"Remember Who You Are" was a 1979 single for Sly & The Family Stone. It would become a hit for them that year.
| "Remember Who You Are" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Sly & The Family Stone | ||||
| from the album Back on the Right Track | ||||
| A-side | "Remember Who You Are" | |||
| B-side | "Sheer Energy" | |||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Length | 3:13 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Sylvester Stewart, Hamp Banks | |||
| Producer(s) | Mark Davis | |||
| Sly & The Family Stone singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editThe song was written by Sylvester Stewart and Hamp Banks. The producer was Mark Davis. Hamp Banks was also the executive producer for the song.[1][2] Banks also served as executive producer for the album.[3]
Following Sly and The Family Stone's signing to Warner Bros. Records and the recent release of "Remember Who You Are", Sly, referred to as Sylvester Stone was pictured with Warner Bros. staff producer Mark Davis and Warner Bros. board chairman and president Mo Ostin in the 15 September issue of Record World.[4]
Reception
editThe record was one of the Feature Picks in the 8 September 1979 issue of Cash Box. The reviewer said that Sly had returned with a smooth, slithering mixture of bluesy funk and pop from the album, Back on the Right Track. The solid rhythm section backing a sharp horn arrangement and the jazzy guitar were also mentioned. The reviewer said that Sly growled and glided his way through the hook. This was also the first single release from the album.[5]
"Remember Who You Are" was one of the Record World Single Picks for the week of 15 September. The reviewer said that it seemed like Sly had the funk in his blood and lungs and it came out in full force. The reviewer said that the backing vocals and the guitar were first rate, and the song should score across the boards.[6]
In a 20 October review of the Back on the Right Track album in Cash Box, the reviewer said that "Remember Who You Are" was a Sly Classic if there ever was one.[7]
Airplay
editThe 22 September issue of Cash Box recorded that Sly & The Family Stone had been added to the playlist of Black radio station KDAY in Los Angeles.[8]
It was reported by Cash Box in the 29 September issue that "Remember Who You Are" was no. 2 on the list of Most Added Singles on Black Contemporary radio. The stations that added the single were KMJQ, WENZ, WGIV, WAOK, WCIN, WYBC, KKTT, WOL, WWDM and WXEL-FM.[9] Also that week, FM stations that added Sly & The Family Stone to their playlists were WNEW-FM in New York and KROQ-FM in Pasadena.[10]
Chart
editCash Box
editOn the week of 22 September 1979 "Remember Who You Are" debuted at no. 86 on the Cash Box Black Contemporary Top 100 chart.[11] The next week it had moved up to no. 73.[12] On its eighth week in the chart, "Remember Who You Are" peaked at no. 28 on the week of 10 November.[13][14] It spent a total of twelve weeks in the chart. Its last entry was at no. 95 on 8 December.[15][16]
Billboard
edit"Remember Who You Are" debuted at no. 83 on the ''Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart on the week of 29 September.[17] On week 6, the single reached its peak position at no. 38 on the week of 3 November 1979.[18][19] It was also at no. 105 on the Bubbling Under The Hot 100 chart that week.[20]
References
edit- ^ 45Cat - Sly And The Family Stone - Discography, USA, Sly And The Family Stone A: Remember Who You Are
- ^ Who Sampled - Sly & the Family Stone Remember Who You Are
- ^ Cash Box, September 15, 1979 - Page 8 Sly Back With New WB LP; Re -Mix Of Past Hits On Epic by Mike Glynn
- ^ Record World, September 15, 1979 - Page 10 WB Inks Sly & The Family
- ^ Cash Box, September 8, 1979 - Page 16 or 18 REVIEWS SINGLES REVIEWS, FEATURE PICKS, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Warner Bros. WBS 49062) Remember Who You Are
- ^ Record World, September 15, 1979 - Page 17 SLY & THE FAMILY STONE - Warner Bros. 49062
- ^ Cash Box, October 20, 1979 - Page 15 REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWS, BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK
- ^ Cash Box, September 22, 1979 - Page 40 BLACK CONTEMPORARY, BLACK RADIO HIGHLIGHTS, ADDS: KDAY - LOS ANGELES - STEVE WOODS, PD
- ^ Cash Box, September 29, 1979 - Page 36 BLACK CONTEMPORARY, MOST ADDED SINGLES, 2. REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE - SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE - WARNER BROS.
- ^ Cash Box, September 29, 1979 - Page 21 FM STATION REPORTS NEW ADDS/HOT ROTATION, WNEW-FM New York - SCOTT MUNI/MARY ANNE McINTYRE, ADDS: Sly & The Family Stone, KROQ-FM PASADENA - RICK CARROLL/LARRY GROVES, ADDS: Sly & The Family Stone
- ^ Cash Box, September 22, 1979 - Page 39 CASH BOX TOP 100 September 22, 1979 86, 9/15 _, Weeks On Chart 1
- ^ Cash Box, September 29,1979 - Page 35 CASH BOX TOP 100 September 29, 1979 73, 9/22 86, Weeks On Chart 2
- ^ Cash Box, November 19, 1979 - Page 40 CASH BOX November 10, 1979 28, 11/3 31, Weeks On Chart 8
- ^ Cash Box, November 17, 1979 - Page 43 CASH BOX TOP 100 November 17, 1979 36, 11/10 28, Weeks On Chart 9
- ^ Cash Box, December 8, 1979 - Page 34 CASH BOX TOP 100 December 8, 1979 95, 12/1 71, Weeks On Chart 12
- ^ Cash Box, December 15, 1979 - Page 34 CASH BOX TOP 100 December 15, 1979
- ^ Billboard, September 29, 1979 - Page 34 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 82, NEW ENTRY
- ^ Billboard, November 3, 1979 - Page 81 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 38, Last Week 43, Weeks on Chart 6
- ^ Billboard, November 10, 1979 - Page 54 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 39, Last Week 38, Weeks on Chart 6
- ^ Billboard, November 10, 1979 - Page 31 Bubbling Under The HOT 100, 105
External links
edit- Discogs - Sly & The Family Stone – Remember Who You Are
- Sly & The Family Stone channel, Jan 19, 2018 - Remember Who You Are
- Sly & The Family Stone channel, Jun 6, 2015 - Remember Who You Are (different mix)