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
You Can Make It If You Try
Sly & The Family Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can make it if you try
Push a little harder
Think a little deeper
Don't let the plastic
Bring you down
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
Time still creepin'
'Specially when you're sleepin'
Wake up and go
For what you know
(All together now)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
You'll get what's due you
Everything coming to you
You got to move
If you want to be ahead
(All together now)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
Time still creepin'
'Specially when you're sleepin'
Wake up and go
For what you know
(All together now)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You can make it if you try
Ma-ma-make it
You can make it if you try
Pa-pa-make it
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
Make it make it make it make it make it make it, make it make it make make it make it
You can make it if you try (da da da)
You can make it if you try
Make it make it make it make it don't stop make it (good god)
You can make it if you try
You can make it if you try
Make it make it make it make it make it momma, make it momma, make it momma, make it
You can make it if you try
Make it, make it momma, make it momma, awh
The song "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly and the Family Stone is a soulful anthem of empowerment, encouraging listeners to push harder and strive for success despite the obstacles they may face. The lyrics convey a message of perseverance and determination, urging the listener not to be brought down by external pressures or distractions, but to focus on their goals and work towards them with all their might. The repetition of the phrase "You can make it if you try" reinforces the message of hope and encouragement.
Throughout the song, Sly and the Family Stone use a call-and-response style, with the lead singer shouting out the verses and the choir responding with the refrain of "Yeah, yeah, yeah." This creates a sense of unity and solidarity among the singers and listeners, emphasizing the idea that success is a shared goal that can be achieved through collective effort.
The lyrics also touch on the concepts of time and fate, highlighting the importance of taking action and making the most of the opportunities that come our way. The lines "Time still creepin', 'specially when you're sleepin'/Wake up and go for what you know" remind us that time waits for no one, and that we must be proactive in pursuing our dreams.
Overall, "You Can Make It If You Try" is a powerful and uplifting song that celebrates the human spirit and encourages us to aim high and never give up.
Line by Line Meaning
You can make it if you try
Success is achievable if you put in the effort.
You can make it if you try
Reiterating that success is within reach if you're persistent.
Push a little harder
Put in more effort than before.
Think a little deeper
Ponder more extensively on your situation and what you can do to improve it.
Don't let the plastic
Don't let material possessions or superficial qualities affect your self-worth or distract you from your goals.
Bring you down
Lower your self-esteem or discourage you from pursuing your objectives.
(All together now)
Emphasizing a collective effort to succeed.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Expressing agreement, enthusiasm, or support.
Time still creepin'
Time moves forward slowly and steadily, whether you act or not.
'Specially when you're sleepin'
Time passes quicker while you're asleep or wasting time.
Wake up and go
Get up and take immediate action to achieve your goals.
For what you know
Focus on your knowledge, skills, and expertise to succeed.
You'll get what's due you
You'll receive the rightful compensation or recognition for your efforts.
Everything coming to you
All the benefits and rewards you've earned will eventually come your way.
You got to move
You need to take action and make progress towards your goals.
If you want to be ahead
To achieve success, you must work to be ahead of the competition.
Ma-ma-make it
Refrain stating that it's possible to make it happen.
Pa-pa-make it
Refrain stating that it's possible to make it happen.
Make it make it make it make it make it make it, make it make it make make it make it
Repeatedly encouraging the listener to work hard and achieve success.
You can make it if you try (da da da)
Reiterating the theme of the song that success is possible with effort.
Make it make it make it make it don't stop make it (good god)
Encouraging the listener to not give up and keep striving for success.
Make it make it make it make it make it momma, make it momma, make it momma, make it
Refrain encouraging someone to succeed with the support and guidance of a mother figure.
Make it, make it momma, make it momma, awh
Refrain encouraging someone to succeed with the support and guidance of a mother figure.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind