Honestly, I have heard the song a million and 1 times, and Sly and Family Stone never came to mind, then when you pointed it out, I could totally hear it.
With that said, the feel of the song, could totally lend to that being an accident, and not intentional. I won't make a decision one way of the other.
I am often just playing around grooving with keyboard player after service, and people will say that was "Such and Such Song" -- And I am like, I have never heard that song in my life. And I then get that look, like... You must've been in the club last night. LOL!
Anyhow, our keyboard player is so good at pointing out songs that we do that sound like another song... I've gotten to the point where with 12 tones, you will get alot of repetition.