Track Listing

1. Luv N' Haight
2. Just Like a Baby
3. Poet
4. Family Affair
5. Africa Talks to You "The Asphalt Jungle"
6. Brave & Strong
7. (You Caught Me) Smilin'
8. Time
9. Spaced Cowboy
10. Runnin' Away
11. Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #605382 in Music
• Released on: 2008-09-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording remastered, Import

Album Description
Since it took almost two years to make, the fifth album by now bonafide superstars Sly & the Family Stone had everyone salivating in anticipation. Needless to say, Sly did not disappoint! 1971's There's A Riot Goin' On finds the Bay Area-based genius getting funkier than before, even as his artistic vision becomes darker. Some may have been disappointed that Sly didn't simply re-create the chart successes of earlier singles, but who can argue with the flat-out brilliance of turning recent big hit "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" on its head to create the mind-boggling "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa" Two of this hypnotic album's best tunes" Family Affair" and "Runnin' Away" were gigantic chart hits, proving beyond any doubt that Sly Stone could totally deliver the goods!

Amazon.com
Certain albums both define a specific point in time and yet manage to be timeless. Such an album is There's A Riot Going On. After a few records of sexy, sunny, but never cavalier funk/pop, the twisted genius of Sly Stone turned dark, moody, reflective, angry, but no less funky for the contemplation. Stone created an album that spoke not only to the turmoil gripping America in 1971, but also to the chaos whirling around his increasingly druggy personal life. This is an album of dangerous beauty, where even the hit ("Family Affair") is guarded and haunting. --Amy Linden

Customer Reviews

Phenomenal album, insulting CD
No cute or curt additions to the reviews here: this album was as fantastic and ground-breaking as soul music ever got in America, for sure. None of the reviews below are "incorrect" when it comes to the music. But as a CD package, and I'm talking the big picture here, anyone who shells out even a dime for this CD is shorting themselves. Why hasn't this CD undergone the same white-glove remaster and artwork restoration treatment as other, less worthy albums? The cover art needs to be restored to its actual glory, including the amazing original liner notes and commentary, which are equally as important as the songs. The sound needs to be elevated beyond tin-can-and-string status, as it is on this woeful "digitized" recording. Putting on this CD, one wants to go buy a turntable. On this CD the bass guitar sounds like a fish slapping on a wet counter top. The drums are about as powerful and "up front" as the whine of a broken appliance in the middle of the night. I have the vinyl album of "There's A Riot Goin' On", and believe me, it's NOT the way the music is supposed to sound.

One of the great injustices of modern technology as it relates to our musical heritage is that certain artists haven't realized the need to reconfigure their catalogs out of respect for the current medium. Neil Young's catalog languishes on the shelf, untouched; U2 and REM haven't even started considering what to do with their masterpieces. Meanwhile, we get Flock of Seagulls, Bread, and the Bay City Rollers "remastered with the original cover art"!!! What is the deal, people? Isn't anyone going to step forward, claim this masterpiece by Sly, and do something with it that does the music, the package, and its fans proud? Until then, it's merely another record company insult to call this "good". The music rules, but the CD itself is appalling.

"Don't Dance To The Music!"
Quite frankly, I was terrified of this album. And with good reason, never before or since has such a brutal, bleak, uncomprimising, and at times downright depressing (not to mention mercilessly funky) statement been issued by a genius of pop music. This is Sylvester Stewart's harrowing chronicle of his life, and black life in general, circa 1970-71. Let me first point out the sound of the music presented here, from the opening track "Luv 'N' Haight" with it's gospel tinged backing vocals, wah wah guitars flying back and forth, Larry Graham's low, mournful bass, and the drunk, off-center meter of Greg Errico's drumming, the listener is immediately put on notice that Sly and the rest of the band are not out to make this an easy listening experience. From his first words, almost drunkenly muttered instead of sang, Sly sets the tone for an initially difficult, but ultimately rewarding and unforgettable experience. This song climaxes with an electrifying call and response(feel so good, feel so good, wanna move, wanna move) that almost makes you think this is going to be another good time dance record, when along comes "Just Like A Baby" to drag you right down into the abyss. Utter depression has never hurt this good. This lovely, moaning bummer of a song is highlighted by Larry's lead bottomed, monotonous bass line that burrows it's way into your brain and doesn't let go. "Poet" is almost an instumental that creeps along at a snails pace but Sly does appear briefly to pat himself on the back, justifiably calling himself a poet. The sole hit song here, "Family Affair" actually makes more sense in this setting and is reason alone to own this collection. The remainder of "Riot" follows a similar path, but somehow never repeats itself. My personal favorites are the paranoid "Brave and Strong" (great lyrics; "out and down, ain't got a friend, you don't know who turned you in",)"You Caught Me Smilin' Again" (Cynthia Robinson's trumpet doesn't blare, she lets it fall brilliantly flat, and Sly almost lets loose with some serious soul shouting), "Runnin'Away",(the best song ever written about facing yourself and responsibility ("look at you foolin' you"), and it has a flawless, jazzy little coda with great interplay between Cynthia's trumpet, Larry's bass and Greg's drums. And the album's closer, a slow, molasses paced remake of "Thank You Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin", "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa" featuring the funkiest bass playing ever committed to tape, trust me, it'll stink up your whole house, it's that good. All in all this is a very daring move on this gifted group's behalf, Sly & Co. sound like a completely different band than on previous releases and this LP will probably dissapoint fans looking for "Stand!" part II. But don't miss it, music this ingenious doesn't come along every day, and with the current state of affairs in modern black music, this is still an innovative song cycle that demands to be heard. Find this album. Kill if you must!

Get this (or another) IMPORT version!
Anyone will tell you that the U.S. version ... . Not sure if this import will be in stock at Amazon.com for long, so you should order it from amazon.co.uk instead, where there is a non-digipack version in print at all times. The original "flag" cover is used and the booklet is loaded with the original color photos and text. Best of all, the sound quality is FAR better than that of the awful CD we Americans have to suffer. Amazon.co.uk will only charge you about $$$ for the CD and less than $$$ for shipping. It's well worth it if you want to get the best possible version of this classic soul/funk album.