#118 Stand! by Sly and the Family Stone

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

118

2011 Album Rank

90

Total Points

552

Year Released

1969

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

13

Weeks at #1

N/A

RIAA Sales Certification

1,000,000 (Platinum)

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Stand! Album Details

Released in May 1969, Stand! is the breakthrough album from Sly and the Family Stone, a powerful fusion of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia delivered with an infectious sense of joy and urgency. As one of the first racially and gender-integrated bands in major popular music, the group brought a radical new energy to the counterculture era, pairing socially conscious lyrics with revolutionary grooves and communal spirit. Stand! became a call to action, an ecstatic celebration, and a pivotal influence on the direction of Black popular music.

Featuring enduring tracks like Everyday People, I Want to Take You Higher, Sing a Simple Song, and the title track, the album balances optimism with bite, confronting racism, inequality, and the need for unity with electrifying confidence. It paved the way for the funk explosion of the 1970s and inspired everyone from George Clinton to Prince to Public Enemy. In just eight tracks, Stand! established Sly Stone as both a prophet and a party-starter.

Interesting Facts About Stand!

• The album was almost derailed after a test pressing revealed poor sound quality. Sly Stone personally remixed several tracks under deadline pressure, including Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey and Everyday People.
• Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey was one of the most confrontational songs of its time, a bold rejection of racism delivered with minimal lyrics and maximum impact. It was rarely played on the radio but became a cult favorite.
• Sex Machine (not to be confused with James Brown's song) is a 13-minute jam that takes up the entire second half of the LP. It was recorded in a single take with extended improvisation.
• Everyday People became the band's first No. 1 hit. Its message of equality and its famous line "different strokes for different folks" became a part of the American lexicon.
• The album introduced new drummer Greg Errico and bassist Larry Graham, whose percussive slap-bass technique would revolutionize funk and influence generations of bass players.
• I Want to Take You Higher was originally the B-side to Stand!, but quickly became one of the band's most iconic tracks. It was performed at Woodstock and became a defining moment of the festival.
• Sing a Simple Song is one of the most sampled tracks in hip-hop, with its breakbeat and vocal shouts appearing in songs by N.W.A., Public Enemy, and De La Soul.
• Sly Stone played multiple instruments on the album, including organ, guitar, and electric piano, in addition to his lead vocals and production work.
• The Family Stone was a groundbreaking band in its lineup, two women, Black and white members, and shared lead vocals across gender lines, all of which was nearly unheard of in the 1960s rock and soul scene.
• The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015 for its cultural and historical significance.

Stand! Track List

1. Stand! - Reached #22 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
2. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
3. I Want to Take You Higher
4. Somebody's Watching You
5. Sing a Simple Song
6. Everyday People - Reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
7. Sex Machine
8. You Can Make it if You Try