"Let's Stick Together" is a blues-basedrhythm and blues song written by Wilbert Harrison, released in 1962 by Fury Records. He further developed the song and in 1969, Sue Records issued it as a two-part single called "Let's Work Together". Although Harrison's original song did not appear in the record charts, his reworked version entered the U.S. Top 40. Several artists subsequently recorded the songs; "Let's Work Together" by Canned Heat and "Let's Stick Together" by Bryan Ferry were both chart successes.
Original songs
"Let's Stick Together" is a mid-tempo twelve-bar blues-style R&B song. According to music writer Richard Clayton, "Harrison probably intended 'Let’s Stick Together' as his follow-up single , but a contract dispute prevented him from releasing it while his star was in the ascendant". In 1959, "Kansas City", written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was a number one hit for Harrison on both the Billboard R&B and Hot 100 singles chart. In 1962, Harrison recorded "Let's Stick Together" for Fury Records, one of several labels operated byrecord producerBobby Robinson, that had issued "Kansas City". Fury pressed the single with two different A-side and B-sides: "Kansas City Twist" and "My Heart Is Yours". It had been three years since Harrison's last chart appearance and the singles failed to reach the charts. In 1969, Harrison reworked the song with the title "Let's Work Together". The two songs use the same melody line and structure, but the lyrics differ: Instrumentally, the 1962 recording is an ensemble piece, while the one in 1969 is a solo performance, with Harrison providing the vocal, harmonica, guitar, and percussion. Sue Records released "Let's Work Together" as a two-part single that reached number 32 on Billboard'sHot 100 in 1970, however, it did not appear on the magazine's R&B chart.
Canned Heat version
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 on the UK Singles chart during a stay of fifteen weeks. In the US, Canned Heat's "Let's Work Together" was first released on August 3, 1970, on their album, Future Blues. An American single followed on August 25, 1970, and reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100,
Bryan Ferry versions
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 on July 3. The song is included on his album of the same name. Ferry plays harmonica and keyboards, Chris Spedding guitar, Eddie Jobson violin, and John Wetton bass; the tenor saxophone solo is by Chris Mercer. In the official video, model Jerry Hall mimes the "mid-riff yelping of an unnamed female backing vocalist only adds to the frenetic edge of lustful excitement", according to AllMusic reviewer Dave Thompson. In 1988, Ferry released a remix of the song as "Let's Stick Together '88", on E.G. Records in the UK and on Virgin Records in Germany. The single reached number 12 in the UK chart on October 29.
