Sister Sledge’s 1979 disco song “We Are Family” was written and produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.
The song was recorded by the four Sledge sisters—Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy—for their album We Are Family. Rodgers and Edwards, the songwriting and production team behind Chic, created the track’s tight bass line, rhythmic guitar, and bright vocal arrangement. Kathy Sledge sang the lead vocal.
Released in 1979, “We Are Family” became one of Sister Sledge’s best-known recordings and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Its message of unity helped it outlive the original disco boom, and it has frequently been used at celebrations, sporting events, and community gatherings.
The song is often grouped with Sister Sledge’s other major Chic-produced hit, “He’s the Greatest Dancer.” That track also appeared on the We Are Family album, but “We Are Family” is the recording with the repeated family-unity refrain. The connection to Chic is central: Rodgers and Edwards supplied both the songcraft and the distinctive rhythmic foundation.