Sly And The Family Stone "I Want To Take You Higher" on The Ed Sullivan Show 

Thank God for him. The other white guys looked very uncomfortable.

Yeah, that white dude was definitely feeling the funky vibes. The rest too lame.

That was the essence of the group.

True, though he didn't invent it...jazz musicians had been doing it before for decades - and they did it in the face of real hardcore open racism, nationwide legalized segregation, and codified Jim Crow with no benefit of a 1965 Civil Rights Act. Sly was indeed brilliant at incorporating this musician's tradition into his core musical philosophy.

Well said, Large23

Yea so don't keep bringing it up 24/7

@@wwbuirkle - what are you going to do if he does? tell your mommy? finally take a bath? ??

White culture

@@eekamouse-js8lr It was mosty the times. People didn't want to be rude. You couldn't stand in front of somebody then like you can now.

@@vision-gc4hy Good point. I remember those days. Not wanting to be rude back then was part of white culture. Trump took care of that.

@@eekamouse-js8lr I agree with you about Trump. But back then, it was everybody's culture. It was either everybody is standing or nobody is standing. Ed Sullivan Show was a TV show and audience took instruction. Even applauded when the signs told you to applause. All Black concerts in the 70's were pretty wild. But everybody was wild. Smaller concerts and performances, people behaved very civilly. Even today, Black people believe in the integrity of standing in a line and taking turns. "It's his turn, then her turn, THEN it's MY turn. Your turn is AFTER mine."

@@vision-gc4hy Well said. I agree with you. By mentioning "white culture," it's what I was surrounded by until the age of 14, when I began at a *public* high school in 1970 (private schools up until then - which I hated), only 2 years after integration was enforced in my home town.. Then, I began to experience things outside the white culture which indeed seemed "wilder," but that was also about the time when culture in general (as persuaded by the huge youth movement), started to get wilder. Understandably, the black culture - at least, my exposure to it in high school - was suddenly a lot wilder, too, having to do, I'm certain, with the backlash from certain white & Hispanic students & their parents. There were frequent fights, some involving weapons (no guns, though!). My mention of "white culture" was actually intended to be sarcastic. Hope that better explains my terse, two-word comment. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. :)

Right I loved when Sly & Rose ran to the audience & danced so badass!!!!

Exactly. They finally started clapping to the beat.

I bet when they look back at that they realize that they seen greatness

This was a new sound at the time, I think they didn’t know how to receive it.

I think I'm one of them. Must have missed me.

i hear you man--good point on Sly's message! Everybody, include don't be rude, make it beautiful! When I saw him and the band launch into their set on 'The Summer of Soul" ahhh yeah, the power of Sly and the Family Stone came bursting off of the screen. What a positive vibe and yes, he was way ahead of his time, we need to get back to working for harmony in all ways. I'd never seen this awesome medley from Ed Sullivan, incredible!

Whilst I agree with you about Sly's stance, I can actually understand why the Black Panthers felt the way they did. Literally only a few years before Sly started, segregation was still law in the US. 1964 was when it ended, but it still took years for inclusion to be enforced. Hell, many us channels refused to air Star Trek because it had black actors in it......the shock! So you can understand why they felt that way about white people. It was really about how they were treated at the hands of white people.

@@Markhypnosis1 I hear you--I understand why the Black Panthers and Malcolm X had their views. I've watched some interviews and speeches by him in the past few months and there is merit to his stance. Of course it was MLK Day Monday and he deserves much reverence, but I do understand why the Panthers and Malcolm X and the Black Muslims didn't rule out violence. Yeah, I can see why white people were hated. The brutality of the treatment was off the charts. Another thing about "Summer of Soul" that hit me was how long ago was this and how much has really changed? It really is crazy how we are still struggling with racism as a nation and are going backwards with the dissolving of voter rights that John Lewis and many others literally fought and bled for. I've also learned more about the intense life of Nina Simone, who hated this country's racist attitudes so much she moved overseas. Her "Backlash Blues" in Summer of Soul was so powerful. Then there was "Mississippi Goddamn". In regards to Sly, I read that in the early years of the band he was all about being colorblind. That's how he actually was and it was how he approached everyone. Later on he encountered resistance to his views and it depressed him. I think he was disgusted with it and asked "What do you want from me?". He treated everyone as an equal and wanted to be treated as one himself. Plus the pressure of the songwriting, recording, tours and stardom wore him down I'm sure. It didn't help that the drugs came in so heavy. But I still look at his career as a triumph, he has given us some of the most positive, dynamic, innovative music ever! For us who are into the music, his legacy will always shine through and to me that's what it's all about. What a message! Also gave us some truth too with the "There's a Riot Goin' On" album. These Sly and the Family Stone performances blow me away--pure Gold!

