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
Que Sera Sera
Sly & The Family Stone Lyrics
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I asked my mother, "What will I be?
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?"
Here's what she said to me:
"Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be."
When I was just a child in school,
I asked my teacher, "What will I try?
Should I paint pictures"
Should I sing songs?"
This was her wise reply:
"Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be."
When I grew up and fell in love.
I asked my sweetheart, "What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows
Day after day?"
Here's what my sweetheart said:
"Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be."
Now I have Children of my own.
They ask their mother, "What will I be?"
Will I be handsome?
Will I be rich?"
I tell them tenderly:
"Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.
Que Sera, Sera!"
Sly & The Family Stone's "Que Sera Sera" is a song that expresses the uncertain nature of life and the hope we all hold for the future. The lyrics begin with a young boy asking his mother about his future, hoping for guidance on what he will become. To this, his mother simply responds with "Que Sera Sera," implying that the future cannot be predicted, and we must accept what happens to us. The same sentiment is echoed when the child asks his teacher about his skills and when he falls in love with his partner.
However, as the song progresses, the chorus is repeated with a sense of resignation – we cannot know what tomorrow will bring – all we can do is hope and pray. This message is then passed down to the next generation, as the now-grown man tells his own children the same thing his mother told him when he was young.
The song takes us on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, encouraging us to live in the moment and accept our lives as they are, without worrying too much about what the future holds.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was just a little boy,
During my childhood, a time when I was still young and innocent.
I asked my mother, 'What will I be?
I inquired my mother about my future and my prospects in life.
Will I be pretty?
I was curious about whether I would have a physical appearance that would be deemed attractive.
Will I be rich?'
I wondered about whether I would be fortunate enough to acquire a vast amount of wealth.
Here's what she said to me:
My mother provided me with an answer.
Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
Whatever will be, will be
The future is uncontrollable, and events will transpire the way they're meant to, without any influence from us.
The future's not ours to see.
We have no way of knowing what the future holds.
When I was just a child in school,
During my early school years
I asked my teacher, 'What will I try?
I asked my teacher about my future prospects and what I should attempt to pursue.
Should I paint pictures?
I was curious about the possibility of having artistic abilities.
Should I sing songs?'
I was curious about the possibility of having a musical talent.
This was her wise reply:
My teacher gave me a response.
Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
When I grew up and fell in love.
When I reached adulthood and began to experience romantic feelings towards another person.
I asked my sweetheart, 'What lies ahead?
I asked my partner about our future together.
Will we have rainbows
I was curious about whether our lives would be enriched with happiness and prosperity.
Day after day?'
I wondered whether the happiness we would experience would be consistent and unending.
Here's what my sweetheart said:
My partner provided me with a response.
Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
Now I have children of my own.
In my present life, I have children who depend on me.
They ask their mother, 'What will I be?
My children are interested in their future and what they will grow up to be.
Will I be handsome?
They're curious about their physical appearance and whether they will be considered attractive.
Will I be rich?'
They wonder about their future financial prospects.
I tell them tenderly:
I carefully inform them of my thoughts and feelings on the matter.
Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
Whatever will be, will be.
The future is unpredictable, and we cannot predict what may come to pass.
The future's not ours to see.
We cannot anticipate or control what will occur in the future.
Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
What will be, will be.
Events will unfold as they're supposed to.
Que Sera, Sera!
Whatever may come, let us be content with it.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind