Recorded - sporadically, throughout 1971
Released - November 6, 1971
#1 for weeks of December 4, 11 and 18, 1971.
It's been quite a while since Sly & The Family Stone made an appearance on this blog. What is unusual is that "Family Affair" is chronologically the next Family Stone single after 1969's "Thank You". So just what was going on with Sly and co during this period of inactivity from late 1969 through early 1971? To make a long story short, drugs...lots and lots of hard drugs.Starting in 1969, much of the band members became heavily addicted to cocaine and PCP.
By 1970, this heavy drug use had taken a hard toll on Sly. During a 1970 TV appearance, the once smiling and happy frontman had a sullen and withdrawn look and personality. There were no recordings made throughout all of 1970 and it wasn't until 1971 that Sly began work on what would prove to be a monumental album: There's A Riot Going On. Included on the album was the Stone's fourth and final #1 pop hit - "Family Affair".
The recording of "Family Affair", and indeed much of the "Riot" album, was highly unorthodox. It was recorded mostly by Sly alone, in his mobile home. The only other member of Sly & The Family Stone to appear on the recording is Rose, on vocals. The drums are provided by a drum machine, which was a rarity in this time period. The record also has a scratchy and distorted quality to it. This is due to Sly constantly re-recording and erasing tracks on the record as he built the song up throughout 1971.
But how is the song overall? It's frickin' brilliant I tell ya!
The dark sludgy sound of the recording? It's a groundbreaking new sound that opened up doors for the soul genre during the 1970's. Due to the song's fixed drum-machine drum beat, you could almost call this song proto-disco. The organ part of the song is played by keyboard wizard Billy Preston, and this adds a jazzy element to the piece.
Besides the drum machine and thumping bass-line, Sly gives this record a rather unusual vocal performance. When I first heard this song, his sleepy voice was rather off-putting. Compare this song to any of the Family Stone's earlier works and it's like "Family Affair" comes from another dimension. As I've grown used to the song and the album as a whole, the vocals now come across as delightfully raw and gritty.
They lyrics, which bring up both the positives and negatives of family life, could perhaps be a metaphor for the tensions that were arising between Sly and his bandmates. The whole "Riot" album features similar themes, yet this more mature lyrical and musical sound didn't prevent the album from becoming such a huge hit.
Following the split of the "Stone" in 1983, there have been a few partial reunions of the group over the years. One infamous full reunion from the 2007 showcased Sly at his worst. His current image and border-line homeless lifestyle is disturbing to say the least. I for one hope that he gets help, before it's too late.
Final Verdict - Putting aside the condition that Sly was and still is in, I'd rank "Family Affair" as a dark and foreboding soul masterpiece. It was a rapid change in direction that ended up paying off handsomely. Check it out for yourself as it's quite a unique sounding record.
Last Up For 1971 - "Brand New Key" by Melanie.
Until Next Time, I'm Dr. Rock and my blog is a family affair -
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