And now when people say sly stone they think of Sylvester Stallone too bad they been lost in history

Why would the Black Panthers say that ?

Yeah, pretty cool considering they just won their rights a few months ago. There were likely many happy people in that room.

See my post in this video. The song, "I Want To Take You Higher" did not exist when they appeared in 1968. The lyrics were in the song "Music Lover". The following year (1969), they would take that line and merge it with the song "Higher" and create a new song called "I Want To Take You Higher".

@@shyman99 Thanks for the info!!!

@@shyman99 Thanks, I got the impression this was a 'song in the making" of what would be "Want To Take You Higher".

I saw Sly and the Family Stone co-headline with Boz Scaggs, Summer 1976, Spartan Stadium, San Jose State, CA. I was on security detail standing between the stage and the crowd barriers. They were awesome!

I am totally confused...

If only there was one for funk

Late 60s and late 70s best Funk music timeline I feel👊🏾

@@arlenak5712 Best music...period!

I didn't notice it until you mentioned it and now it's my favorite sequence (except for anything with Rose in it lol)

I totally agree-what a powerful performance! Outrageous and outstanding--colorblind indeed!!

As a white man I was left out of life’s lottery. Born without Rhythm, Soul and Funk. Gotta love the Guitar and Bass doing the James Brown Side Step Slide Sly put the Stank into every song!

I’d say you got a little funk in ya, if sly and the family stone gets you deep in your soul... you did aight.

Yeah, 100% agree - I ended up coming across a 300+ vid long playlist of all these Ed Sullivan live performances, and after going through a few dozen, this is probably my favorite so far. Sly Stone was pretty much a genius, musically - "There's a Riot Goin' On" (a lot which he recorded literally lying in bed) is a masterpiece.

He’s terribly underrated. One of my favorites too.

Kick ass rhythm!

@@antarcticorb9197 Yeah, plays kinda stiff but that bass drum rhythm at the Music lover song kicks ass. He fits that extra kick in there that really gets me. Awesome performance from everyone in the band !

were you there?

@@TwasNeverThus2 I was there my nigga

I'm really surprised the light towers didn't collapse because they whipped that crowd into a total frenzy!!

I wish they would have filmed that performance better.

1959-1974 (pre disco) were amazing for black music man

Sometimes Bruno Mars tries to be like this and he does a pretty good job. But Sly and his amazing players will always be the best in my book.

😄😄😄

I'm sure he loved it. He booked them on his show, after all.

Ed Sullivan loved it. He was the first or one of the first to have black entertainment on. He got some shade, but he didn't stop. Loved his show Watched it every Sunday night.

He exposed all of America to a wide variety of music from different styles and races even when integration was being opposed.

​@@sherrybirchall8677Exactly.

There is no one like Sly.

Seems like cell phones get in the way.

Noticed that.

I wish they’d upload the full version.

@@KevyNova - Agree. The first two songs of the medley were uploaded to this channel in an earlier post and the channel ended it early by inserting a clip of the audience clapping. It's rewriting music history and very disturbing.

@@shyman99 man that’s dirty! They’re trying to get two videos out of one performance for double clicks but chopping up someone else’s art in the process. Not cool.

"Don't hate the black, don't hate the white, if you get bit, just hate the bite." So sayeth Sylvester Stewart (AKA Sly Stone) to open this segment .Wish you had uploaded it.