Back on the Right Track

Back on the Right Track is the ninth studio album by Sly and the Family Stone, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1979. The album was, as its title alludes to, an overt comeback attempt for Sly Stone. However, the album and its singles, "Remember Who You Are" and "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)", failed to live up to expectations.

Back on the Right Track
Studio album by Sly and the Family Stone
Released	October 9, 1979^[1]
Recorded	1979
Genre	Funk
Length	26:07
Label	Warner Bros. (BSK 3303)
Producer	Mark Davis
Sly and the Family Stone chronology
Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back (1976) Back on the Right Track (1979) Ain't But the One Way (1982)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B^[3]
Record Mirror	^[4]
Smash Hits	2/10^[5]

Some of the original Family Stone members, including Cynthia Robinson, Pat Rizzo, Freddie Stone, and Rose Stone, make contributions to this album. Back on the Right Track is the first Sly Stone album not to be produced by the artist; Mark Davis was in charge of the project.

Back on the Right Track and the following studio release, Ain't But the One Way, were combined by Rhino Records into a compilation called Who in the Funk Do You Think You Are: The Warner Bros. Recordings in 2001.

Track listing

All songs credit Sly Stone as songwriter; except "Remember Who You Are", written by Sly Stone and Hamp Banks

Side A

1. "Remember Who You Are" - 3:16
2. "Back on the Right Track" - 3:20
3. "If It's Not Addin' Up...." - 2:41
4. "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)" - 2:40

Side B

1. "Shine It On" - 4:51
2. "It Takes All Kinds" - 2:57
3. "Who's to Say" - 2:49
4. "Sheer Energy" - 3:33

Personnel

• Sylvester Stewart - vocals, keyboards, harmonica
• Mark Davis - keyboards
• Walter Downing - keyboards
• Alvin Taylor - drums
• Keni Burke - bass
• Hamp Banks - guitar
• Joseph Baker - guitar
• Roscoe Peterson - guitar
• Ollie E. Brown - percussion
• Cynthia Robinson - trumpet
• Tom DeCourcey - trombone
• Pat Rizzo - saxophone
• Steve Madaio, Gary Herbig, Fred Smith - horns
• Rose Banks, Lisa Banks, Joe Baker, Freddie Stewart - backing vocals

Technical

• Karat Faye - engineer

References

1. Who in the Funk Do You Think You Are: The Warner Bros. Recordings (CD liner notes). Sly and the Family Stone. Rhino Records. 2001. p. 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. Back on the Right Track at AllMusic
3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 9, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
4. Coyne, Peter (5 January 1980). "Sly And The Family Stone: Back On The Right Track". Record Mirror. p. 15.
5. Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (December 13–26, 1979): 29.