November 13, 2015

Jeff Buckley covers the great Sly and the Family Stone song "Everyday People."

Jeff Buckley died in 1997 but there's an album coming out of covers — including "Just Like a Woman" — and "Everyday People" has been made available for streaming here.

The original version can be heard here. And here's the Wikipedia article on the great song:
The song is one of Sly Stone's pleas for peace and equality between differing races and social groups, a major theme and focus for the band. The Family Stone featured Caucasians Greg Errico and Jerry Martini in its lineup, as well as females Rose Stone and Cynthia Robinson; making it the first major integrated band in rock history. Sly & the Family Stone's message was about peace and equality through music....

10 comments:

YoungHegelian said...

making it the first major integrated band in rock history.

Actually, Booket T & the MG's had them beat by a few years.

I'm sure that the music mavens in this forum will come up with others, too.

Known Unknown said...

Not rock, but Benny Goodman with Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson?

Known Unknown said...

The Crests formed in 1956. They were doo-wop, though.

Known Unknown said...

Love.

madAsHell said...

Mr. Jones spells his first name with an 'r' at the end.

mikee said...

Today I learned that the race of band members matters. All this time I've been listening to the music wrong, paying attention only to the damn sounds, not the skin color.

Thanks, Althouse! Is this part of your effort to emulate Obama's very interesting efforts in racial healing for America?

SeanF said...

I've always been partial to Joan Jett's version.

BN said...

Your next test essay question: Compare and contrast to "Everyday People" with "Straight Outta Compton." Be specific.

BN said...

Oh, and add, "what happened?"

Churchy LaFemme: said...

The Del-Vikings ("Come Go With Me") were integrated and Air Force.

The Beach Boys were integrated in 1971 when two non-white South Africans from the former group "Flame" joined the band, Blondie Chaplin and Ricci Fatarr. (Though to my mind they did not add much apart from Blondie's lead vocal on "Sail On Sailor").