We Are Family - Sister Sledge > Reviews > Lost in Music

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	Great songs, funky bass, great voices
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Disco. You either love it or hate it. I am in the first category. I think there is something about 70’s disco that can not fail to make you smile and dance. After a backlash against disco in the early 80’s there has been a resurgence in the genre in the past 10 years or so and this has meant a lot of the old disco artists music being re-released onto CD.

Sister Sledge are one of my all-time favourite groups, and We Are Family is one of the most played CD’s in my collection. They have great voices, and I think that this album is definitely a classic. There were four sisters in the group: Debbie, Joni, Kim and Kathy Sledge. They all share lead vocals and harmonies, but really Kathy was the main lead in the group, and was also the youngest member of the group, she was 19 when this album was recorded.

This album is written and produced by Chic’s guitarist and bassist (Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards) and Chic’s female vocalists also lend a hand on some of the background vocals for this album. So, you would be right to expect Chic style funky baselines and guitar riffs from this album, but with the added bonus of the gospel-style vocals from the four sisters. This album was first released in 1979 and re-released with added remixes in 1995.

Track
1. The Greatest Dancer. Will Smith sampled the guitar and bass line of this track on ‘getting jiggy wit it’ in 98. However, as they say ‘it’s never as good as the first time’ and Will Smith’s song was really appalling in comparison to this track. With the fantastic funky guitar and the use of strings in the background this would be a great track even without the vocals!! However, the vocals definitely make the song even better and really, capture the mood of the disco scene of the 70’s (or rather, what I imagine the seventies disco scene being like, for I was just a glint in my father’s eye in 1979!).

‘I really wasn’t caring, but I felt my eyes staring, at a guy who stood out it the crowd, he had the kind of body that would shame Adonis, and a face that would make any man proud’

2. ‘Lost in Music’ Well, everyone knows this track don’t they? Simply a classic song that never fails to hit the spot! The thumping bass line, the lyrics that everyone can relate to in some way. It’s a song about dreaming and never letting go of those dreams. I ALWAYS listen to this song before going out on a Saturday night. It always puts me in the mood for a big night out!

‘Give me a melody, that’s all that I ever need, cos music is my salvation’

3. ‘ Somebody loves me’ This is a song which proves that Sister Sledge are not just about pop and disco, but also have some depth and are capable to pull off mushy love songs too. Ballads aren’t really my thing, but this is a classy song with lovely background vocals and the use of strings in the background is really effective. I think it is a real shame that nowadays in music they rely solely on synthesises and keyboards to produce string and brass orchestration. No matter how good the equipment, they can not produce the same sound as the ‘real thing’. I think this is one of the reasons I love seventies music, because all of the instruments used are acoustic.

‘We were holding hands, makin lots of plans, through thick and thin, a lover and a friend’

4. ‘ Thinking of you’ This is my second favourite song on the album. I absolutely love the use of wah-wah guitar and the funky bass line. The melody is sweet, the vocals are equally gorgeous, and the lyrics are really lovely.

‘All the time he makes me glad that I’m alive, together we will survive, what do you think bought the sun out today? It’s my baby that’s what I say’

5. ‘We Are Family’ This song is my favourite song on the album, and one of my favourite songs of all time. I realise it’s not got the complexity or the meaning of a Paul Simon or John Lennon song, but heck, who cares? It makes me want to get up and shake my booty! I think this song has meaning for a lot of people. For me it conjures up memories of my best friend Ellie, when we used to sit on the steps at the front of my house singing a cappella. Obviously, it has a broad appeal to any section of the community, whether you are male, female, gay or straight, it is simply a great song. A funky bass line and STUNNING vocals make the song what it is. The album version of the song is eight minutes long and Kathy Sledge sung the whole thing in one take! This proves that they were not just pretty faces, but the girls really had talent too.

‘Living life is fun and we’ve just begun to get our share of this world’s delights, high hopes we have for the future and our goals in sight, we don’t get depressed here’s what we call our golden rule: have faith in you and the things you do, you won’t go wrong oh no, this is our family jewel’

6. ‘Easier to Love’ This is a lovely mid tempo easy flowing song which is about making love not war. Who am I to disagree?! Strings take a big part in this song, as does a lovely flute riff. It really is a smooth song, with quite a subtle bass line compared to all the other songs on the album!

‘I hope and prey please let the children play, all this killin’ each other, you should be lovin’ your brother’

7. ‘You’re a Friend to me’ This is one of the weaker songs on the album. It is a ballad with a big string section and what sounds like a gospel choir in the background. It is so poor, especially the opening lyrics ‘Hello, how have you been, it’s so nice to see you again’ need I say more?

8. ‘One More Time’ This song lifts the mood again into a disco feel. More chilled than We Are Family and Lost in Music but good all the same. The highlight of this song is a really great, funky guitar solo from Rodgers, very Starskey and Hutch. This song has a really good melody and lyrics, and the use of harmony is great in the chorus.

‘You know a girl needs to hear it, if all the things you say are true, why won’t you say it if you feel it, I shouldn’t always be the one to tell you’

9. ‘We are Family’ remix 1. The first remix, by Sure is Pure was a hit in the 1993 charts. It is a great track, bringing 90’s dance beats to the original track, and it also features a rather good heavy bass line.

10. ‘We are Family’ remix 2 by Steve Anderson. The second remix is a bit naff I have to say. It has some cheesy synth saxophone sounds on it, which really don’t do justice to the original classic song.

11. ‘Lost in Music’ remix 1 by Sure is Pure. This is my favourite of the remixes, it mixes the vocals well, and sounds bang up to date, would go down well in any club!

12. ‘Lost in Music’ remix 2 by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. This remix was done in 1984 and somehow lacks energy. It doesn’t sound very different to the original, apart from the vocals are filtered.

Overall this is a great album. The original album was only eight tracks long, but was still value for money as many of the tracks are extended and about 6 minutes long. However, the added remixes on the re-released version add to the appeal of the album. It brings the Sister Sledge sound right up to date and makes one realise how timeless the tunes are.

The original recordings are still the best though, and the talents of the girls and Rodgers and Edwards shine through on the originals best. They are infectious dance tunes that will never be out of date.

This is an album to listen to when you want cheering up; it can not fail to lift your spirits (unless, of course, you hate disco, in which case it will annoy the hell out of you!). The lyrics are original and unique to the Sister Sledge sound. I think young pop fans should listen to this album to see where a lot of today’s popular music comes from. I think it is a tribute to Sister Sledge that their music has been sampled so much, but a lot of young people have no idea who Sister Sledge or Chic are. It will be an education to you to realise that a lot of today’s music is not all that original.

Sister Sledge - The original and best.

This op is dedicated to my friend Art1954. Since being a member of Ciao (and 'another' consumer site) he has given me lots of support and reassurence. Jo xxx