We Are Family ( song ) - wikipedia We Are Family ( song ) `` We Are Family '' Single by Sister Sledge from the album We Are Family B - side `` Easier to Love '' Released April 1979 Format 7 - inch single Recorded 1978 Studio The Power Station, New York City Genre R&B disco soul Length 8 : 24 Label Cotillion Songwriter ( s ) Bernard Edwards Nile Rodgers Producer ( s ) Nile Rodgers Bernard Edwards Sister Sledge singles chronology `` He 's the Greatest Dancer '' ( 1979 ) `` We Are Family '' ( 1979 ) `` Lost in Music '' ( 1979 ) `` He 's the Greatest Dancer '' ( 1979 ) `` We Are Family '' ( 1979 ) `` Lost in Music '' ( 1979 ) `` We Are Family '' is a song by the American vocal group Sister Sledge. The song was composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records ; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name in April 1979 and began to gain club and radio play. `` We Are Family '' went Gold, becoming the number one R&B and number two pop song on the US charts in 1979 ( behind `` Hot Stuff '' by Donna Summer ). Along with the tracks `` He 's the Greatest Dancer '' and `` Lost in Music '', `` We Are Family '' reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance / Disco chart. It was also the theme song for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally, historically, or artistically significant. '' Billboard named the song # 20 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. Contents 1 Origins and meaning 2 Chart performance 2.1 Weekly charts 2.2 Year - end charts 3 Cover versions 4 References 5 External links Origins and meaning `` We Are Family '' was the first song that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards wrote for any other act than their own band Chic. After their first hit, `` Dance, Dance, Dance ( Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah ) '', Atlantic Records President Jerry L. Greenberg wanted the pair to write and produce for other acts on the label, which Rodgers and Edwards considered far too big and established, e.g. : The Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, etc. Their point was that any credit of a hit for such an established act would just go to the performing bigger act, and not establish Rodgers / Edwards as songwriter / producers. So the pair suggested that they write and produce a song for the label 's least established act, and that if they got them a hit record, then they could take the challenge of writing for a bigger act. According to Rodgers, the verses were mostly verbatim based on how Greenberg described the group to them when first commissioning the work. Rodgers / Edwards then simply walked immediately to the studio, rearranged their notes from the meeting into lyrics, and wrote a song melody underneath them. The chorus ( and therefore the title ) makes reference to the fact that the group are the four sisters of a family. The song has since gone on to be used more generally as an expression of solidarity in various contexts, notably as the anthem of the We Are Family Foundation, which is named after it. The lead vocals to `` We Are Family '' were recorded in a single take by then - 19 - year - old Kathy Sledge. A promotional video was filmed in 1979 which shows the group dancing to the song. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1979 -- 80 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 19 Belgium ( VRT Top 30 Flanders ) 20 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Canada Top Disco Singles ( RPM ) France ( SNEP ) 95 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 26 Ireland ( IRMA ) 20 Italy ( FIMI ) 6 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 16 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 6 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 6 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 5 US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Hot Disco Singles US Billboard Adult Contemporary 30 US Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1979 ) Position Australia 104 Canada 55 New Zealand 41 US Billboard Hot 100 53 US Cash Box 21 Cover versions Artists who have covered the song include Jump5, The Goldman Girls, Jordan Pruitt, Spice Girls, The Corrs, Nobody 's Angel, Babes in Toyland and Lodovica Comello. Babes in Toyland 's version of the song was more rock oriented and it was a left field Dance club hit in the U.S. It peaked at # 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play chart in 1995. In addition, Rodgers organized a re-recording of the song in 2001 as a benefit record for the September 11 attacks. This in turn led to his co-creation of the We Are Family Foundation, a global charity named for the song and designed to inspire and educate young people to find solutions to problems such as hunger and illiteracy that impede world peace. Rodgers also produced a version featuring characters from popular television shows from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon and Disney such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Sesame Street, etc. This version aired on Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and PBS Kids as a controversial public service announcement. In December 2007, the song was announced as one of the 2008 inductees to the Grammy Hall of Fame. Kinshuk Nath in 2009 with his own office rendition of `` We Are Family ''. The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song for the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks : The Squeakquel and the movie 's soundtrack. Japanese trio Home Made Kazoku covered this song in Japanese. In 2013, the Aristofreeks ( Lenny Ibizarre & Max Martire ) remixed the song with newly re-recorded vocals by Kathy Sledge to be released on The Pacific Electronic Music label in November 2013. References Jump up ^ Irvin, Jim ; McLear, Colin ( 2000 ). The Mojo Collection. Edinburgh, Scotland : Canongate Books, Ltd. p. 421. ISBN 978 - 1 - 84195 - 973 - 3. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 -- 2004. Record Research. p. 530. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Hot Dance / Disco : 1974 -- 2003. Record Research. p. 236. Jump up ^ `` National Recording Registry Picks Are `` Over the Rainbow '' ``. Library of Congress. March 29, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016. Jump up ^ `` 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time : Critics ' Picks ''. Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Nile Roidgers in conversation, Music Matters interview, 2007, Hong Kong Jump up ^ Danyel Smith, ed. ( 1979 ). `` Billboard 15 June 1979 ''. