Ten fresh and fantabulous funk songs from the 1970s

“Family Affair” by Sly & the Family Stone (1971)

Sly & the Family Stone had three number-one songs during their illustrious career. The first, “Everyday People,” (1968) is pure sunshine soul – a plea for togetherness with lyrics like “different strokes for different folks” and “so on and so on and scooby-dooby-dooby.” The second, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” had a funkier groove but equally optimistic message. It topped the charts in early 1970.

By the end of 1971, the music had changed. The music was quieter but more evocative. Sly’s sludgy vocals dripped with emotion. Lyrically, the songs addressed issues – both personal and societal – that had not typically been the subject of earlier R&B and soul music. “Family Affair” is the Athena of funk music, sprouting fully formed from the head of Zeus – or Sylvester Stewart, if you prefer – and ushering in a glorious new era.

“Theme from Shaft” by Isaac Hayes (1971)

The only problem with my coronation of “Family Affair” is that the song it replaced at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in December, ’71, was an equally funky number performed by another visionary musician transitioning from more standard R&B and soul into funk around the turn of the decade. Stax music’s Isaac Hayes was commissioned to write the music for a major studio blaxploitation film about the coolest of cool private detectives, John Shaft. Hayes’ keyboards provided an irresistible pulse and he had various horns and drums adding texture.

Lyrically, there is nothing approaching the sophistication of “Family Affair,” but musically, Hayes was a giant. In addition to hitting the top of the charts in the USA, the song won an Academy Award making Isaac Hayes the first non-actor African American to be awarded an Oscar.