The French Fries

In 1968, on the heels of the chart success of "Dance to the Music," Sly & The Family Stone -- anchored by Sly Stone's brother Freddie Stone on guitar, his sister Rose Stone on vocals, and Larry Graham on bass -- recorded a French version of the song under the name The French Fries. "Danse a La Musique" is significantly stranger than its American counterpart: it pushes the horn section back and pulls the guitar up front, eliminates most of the lyrics, and fractures the ones that are left behind. Throughout, Sly speeds up his own background vocals until they're animated-animal chirpy. The B-side of that 1968 single, "Small Fries," has a pleasant pop melody over which Sly, still using his chipmunk voice, speak-sings a story of three teenage pigs named Freddie, Larry, and Sylvester. The three piggies receive letters from "Uncle Samuel," ostensibly concerning military service, and each of them handles the request differently.