go of his shady ways, he could potentially have a happier and more fulfilling life.

The idea of loss is also touched upon, as the lyrics mention waking up to find a beloved pet is gone. However, the song urges listeners to not let sadness and grief consume them, and instead to focus on the love and happiness that the pet brought into their life.

Overall, "Life" is a message of hope and positivity, encouraging listeners to live their best life and embrace all of the joys and challenges that come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

Life, life
Life is a recurring journey

Clouds and clowns
There are ups and downs in life

You don't have to come down
Don't let the downs in life drag you down

Life, woo ooo, life, woo ooo
Life is full of surprises

Tell it like it is
Be honest and truthful about life

You don't have to die before you live
Don't wait until it's too late to enjoy life

You might get angry sometimes
Anger is a part of life

But don't let it turn you around
Don't let anger control your life

All you gotta do is get your livin' now
Make the most of life while you can

You might be scared of somethin' look at Mr. Stewart
Fear is a part of life

He's the only person he has to fear
We are often our own worst enemy