Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People / Sing A Simple Song

Year Released: 1968
Genre: Soul / Funk / Psychedelic Pop
Description:
A masterpiece of optimism and unity, “Everyday People” became Sly & The Family Stone’s first #1 hit, and one of the most enduring songs of the late ’60s. Built on a simple, catchy melody and a universal message — “We got to live together” — it distilled the group’s multi-racial, multi-gender ethos into a pop anthem that transcended genre and generation.
The flip side, “Sing A Simple Song”, is the funk counterpunch — raw, syncopated, and powerful. Larry Graham’s pioneering slap-bass technique makes one of its first appearances here, laying the groundwork for the funk revolution to come.
Both sides of this 45 became sampling gold:

“Sing A Simple Song” was sampled in Public Enemy – “Fight the Power”, Beastie Boys – “Rhyming and Stealing”, Digital Underground – “The Humpty Dance”, and De La Soul – “The Magic Number.”

“Everyday People” inspired later reinterpretations, including Arrested Development’s “People Everyday” (1992) — a reworking that brought Sly’s message back to the charts in a new era.

Together, they form one of the most important 7″ releases in funk history — the sound of idealism and groove intertwined, still resonating half a century later.