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Retrieved 21 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` We Are Family -- Sister Sledge ''. VRT ( in Dutch ). Top30-2.radio2.be. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2013. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 1 Jump up ^ `` Top Singles -- Volume 42, No. 22, August 10, 1979 ''. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Sister Sledge -- We Are Family '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Sister Sledge -- We Are Family ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Chart Track : Week 14, 1979 ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` I singoli più venduti del 1979 ''. HitParadeItalia ( in Italian ). Creative Commons. Retrieved 1 June 2013. 10. We Are Family -- Sister Sledge ( # 6 ) Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Sister Sledge search results '' ( in Dutch ) Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Sister Sledge -- We Are Family ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Sister Sledge -- We Are Family ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Sister Sledge : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Sister Sledge awards at AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 1 June 2013. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 1993. Record Research. p. 221. Jump up ^ http://www.tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19790630.html Jump up ^ `` Forum -- 1970 ( ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts ) ''. Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016 - 06 - 02. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 15. Jump up ^ Bac-lac.gc.ca Jump up ^ `` Top Selling Singles of 1979 The Official New Zealand Music Chart ''. Nztop40.co.nz. 1979 - 12 - 31. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 15. Jump up ^ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1979.htm Jump up ^ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1979YESP.html Jump up ^ `` US right attacks SpongeBob video ''. BBC News. January 20, 2005. Retrieved December 27, 2013. External links AllMusic entry AllMusicguide.com Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Ai n't No Stoppin ' Us Now '' by McFadden & Whitehead Billboard Hot Soul Singles number - one single June 9, 1979 Succeeded by `` Ring My Bell '' by Anita Ward Preceded by `` I Got My Mind Made Up ( You Can Get It Girl ) '' by Instant Funk Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number - one single ( with `` He 's the Greatest Dancer '' and `` Lost in Music '' ) March 24, 1979 -- March 31, 1979 Succeeded by `` Dancer '' / `` Dance to Dance '' by Gino Soccio Preceded by `` The Logical Song '' by Supertramp RPM Canadian Singles Chart number - one single July 14, 1979 -- July 21, 1979 Succeeded by `` Ring My Bell '' by Anita Ward Sister Sledge Debbie Sledge Joni Sledge Kim Sledge Kathy Sledge Studio albums Circle of Love Together We Are Family Love Somebody Today All American Girls The Sisters Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls When the Boys Meet the Girls African Eyes Style Compilation albums Freak Out : The Greatest Hits of Chic and Sister Sledge The Very Best of Sister Sledge 1973 -- 93 The Very Best of Chic & Sister Sledge Good Times : The Very Best of the Hits & the Remixes Singles `` He 's the Greatest Dancer '' `` We Are Family '' `` Lost in Music '' `` Thinking of You '' `` My Guy '' `` All the Man That I Need '' `` Frankie '' Related articles Discography Pittsburgh Pirates Formerly the Pittsburgh Alleghenys Founded in 1882 Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Franchise History Seasons Records No - hitters Awards Players Managers Owners and executives Broadcasters Opening Day starting pitchers First - round draft picks All articles Ballparks Exposition Park Recreation Park Exposition Park Forbes Field Three Rivers Stadium PNC Park Spring training Whittington Park Riverside Park Fogel Field Barrs Field Rickwood Field Whittington Park Perris Hill Park Tech Field Perris Hill Park McCulloch Park Perris Hill Park Flamingo Field Gilmore Field Gran Stadium Jaycee Park Terry Park Pirate City / LECOM Park Culture Pirate Parrot Great Pierogi Race Green Weenie `` Black and Yellow '' Zoltan Bob Prince Bob Gessner Vince Lascheid In the Name of the Law Angels in the Outfield The Odd Couple `` We Are Family '' The Natural The Winning Season Chasing 3000 Dude, Where 's My Car ? 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Bristol Pirates Rookie GCL Pirates DSL Pirates All - time Minor league affiliate history World Series Championships ( 5 ) 1909 1925 1960 1971 1979 League pennants ( 9 ) American Association none National League 1901 1902 1903 1909 1925 1927 1960 1971 1979 Division titles ( 9 ) East 1970 1971 1972 1979 1990 1991 1992 Central none Wild Card berths ( 3 ) 2013 2014 2015 Media AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh KDKA - FM Pirates Radio Network Steve Blass Joe Block Greg Brown Bob Walk John Wehner Seasons ( 137 ) 1880s 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890s 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900s 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910s 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1990s 1990 1991 1992 2000s 2010s 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=We_Are_Family_(song)&oldid=813138037 '' Categories : 1979 singles Disco songs Sister Sledge songs Babes in Toyland ( band ) songs RPM Top Singles number - one singles Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles Number - one dance singles in Canada Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Pittsburgh Pirates Songs written by Nile Rodgers Songs written by Bernard Edwards Song recordings produced by Nile Rodgers 1979 songs Cotillion Records singles United States National Recording Registry recordings Hidden categories : CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2013 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2017 Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Irish Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Swiss Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart called without song Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Italiano Magyar Nederlands Edit links This page was last edited on 2 December 2017, at 00 : 41. 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Question: who wrote we are family by sister sledge
Answer: Bernard Edwards