Other people’s songs: Let’s stick (or maybe work) together

By Aaron Galbriath and Tony Attwood

Aaron: Looking back through previous entries in the series. I realized there was one more track from Down in the groove left to discuss, that being Let’s stick together

Let’s stick together was written and released as a single in 1962 by Wilbert Harrison. it was then rewritten in 1969 as Let’s Work Together.

Tony: I am not sure I ever heard this original version, so I must have got to know the song once it was re-written, but what really did ring a bell with me was the opening instrumental line – which makes me contradict myself and think I did hear the original.

There is a trumpet, or maybe two trumpets, or maybe its a saxophone (the recording quality is so awful it hard to tell) that plays one note in the instrumental verse.  As it gets to the end of the verse, instead playing one held note, it plays a more rapid rhythm of four quavers and a minim (which might also be expressed as dah dah dah dah dah……… all on the same note.

What’s interesting with this one little musical event is that the note that is played is A, which fits perfectly with the opening chord (A) and the variant chord (D) (this being a 12 bar blues), but is a total clash with the last chord used with the dah dah dah bit which is E.

And across all these decades I remember this – it is such a strange, and in many way horrible, clash.    In fact I have a vague memory of my father (who was a pianist and saxophonist in a touring dance band) complaining how horrible that is.   It goes all the way through the song.

Aaron: The song has been a major hit twice, first in 1970 by Canned Heat.

Tony: So now there is none of that blaring repeated trumpet because, well, this is Canned Heat.   It is interesting that this is such a simple 12 bar blues – I mean it is hard to imagine anything much simpler.  And indeed the lyrics follow suit…

Oh well now, make someone happy, make someone smile,
Let's all work together and make life worthwhile
Let's work together, come on, come on
Let's work together, now now people
Because together we will we stand, every boy, girl, woman and a man

Who needs complex lyrics?

Aaron: Then again in 1976 by Bryan ferry

Tony: And this version I most certainly do remember.   It’s quite hypnotic isn’t it?   The band here keep the notion of the repeated note but drop the clash between the final chord and the repeated note which I think is a great idea.  Not sure I fully appreciate the appearance of the young lady in the lady stages of the video, but maybe that is a sign of the times.   The sounds she makes don’t seem to be related to the smoothness of Bryan Ferry – but I’m being picky.

However, the main point is that we have now got to the different set of lyrics.

And now the marriage vow is very sacred
The man has put us together now
You ought to make it stick together
Come on, come on, let's stick together
You know we made a vow not to leave one another never

Aaron: Bob’s version appeared as the opening track on down in the groove in 1988

Tony: Bob makes a change with the rhythm of the opening lines of each verse.  It is very subtle, and really only stand out in the first verse.  And Dylan uses the alternate lyrics….

Well, a marriage vow, you know, it's very sacred
The man put us together, now, you wanna make it
Stick together
Come on, come on, stick together

You know, you made a vow, not to leave one another, never
Well, ya never miss your water 'til your well runs dry
Now, come on, baby, give our love a try, let's stick together
Come on, come on, stick together

We made a vow, not to leave one another, never
Well, ya never miss your water 'til your well runs dry
Come one, baby, give our love a try, let's stick together
Come on, come on and stick together
You know, we made a vow, not to leave one another, never

It might be tough for a while, but consider the child
Cannot be happy without his mom and his papi

Let's stick together
Come on, come on, stick together
You know, we made a vow, not to leave one another, never

So how did this change of lyrics come about?  Well, I’m not the absolute expert on this but as far as I know (and various articles do back this version up) the original version was “Let’s Stick Together” came out in 1962.  Then the song was re-written and released again in 1969 as “Let’s Work Together”, probably for no reason other than the songwriter was thinking – “we ought to be able to get more out of that song – let’s change the lyrics a bit”.

Both are 12 bar blues and the music is virtually identical, it is just the lyrics that have completely changed.  And it is all the work of the one man: Wilbert Harrison.  He wrote it, and re-wrote it.  Here’s the quick summary of the change…

“Let’s Stick Together”

Well now the marriage vow is very sacred
The man put us together now you want to make it
Stick together, come on, come on let's stick together
You know we made a vow not to leave one another never

“Let’s Work Together”

Together we will stand divided we'll fall
Come on now people let's get on the ball
And work together, come on, come on let's work together, now people
Say now together we will stand, every boy, girl, woman, and man

So there we are. Aaron, as ever, I am indebted to you.

Previously in this series…

• Other people’s songs. How Dylan covers the work of other composers
• Other People’s songs: Bob and others perform “Froggie went a courtin”
• Other people’s songs: They killed him
• Other people’s songs: Frankie & Albert
• Other people’s songs: Tomorrow Night where the music is always everything
• Other people’s songs: from Stack a Lee to Stagger Lee and Hugh Laurie
• Other people’s songs: Love Henry
• Other people’s songs: Rank Stranger To Me
• Other people’s songs: Man of Constant Sorrow
• Other people’s songs: Satisfied Mind
• Other people’s songs: See that my grave is kept clean
• Other people’s songs: Precious moments and some extras
• Other people’s songs: You go to my head
• Other people’s songs: What’ll I do?
• Other people’s songs: Copper Kettle
• Other people’s songs: Belle Isle
• Other people’s songs: Fixing to Die
• Other people’s songs: When did you leave heaven?
• Other people’s songs: Sally Sue Brown
• Other people’s songs: Ninety miles an hour down a dead end street
• Other people’s songs: Step it up and Go
• Other people’s songs: Canadee-I-O
• Other people’s songs: Arthur McBride
• Other people’s songs: Little Sadie
• Other people’s songs: Blue Moon, and North London Forever
• Other people’s songs: Hard times come again no more
• Other people’s songs: You’re no good
• Other people’s songs: Lone Pilgrim (and more Crooked Still)
• Other people’s songs: Blood in my eyes
• Other people’s songs: I forgot more than you’ll ever know