SISTER SLEDGE - WE ARE FAMILY

Estrena: abril de 1979

Llistes: EUA: #2   Regne Unit: #8

"We Are Family" és un icònic himne disco composat per Bernard Edwards i Nile Rodgers. Inicialment rebutjada per Atlantic Records, la pista va guanyar impuls després del seu llançament l’abril de 1979 com a senzill de l'àlbum del mateix nom de les Sister Sledge. L'àlbum, "We Are Family", va debutar amb el single principal "He's The Greatest Dancer", que va arribar al número 9 als Estats Units. Aquest èxit va marcar una avanç significatiu per a les Sledge, especialment tenint en compte que la seva entrada anterior a les llistes, "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me", només va arribar al número 92 el 1975. Va ser la cançó titular, "We Are Family", la que va donar l’impuls definitiu a les Sister Sledge a l’estrellat. La cançó va assolir el número 2 al juny de 1979, privada d’arribar al cim, primer per "Hot Stuff" de Donna Summer i després per "Ring My Bell" d'Anita Ward. "We Are Family" es va convertir ràpidament en la cançó emblemàtica del grup.

Kathy Sledge, la més jove de les germanes, va ser la cantant principal a "We Are Family" i també a "He's the Greatest Dancer". Durant el procés d'enregistrament, Kathy inicialment no coneixia la lletra. Nile Rodgers i Bernard Edwards, els compositors de la cançó, li van dir cada frase a través dels auriculars mentre cantava, donant-li així a la seva interpretació un toc espontani i dinàmic. Per afegir encant a la cançó, Luther Vandross, que també formava part del segell discogràfic Cotillion com les Sister Sledge, va fer les veus d’acompanyament. Vandross aconseguiria més tard un gran èxit en la seva carrera en solitari a partir de 1981 amb el seu àlbum "Never Too Much".

La tornada de "We Are Family" destaca com el punt central de la cançó, repetint-se dues vegades al principi i dues vegades més després del primer vers, abans de desaparèixer després del segon vers.

"És molt més que només una cosa de família", va manifestar Debbie Sledge en una entrevista del 2023 amb la revista Hello, reflexionant sobre l’importància de "We Are Family". La lletra, especialment la frase "I got all my sisters with me" (Tinc totes les meves germanes amb mi), evoca un sentiment d'unitat i solidaritat que transcendeix les relacions familiars. La cançó destaca el poder de l’unitat entre totes les persones que es reuneixen amb un propòsit comú, ja sigui per ajudar-se mútuament o per esforçar-se per aconseguir resultats positius.

"We Are Family" va marcar un fet destacable per a Nile Rodgers i Bernard Edwards com a compositors i productors. Abans d'aquesta cançó, havien aconseguit èxit bàsicament amb la seva pròpia banda, Chic. No obstant això, el president d'Atlantic Records, Jerry L. Greenberg, els va animar a escriure i produïr cançons per a altres artistes del segell. Inicialment reticents a treballar amb artistes ja establerts, Rodgers i Edwards van decidir acceptar el repte col·laborant amb Sister Sledge, unes de les artistes menys conegudes del segell. L'èxit de "We Are Family" no només va catapultar Sister Sledge a la fama, sinó que també va mostrar el talent en la composició i en la producció de Rodgers i Edwards més enllà de la seva pròpia banda.

El vídeo musical es va filmar el 1979 per promocionar el llançament del single. En el vídeo, el grup va apareixer amb vestits vermells, irradiant una presència vibrant i enèrgica mentre ballaven. L'ambientació del vídeo semblava treta d’una escena de carrer, mostrant una atmosfera animada que capturava l'esperit de l'era disco.

SISTER SLEDGE - WE ARE FAMILY 

Released: April 1979

Charted:  US: #2   UK: #8 

"We Are Family" is an iconic disco anthem composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Initially declined by Atlantic Records, the track gained momentum after its release in April 1979 as a single from the album of the same name. The album, "We Are Family," debuted with the lead single "He's The Greatest Dancer," which reached #9 in the US. This success marked a significant breakthrough for Sister Sledge, especially considering their previous chart entry, "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me," only reached #92 in 1975. It was the title track, "We Are Family," that propelled Sister Sledge to even greater heights. The song soared to #2 in June 1979, narrowly missing the top spot held by Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell". "We Are Family" quickly became the group's signature song.

Kathy Sledge, the youngest of the sisters, took the lead on "We Are Family" as well as on "He's the Greatest Dancer". During the recording process, Kathy didn't initially know the lyrics. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, the song's composers, fed her each line through her headphones as she sang, giving her vocal delivery a spontaneous and dynamic feel. Adding to the song's allure, Luther Vandross, who was also signed to the Cotillion label like Sister Sledge, provided backup vocals on the track. Vandross would later achieve significant success with his solo career starting in 1981 with his album "Never Too Much".

The chorus of "We Are Family" stands out as the song's centerpiece, repeating twice at the beginning and two more times after the first verse, before fading out after the second verse. Its catchy and memorable nature ensures that it leaves a lasting impression on listeners.

"It is so much more than just a family thing", Debbie Sledge shared in a 2023 interview with Hello magazine, reflecting on the enduring appeal and significance of "We Are Family". The lyrics, particularly the line "I got all my sisters with me", evoke a sense of unity and solidarity that transcends familial relationships. Instead, the song celebrates the power of unity among all individuals who come together with a common purpose, whether it's building each other up or striving to achieve positive outcomes.

"We Are Family" marked a significant milestone for Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards as songwriters and producers. Prior to this song, they had achieved success primarily with their own band Chic. However, Atlantic Records President Jerry L. Greenberg encouraged them to explore writing and producing for other artists on the label. Initially hesitant to work with established artists, Rodgers and Edwards decided to take on the challenge by collaborating with Sister Sledge, one of the label's less established acts. The success of "We Are Family" not only catapulted Sister Sledge to fame but also showcased Rodgers and Edwards' songwriting and production talents beyond their own band Chic.

The music video for "We Are Family" was filmed in 1979 to promote the single's release. In the video, the group is dressed in red outfits, exuding a vibrant and energetic presence as they dance to the song. The setting of the video resembles a street scene, adding to the lively atmosphere and capturing the spirit of the disco era.