Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and included Stone’s brother and singer/guitarist Freddie Stone, sister and singer/keyboardist Rose Stone, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, drummer Greg Errico, saxophonist Jerry Martini, and bassist Larry Graham. It was the first major American rock group to have a racially integrated, male and female lineup.
Lyrics below
[All:]
Life, Life
Past the clouds
You don’t have to come down
Life, Life
Tell it like it is
You don’t have to die before you live
[Larry:]
You might get angry some times
But don’t let it turn you around
All you gotta do
Is get your livin’ down
Life, Life
Tell it like it is
You don’t have to die before you live
[Sly:]
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
[Freddie:]
You’re gonna be sad sometime
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
Tell it like it is
You don’t have to die before you live
Don Matthews
September 2021
Flippant, Comic, and Serious 