Sly Stone (1979) The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry) - LOST70sGEMS

 1979' Back on the Right Track was not Sly's best but proved even his least exciting work was still steeped in original writing arranging and delivery. If It's Not Addin' Up... is a groovy number with some pin point bass notes and James Brown chicken-scratch chords and Sly's honeyed vocals make this very slipery when wet though it has no wet reverb on it but it does go down easy. The mellow Funkadelic/Billy Preston duck squawk Wah Wah Moog solo is a nice addition. The Funkadelic sound is even more pronounced on The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry) which carries the same spirit of The Placebo Syndrome from Parliament's 1977 album Spaceship; the talkbox scatting and the circular chants, drum loop and female interjections are excellent but the talkbox magic from Sly as he drawls partly unintelligibly is brilliant. But the lyrics that describe the many ironies, or specifically; oxymoron of life such as how the same people who make you laugh, can make you cry and the food you like can make you die. this beautifully teaches us why balance and moderation is key, damn Sly back at it again with positive thoughtful messages and deep insight alongside wonderful musicality skills.
Who's to Say? carries a Commodores sound with some tight interlocking rhythms, muted guitar chipping away in spurts and a barrelling vocal that reminds me more of Stevie Wonder's gravelly gospel hail. The chorus group vocals are full of character particularly with more scat nonsense verse and the slight child like playfulness