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"Let's Get Together", also known as "Get Together" and "Everybody Get Together", is a song written in the mid-1960s by the American singer-songwriter
Chet Powers Chester William Powers, Jr. (October 7, 1937 – November 16, 1994) was an American singer-songwriter, and under the stage names Dino Valenti or Dino Valente, one of the lead singers of the rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service. As a songwri ...
(stage name Dino Valenti), from the
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
band
Quicksilver Messenger Service Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco. The band achieved wide popularity in the San Francisco Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe, ...
. A hit version by
the Youngbloods The Youngbloods was an American rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young (vocals, bass, guitar), Jerry Corbitt (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Lowell "Banana" Levinger (guitar and electric piano), and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiv ...
, included on their 1967 debut album ''
The Youngbloods The Youngbloods was an American rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young (vocals, bass, guitar), Jerry Corbitt (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Lowell "Banana" Levinger (guitar and electric piano), and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiv ...
'', peaked at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1969.


Background

The song is an appeal for peace and brotherhood, presenting the polarity of love versus fear, and the choice to be made between them. It is best remembered for the impassioned plea in the lines of its
refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeated in poetry or in music">poetry.html" ;"title="Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeat ...
("Come on people now/Smile on your brother/Everybody get together/Try to love one another right now"), which is repeated several times in succession to bring the song to its conclusion.


Original recording history

The song was originally written and recorded as "Let's Get Together" by
Chet Powers Chester William Powers, Jr. (October 7, 1937 – November 16, 1994) was an American singer-songwriter, and under the stage names Dino Valenti or Dino Valente, one of the lead singers of the rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service. As a songwri ...
under the stage name Dino Valenti as early as 1963, but this version was not officially released until 1996 on the compilation album ''Someone to Love: The Birth of the San Francisco Sound'' on UK label Big Beat Records; Powers had died two years prior in 1994. The very first release of the song was an instrumental by the Folkswingers on their 1963 album '' 12 String Guitar! Vol. 2''. A live vocal performance by
the Kingston Trio The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, ...
in March 1964 was released on June 1, 1964 on their album '' Back in Town''. While it was not released as a single, this version was the first to bring the song to the attention of the general public. The Kingston Trio often performed it live.


The Youngbloods version

The most notable recording of "Let's Get Together" came in 1967, when
The Youngbloods The Youngbloods was an American rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young (vocals, bass, guitar), Jerry Corbitt (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Lowell "Banana" Levinger (guitar and electric piano), and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiv ...
released their version under the title "Get Together", from their debut album ''
The Youngbloods The Youngbloods was an American rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young (vocals, bass, guitar), Jerry Corbitt (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Lowell "Banana" Levinger (guitar and electric piano), and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiv ...
''. Initially released as a single in July 1967, it became a minor Hot 100 hit for them, peaking at No. 62 and reaching No. 37 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. However, renewed interest in the Youngbloods' version came when it was used in a radio
public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. Oftentimes these messages feature unsettling imagery, ideas or behaviors that are des ...
as a call for brotherhood by the
National Conference of Christians and Jews The National Conference for Community and Justice is an American social justice organization focused on fighting biases and promoting understanding between people of different races and cultures. The organization was founded in 1927 as the Natio ...
. It was subsequently re-released in 1969, and peaked at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was their only top 40 hit on that chart.


The Dave Clark Five version

In March 1970, British rock band
the Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark was the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964, they had their first UK top-ten single, ...
reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart with their version, titled "Everybody Get Together",The Dave Clark Five, "Everybody Get Together" chart position
Retrieved May 18, 2015
which is from their fifth UK studio album, '' If Somebody Loves You''.


