Sing a Simple Song

"Sing a Simple Song" is a 1968 song by the soul/rock/funk band Sly and the Family Stone, the b-side to their #1 hit "Everyday People". The song's lyrics, sung in turn by Sly Stone, Freddie Stone, Rose Stone, and Larry Graham, with spoken word (or, rather, shouted word) sections by Cynthia Robinson, offer a simple solution for dealing with the problems and paradoxes of existence : "Sing a simple song!" As with nearly all of Sly and the Family Stone's songs, Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart was credited as the sole songwriter.

The song is one of Sly and the Family Stone's signature songs, and has been covered by a number of acts, including Dusty Springfield, Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, The Commodores, Miles Davis (during the Jack Johnson sessions), The Meters, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Prince, The Budos Band, Maceo Parker and others. It has also been sampled by numerous artists, including Ike & Tina Turner, 2Pac, Jodeci, Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Digital Underground ("Humpty Dance"), Cypress Hill, Gorillaz, Spice Girls and Adina Howard. Jimi Hendrix plays the main riff of the song on the album Band of Gypsys while he is moving to LP's last song, "We Gotta Live Together".

The song's title was mentioned in Sly and the Family Stone's hit song "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)". (1969)

Personnel

• Sly Stone - co-lead vocals, composer, producer
• Jerry Martini - tenor saxophone
• Cynthia Robinson - trumpet
• Freddie Stone - guitars, co-lead and backing vocals
• Rose Stone - piano, co-lead and backing vocals
• Larry Graham - bass, co-lead and backing vocals
• Greg Errico - drums
• Little Sister (Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, Elva Mouton) - backing vocals