Loose Booty (Sly and the Family Stone song)

"Loose Booty"
"Loose Booty"
	Cover art from Spanish release
Single by Sly and the Family Stone
from the album Small Talk
Released	1974
Genre	Funk
Length	3:46
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Sylvester Stewart
Producer(s)	Sly Stone
Sly and the Family Stone singles chronology

"Loose Booty" is a song by American band Sly and the Family Stone and the second single from their seventh studio album Small Talk (1974). An up-tempo funk track, it uses the names of Bible characters Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as a chant.

The song was sampled in "Shadrach" by Beastie Boys, "Livin' Like Hustlers" by Above the Law and "Tie Goes To The Runner" by Public Enemy.

Background

In his autobiography Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), Sly Stone wrote of the song:

Mine was built on top of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It was a Bible story: These men refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown in a fiery pit. But they didn't die. They came out, with a fourth figure leading them, the prophet Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were figures of resistance. Louis Armstrong had a song about them. Martin Luther King, Jr. mentioned them when he wrote from the Birmingham Jail. I didn't retell the whole story but I wanted a taste of it in there. Music could help you resist everyday problems. Music could keep you out of the fire.^[1]

Critical reception

In his review of Small Talk for Uncut, Peter Shapiro wrote "The great, weird 'Loose Booty', though, is almost worth the price of admission."^[2]

Charts

Chart (1974)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[3]	84
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[4]	22

References

^ Sly Stone (October 17, 2023). Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). Auwa Books. ISBN 9781250872265.
^ Shapiro, Peter (2007). "Sly and the Family Stone - Reissues". Uncut. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
^ "Sly the Family Stone Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
^ "Sly the Family Stone Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.

[1] Sly Stone (October 17, 2023). Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). Auwa Books. ISBN 9781250872265.

[2] Shapiro, Peter (2007). "Sly and the Family Stone - Reissues". Uncut. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2025.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Sly_the_Family_Stone-3] "Sly the Family Stone Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Sly_the_Family_Stone-4] "Sly the Family Stone Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.

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v t e Sly and the Family Stone
Sly Stone Freddie Stone Rose Stone Cynthia Robinson Greg Errico Jerry Martini Larry Graham Vet Stone Rustee Allen Pat Rizzo Andy Newmark Bill Lordan
Studio albums	A Whole New Thing (1967) Dance to the Music (1968) Life (1968) Stand! (1969) There's a Riot Goin' On (1971) Fresh (1973) Small Talk (1974) Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back (1976) Back on the Right Track (1979) Ain't But the One Way (1982)
Live albums	The Woodstock Experience (2009) Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th, 1968 (2015) The First Family - Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967 (2025)
Compilations	Greatest Hits (1970) Different Strokes by Different Folks (2005)
Singles	"Dance to the Music" "Life" "Everyday People" "Stand!" "I Want to Take You Higher" "Hot Fun in the Summertime" "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" "Everybody Is a Star" "Family Affair" "Runnin' Away" "(You Caught Me) Smilin'" "If You Want Me to Stay" "Frisky" "Time for Livin'" "Loose Booty" "Remember Who You Are"
Other songs	"M'Lady" "Somebody's Watching You" "Sing a Simple Song"
Related articles	Discography Sly Stone solo discography Little Sister Coming Back for More On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (book)
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