“Let’s Stick Together” (17) is a rhythm and blues song written by Wilbert Harrison. In 1962, Fury Records released it as a single. Harrison further developed the song and in 1969, Sue Records issued it as a two-part single titled “Let’s Work Together“. The two songs use the same melody line and structure, but the lyrics differ:
“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, now people
Say now together we will stand, every boy, girl, woman, and man
Instrumentally, the 1962 recording is an ensemble piece, while the one in 1969 is a solo performance, with Harrison (credited as the “Wilbert Harrison One Man Band”) providing the vocal, harmonica, guitar, and percussion. It that reached number 32 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1970.
Shortly after the release of Wilbert Harrison’s “Let’s Work Together”, Los Angeles blues-rock band Canned Heat recorded their version of the song.] Unlike their previous singles that featured vocals and harmonica by Alan Wilson, for “Let’s Work Together” Bob Hite provided the vocals, with Wilson adding the slide guitar parts.The song was prepared for release as a single in December 1969, but was cancelled due to the popularity of Harrison’s single. In the UK, where Harrison’s single failed to generate interest, Canned Heat’s version was released in January 1970. There it became their biggest hit, reaching number two, during a stay of fifteen weeks. In the US, Canned Heat’s “Let’s Work Together” was first released in August 1970, on their album, Future Blues. An American single followed in August 1970, and reached number 26 on the Billboard.
In 1976 Island Records released a version of “Let’s Stick Together” by Bryan Ferry. It became his highest charting solo single, reaching number four in the UK chart in July. The song is the title track for his eponymous album. Ferry plays harmonica and keyboards, Chris Spedding (guitar), Eddie Jobson (violin), and John Wetton (bass); the tenor saxophone solo is by Chris Mercer. The video, featuring the band playing the song, includes an appearance by “sexily seductive” model Jerry Hall, Ferry’s girlfriend at the time, who mimes the “mid-riff yelping of an unnamed female backing vocalist [that] only adds to the frenetic edge of lustful excitement”, according to AllMusic reviewer Dave Thompson. The single was to become Ferry’s biggest solo hit in the UK.
Fianlly KT Tunstall provides us with only female version of this track.
