Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedFamily Affair
Funk1970s109BPM
D minKey
More around 110 BPM → · More in D minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Sly Stone, sole credit), no dispute found — connects to “Sing a Simple Song” and “Loose Booty” in this catalogue.
Quick Facts
Released1971
AlbumThere's a Riot Goin' On
GenreFunk, Soul
LabelEpic Records
ProducerSly Stone
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Sly Stone (sole credit)
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Epic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-covered funk landmark (Tyrone Davis, The Brothers Johnson, MFSB, Iggy Pop, Bunny Wailer); its drum-machine rhythm was duplicated in The Temptations’ “Let Your Hair Down” and Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.”
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriter of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Same artist (already in this catalogue)
Same artist (already in this catalogue)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Sly Stone (Sylvester Stewart), sole credit
A poignant ironyDespite being titled “Family Affair” and becoming the group’s biggest hit, the recording was almost entirely a solo Sly Stone production. Drummer Greg Errico had already left, so Stone programmed the drum machine himself; the only actual Family Stone member on the track is Sly’s sister, Rose Stone, who sings the chorus refrain. Friends Billy Preston (electric piano) and Bobby Womack (rhythm guitar) also played, but neither was a band member. No lyrics reproduced.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
“Whatever was left”
Asked by Rolling Stone to confirm exactly which instruments he’d played on the track, Sly Stone memorably replied he’d forgotten — he simply played “whatever was left.” Stone had also initially felt the song wasn’t strong enough to be a single; his manager and an Epic A&R executive had to convince him otherwise.
Ultimate Classic Rock · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
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Times sampled
The band’s biggest hit; the first #1 with a drum machine
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itThe Temptations · Stevie Wonder
Who to Contact
FA
Sly Stone (Epic)
The sole confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 13)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass