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
Say You Will
Sly & The Family Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, give a damn, you all
(Y'all)
Ooh, we're not teasin' you, it would be in vain
If I'm free to see away from you it's strange
Say you will, say you will, say you will, you will
When you get up, get down, something bad for you
Say you will, say you will, say we will, I will
A whole lotta nothin' and a way to go
Jimmy cotton corn and a little bit of something
About a day too old
A hippopotamus is way too fat for me
Hip about us some of us gonna get bound
And get down but don't be free get down y'all
Say we will, say we will, say we will, I will
If the way you die makes life worth livin'
Be true what'll I say, thanks for the thing you're givin' me
Say you will, say you will, say we will, I will
A wooden nickel won't pay my bill
A chip on the shoulder not good for shit
A leaky bottom won't last too long
A freaky rival, never sing my freaky song
Give a damn y'all
Say you will, say you will, say you will, I will
Give a damn y'all
In "Say You Will," Sly & The Family Stone lyrically explore the theme of commitment and the struggle to remain true to one's word, both personally and in relationships. This song begins with a call to action to "give a damn," indicating the importance of taking responsibility and being accountable for one's actions. The repetition of "say you will" throughout the song emphasizes the need for individuals to follow through on their promises, while also highlighting the challenges that come with such a commitment.
The second verse seems to suggest that taking risks and trying new things can often be scary, but it's important to continue moving forward. When the song talks about "Jimmy cotton corn and a little bit of something about a day too old," it could be interpreted as a reference to the obstacles or challenges one may face in their personal or professional ventures. However, despite the difficulties that arise, the song still urges the listener to "say we will" and to have faith in the outcomes of their efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
Give a damn, you all ooh-ee
Take action and care about what's happening, be serious
Oh, give a damn, you all
Don't ignore the situation, show concern
Ooh, we're not teasin' you, it would be in vain
We're not joking, it's important and won't be successful without commitment
If I'm free to see away from you it's strange
Being separated from you feels unusual and uncomfortable for me
Say you will, say you will, say you will, you will
Agree to do it, give me your promise
When you get up, get down, something bad for you
Engage in harmful activities with me
Oh, your luck has found, oh ah, me and you
We're together and our luck has changed
Say you will, say you will, say we will, I will
Let's agree to do it together
A whole lotta nothin' and a way to go
Nothing much has been accomplished and there's still much to achieve
Jimmy cotton corn and a little bit of something
We have some basic materials to work with
About a day too old
We're a bit behind schedule
A hippopotamus is way too fat for me
I don't want to deal with anything too big or difficult for me to handle
Hip about us some of us gonna get bound
Let's get ready and committed for what's to come
And get down but don't be free get down y'all
Let's get serious and focused, but not too relaxed or complacent
If the way you die makes life worth livin'
If what you do is meaningful and worth doing despite the risk
Be true what'll I say, thanks for the thing you're givin' me
Be honest and do what you say you'll do, appreciate the help you're giving me
Say we will, say we will, say we will, I will
Let's all agree and work together
A wooden nickel won't pay my bill
I need real money, not worthless items
A chip on the shoulder not good for shit
Holding onto grudges and anger does not help at all
A leaky bottom won't last too long
Something that's broken or incomplete won't work well
A freaky rival, never sing my freaky song
An enemy who doesn't understand or appreciate you won't support you
Give a damn y'all
Let's care and take action together
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lee M
One of my fave songs. Funky and beautiful.
YoungMommy14
One of my all-time favourites by Sly & The Family Stone... Funky beyond comprehension!
V.M Varga
Underrated song from this band
1225youngjay
Sly at his best-funky!!!
TheOsk1e
I can dig it!
gregory griffin
the bass at the end must've lit a fuse in BOOTSY'S head!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luciano Bladimir Pantoja Acosta
Rusty Allen = Bass God
Carlos Cerdán
Sly genio!!!!!!!
Bob Jones
HOW THE FUCK CAN HE SOUND LIKE PRINCESS
Patricia A Peoples
I missed you so----I thought we were friends, the songs were our "conversations,"