No More Wars

Why Can't We Live Together by Timmy Thomas entered the UK singles chart in February 1973 and a month later peaked at #12.

I don't think the song will have made much impression on two-year old me but, since rediscovering the original via Sade's cover version on her 1985 debut Diamond Life, it's now guaranteed to send a shiver down my spine ever time I hear it.

Is it minimalist music, just a swirling organ and programmed percussion, that moves me? 

Is it Timmy's aching, yearning voice, the sound of a man who has made this plea so many times, yet has not given up hope for change. 

Is it the courage to go 1 minute 33 seconds into a song that is only 3 minutes 45 seconds, before Timmy utters his first line?

Is it the song's simple yet powerful lyrical message which, after the horrifying yet perversely unsurprising outcome of the UK elections last week, are as relevant now as they were half a century ago?

It's all of these things, of course, which make this one of the greatest songs ever written. Much covered, never bettered.

Tell me why? Tell me why? Tell me why?

Hmm, why can't we live together?

Tell me why? Tell me why?

Hmm, why can't we live together?

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?

No more wars, no more wars, no more war

Hmm, just a little peace in this world

No more wars, no more war

All we want is some peace in this world

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?

Can't live, can't live

Can't live together

Can't live together

No matter, no matter what color

Hmm, you are still my brother

I said, "No matter, no matter what colour

Hmm, you are still my brother"

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?

Soul Tight

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled sometime in February 2000. Time for some sweet Saturday sounds.

 

This is essentially an edited and re-sequenced selection from the 1998 budget price CD Soul Brother, which I would have picked up on CD for a few quid from Woolworths, along with a Northern Soul compilation which I filleted for Side 2.

It's chock full of classics, many of which I grew listening to courtesy of my parents' Ronco and K-Tel chart hits albums. The songs also crept into my collection over the years, having been covered by the likes of Bryan Ferry, Massive Attack, Talking Heads, Sade, The Jam and, er, Wag Ya Tail and New Kids On The Block. Alright, alright, I didn't have the latter, but my friend's sister did and it was bloody annoying hearing that when all we wanted was R.E.M., The Smiths or Julian Cope.

The cheap and cheerful CD section in Woolies was a great way of sampling genres, before investing further in an artist's albums and Soul Brother was one of the better examples, even if it did have a rather crap cover.

 

1) Expansions (Album Version): Lonnie Liston Smith ft. The Cosmic Echoes (1975)

2) Feel The Need In Me: Detroit Emeralds (1971)

3) Move On Up (Single Version): Curtis Mayfield (1971)

4) Have You Seen Her (Album Version): The Chi-Lites (1971)

5) I Need It: Johnny Guitar Watson (1976)

6) Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time): The Delfonics (1970)

7) Be Thankful For What You've Got (Part 1): William DeVaughn (1973)

8) Love T.K.O.: Teddy Pendergrass (1980)

9) Walking In Rhythm: The Blackbyrds (1974)

10) Take Me To The River: Al Green (1974)

11) Why Can't We Live Together (Album Version): Timmy Thomas (1972)

1970: The Delfonics: 6

1971: (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People: 4

1971: Move On Up EP: 3

1971: You Want It, You Got It: 2 

1972: Why Can't We Live Together: 11

1973: Be Thankful For What You've Got: 7

1974: Explores Your Mind: 10

1974: Flying Start: 9

1975: Expansions: 1

1976: Ain't That A Bitch: 5 

1980: TP: 8

Side One (46:13)