“Let’s Stick Together” was originally recorded by Wilbert Harrison in 1962. Eight years later, the American singer had a hit with a modified version, “Let’s Work Together,” which was covered by Canned Heat.
The song peaked at #26 in the Billboard 100 in 1970.
Canned Heat was a good blues band and their appearance at Woodstock raised their fortunes. They would end up with 3 top 40 songs and 2 more in the top 100. Going Up Country and On The Road Again were the band’s best-known hits. They were doing well but it came to an end when guitarist/vocalist Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson died on September 3, 1970. No one knows if it was a suicide or an accidental overdose of Seconal.
Canned Heat continues to this day but they were never as successful after Alan passed away. Bob Hite is singing this song.
Let’s Work Together
Together we’ll 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
Because together we will stand
Every boy, every girl and man
People, when things go wrong
As they sometimes will
And the road you travel
It stays all uphill
Let’s work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together, ah
You know together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Oh well now, two or three minutes
Two or three hours
What does it matter now
In this life of ours
Let’s work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together
Now, now people
Because together we will stand
Every boy, every woman and man
Ah, come on
Ah, come on, let’s work together
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 stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Oh well now, come on you people
Walk hand in hand
Let’s make this world of ours
A good place to stand
And work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together
Now, now people
Because together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Ah, yeah
Well now, together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Ah, yeah
Together we’ll 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
Because together we will stand
Every boy, every girl and man
People, when things go wrong
As they sometimes will
And the road you travel
It stays all uphill
Let’s work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together, ah
You know together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Oh well now, two or three minutes
Two or three hours
What does it matter now
In this life of ours
Let’s work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together
Now, now people
Because together we will stand
Every boy, every woman and man
Ah, come on
Ah, come on, let’s work together
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 stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Oh well now, come on you people
Walk hand in hand
Let’s make this world of ours
A good place to stand
And work together
Come on, come on
Let’s work together
Now, now people
Because together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Ah, yeah
Well now, together we will stand
Every boy, girl, woman and man
Ah, yeah
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I love Bob Hite. Unfortunately he too passed away from a drug overdose. To me, his voice is the Canned Heat signature. At the time of his death, Hite had one of the largest R&B record collections in the world. Canned Heat was a really good band with really good musicians that were addled by drugs. Rock star overdose was so common in those days that it became a stereotype. What a waste.
The death of Alan Wilson was bizarre. They were a talented band…it was waste.
Legend has it that Bob “The Bear” Hite took the name “Canned Heat” from a 1928 recording by Tommy Johnson called ‘Canned Heat Blues’, a song about an alcoholic who desperately turned to drinking Sterno, which is cooking fluid that gives you a cheap but dangerous high.
I think I read that. I’ve read more about Wilson than I have Hite…too bad both died early in life.
Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson is a member of the dead at 27 club.
Jim did you ever see them?
No but in 2006 they were playing at this really small place in California where I was working, but I finished my work one week before their show. It would have been nice to see them in this small place, but with out Wilson and Hite, it would not have been the same thing.
Yea it’s more of a tribute band now.
I played the grooves off their first album.
Very good 3 chord song. Al Wilson died 8 months later and with him the band.
It is very good. I like Dylan’s version also on Down In The Groove.
Quite nice, but I prefer the Ferry version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj0XD1NFa1I
This is a good versoin.
Good song…although not Geico Insurance commercial good, as of yet,LOL!
I like both of those…and I’ve never heard them before. I’m so dull.
Yep. “Blind Owl” is in the 27 club:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
Many people have covered them… cool song… yea his death was odd.
Bob o’d later
Goodness.
Great cut Max. You keep doing takes on songs like this I’ll be back. Did Heat ever make it on a “Teen Mag” cover? Dumb question.
No TigerBeat for Bob “The Bear” Hite! He would have scared the hell out of them.
Yeah he would have. Probably a real nice guy. The Hooker/Heat stuff is worth checking out if you haven’t already.
I haven’t heard that…I’ll search that out.
I’m going to listen to it right now. Thanks for the nudge.
I’ve been checking it out on youtube…Wilson is playing the hell out of that harp.
That’s funny. He’s doing that right now as i listen.
Oh yeah, Wilbert’s version cooks also.
Canned Heat were a great band. There was even a scene in Apocalypse Now that made a reference to Canned Heat with
-oops posted too soon by accident -anyway, was talking about the Canned Heat graffiti that one could catch a glimpse of if one is quick enough.
It came to me after you posted it… I’ve watched that movie many times…I had forgotten about it.
Yes the boat’s name I believe…I forgot about that.