TUNAGE – LATE NIGHT GROOVES

Sly Stone Asks the Question We’re Still Too Scared to Answer

So Sly Stone is gone. Damn.

We’ve lost a legend, a funk wizard, a bandleader who somehow managed to make idealism sound like a party. And tonight on LNG, we’re not just mourning—we’re cueing up “Are You Ready,” one of his most underrated gut-punches from Dance to the Music (1968). Because let’s be honest: if ever there was a time for this song, it’s right now.

Now, I know—Dance to the Music was supposed to be the band’s big “Hey radio, please like us!” moment. But buried in all the glitter and groove was this track. “Are You Ready” didn’t ask for airplay. It asked for accountability. No metaphors, no fluff, just a straight shot to the ribs:

“Don’t hate the Black, don’t hate the white / If you get bitten, just hate the bite.”

I mean, come on. That’s not just a lyric—that’s a slap. And it still stings, because we still haven’t figured it out.

Musically? It’s slick. Starts with this chilled, samba-lite rhythm, almost like it’s lulling you into safety. But then the energy creeps in. The call-and-response vocals pick up, the rhythm section starts cooking, and Sly… loses it. In the best way. His voice gets more desperate, more raw, until he’s just screaming like he’s trying to shake the apathy out of everyone within earshot.

And let’s talk about the band for a second. Black, white, male, female—all sharing the mic, the stage, the spotlight. In 1968. That wasn’t just inclusive. That was radical. Sly didn’t just talk the talk—he orchestrated it.

Sure, “Are You Ready” wasn’t the single. It didn’t chart. It wasn’t built for the Billboard crowd. But you know what? It outlasts all that. Because this track wasn’t made for a moment. It was made for every moment we’re still not ready for.

So tonight, we hit play. Not to feel nostalgic—but to feel uncomfortable. Inspired. Agitated. Ready?

Because if Sly was brave enough to ask, we should at least try to answer.

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