Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly Stone

When I was a kid, there was a good stretch where Sly Stone more or less ruled the airwaves. Songs like “Everyday People”, “Family Affair” and "Dance to the Music" were part of the culture, part of the background. I never gave much thought to the man behind them. Like a lot of people, I knew the music but not the story.

That’s what makes this memoir such a pleasant surprise. Given Sly’s long absence and well-documented struggles with addiction, I half-expected a foggy, fragmented account from a total burnout. Instead, he’s articulate, insightful, and often very funny. He's clearly a natural wordsmith, with a fondness for puns and turns of phrase that keep the pages moving.

The early sections are the strongest. His rise from radio DJ and producer to the creative force behind Sly & the Family Stone is fascinating, especially as he describes shaping a sound that would become known as "psychedelic soul". It’s easy to forget just how much he changed the direction of Black music, and pop music more broadly, at a time when Motown and doo-wop still dominated. In that sense, the book is a valuable reminder of just how innovative (and, frankly, kinda weird) he was.

As the memoir moves into the 1970s and beyond, the tone shifts. The stories become darker, looser, and at times repetitive: drugs, excess, erratic behavior. Sly is candid, sometimes to a fault. He doesn’t smooth the edges or try to make himself particularly likable, and there’s very little reflection amidst all that chaos. It can feel less like a crafted memoir and more like a stream of recollection.

Still, there’s something compelling about hearing the story in his own voice. Even when the second half drags, it remains an honest portrait of a brilliant, flawed artist who burned bright and paid the price.

I wouldn’t hand this to a casual reader. But if you’re a fan of Sly & the Family Stone, or even just curious about one of the most influential figures of his era, it’s well worth the ride.