Other versions

*A rendition first broke into the top forty in 1965, when We Five, produced by Kingston Trio manager Frank Werber, released "Let's Get Together" as the follow-up to their top ten hit " You Were on My Mind". While it did not achieve the same level of success as the other, "Let's Get Together" provided the group with a second top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 when it peaked at No. 31 and No. 5 in Canada. It would be their last hit record. This was included on their second album, ''Make Someone Happy''. *In 1966, the American folk group The Back Porch Majority released a version of "Let's Get Together" on their 1966 Epic release album "That's the Way It's Gonna' Be" and performed it live on the national television show Hullabaloo (TV series) on March 28, 1966. *In 1966, the American rock band
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...
included a cover of "Let's Get Together" on their debut album '' Jefferson Airplane Takes Off''. This version is notable for its unique phrasing and melody in the chorus and in some of the verse lyrics. In the 1967 H.P. Lovecraft legendary psichedelic folk rock act play a cover of Let’s get together in a debut album H.P. LOVECRAFT for the label Philips. *Also in 1968, the Canadian group 3's a Crowd released their version as a single, titled "Let's Get Together". It peaked at No. 70 on Canada's national singles chart. *In 1969,
Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk music, folk, soul music, soul (both of which he frequently cover song, covered), and rhythm and b ...
played "Get Together" live at the
Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...
festival. * In September 1969 Joni Mitchell sang "Get Together" at The Big Sur Folk Festival, accompanied by Stephen Stills, John Sebastian, Graham Nash, David Crosby and Dallas Taylor. *In 1969 the Carpenters included a recording of the song on their debut album, Offering/Ticket To Ride featuring Richard Carpenter on lead vocal. In 1970 they recorded a Live version for radio that was later released in 1991 on their From The Top compilation set featuring Karen Carpenter singing lead. *In 1970, Gwen and Jerry Collins released the song as a single that reached No. 34 on the US Country chart. *In 1970,
Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, singer and writer. Burnett has played dramatic and comedic roles on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carol Burnett, nu ...
and Nancy Wilson performed the song as a duet on Season 3, Episode 14 of ''
The Carol Burnett Show ''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Harv ...
.'' *In 1974, Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah performed it on PBS station WTTW Channel 11, for the series ''Made in Chicago''. *In 1995, Big Mountain released their version as a single that reached No. 28 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and No. 44 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also reached No. 32 on ''Cash Box''. *In 1991,
Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
included the chorus lyrics - "Come on people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try to love one another right now" - in the introduction to " Territorial Pissings" on the album ''
Nevermind ''Nevermind'' is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records. It was Nirvana's first release on a Record label#Major versus independent record labels, major label an ...
''. "Sung" in a garbled manner by
Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician, politician and activist. Novoselic co-founded and played bass on every album for the rock music, rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the ban ...
,
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...
explained this inclusion to Brazilian publication ''
O Globo ''O Globo'' (, ''The Globe'') is a Brazilian newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro. ''O Globo'' is the leading daily newspaper in the country and the most prominent print publication in the Grupo Globo media conglomerate. Founded by journalist Ir ...
'': "The song speaks of people who join together to be cool and try something new, the ideal contrast to the macho men I'm portraying in 'Territorial Pissings.' We didn't mean to be offensive to the guy who wrote it. The idea of being positive and causing change in society and the world was appropriated by media, who turned it into something ridiculous, a caricature." *In 2021,
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female rock bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a sol ...
released a version of the song to be included on a
Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...
-exclusive EP titled ''Nobody Owns Me''.


Chart history


Weekly charts

;The Youngbloods ;The Dave Clark Five


Year-end charts


Legacy

*Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the media conglomerate company
Clear Channel Communications iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...
included the Youngbloods' version of the song on a list of "lyrically questionable" songs that was sent to its 1,200 radio stations in the United States. ''Slate'' published what it claimed was a copy of the list.


See also

* List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States


References


External links


Get Together
at Songfacts.com
1963 release by The FolkswingersBeyond the Summer of Love, 'Get Together' Is An Anthem For Every Season, NPR, April 10, 2019
{{DEFAULTSORT:Get Together (The Youngbloods song) 1963 songs 1965 singles 1967 singles 1968 singles 1969 singles 1970 singles 1995 singles The Kingston Trio songs We Five songs The Youngbloods songs The Dave Clark Five songs Jefferson Airplane songs Song recordings produced by Felix Pappalardi Anti-war songs Peace songs A&M Records singles RCA Victor singles Imperial Records singles Songs written by Chet Powers