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 ("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.[1]
Original recording history
The song was originally written and recorded as "Let's Get Together" by Chet Powers 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;[4] Powers had died two years prior in 1994.[5] 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 in March 1964 was released on June 1, 1964 on their album Back in Town.[6] 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. Jefferson Airplane included the song in their 1966 debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off.
The most notable recording of "Let's Get Together" came in 1967, when The Youngbloods released their version under the title "Get Together", from their debut album The Youngbloods. Initially released as a single in July 1967, it became a minor Hot 100 hit for them, peaking at No. 62.[9] However, renewed interest in the Youngbloods' version came when it was used in a radio public service announcement as a call for brotherhood by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.[1] It was subsequently re-released in 1969, and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 37 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. It was their only top 40 hit on the Hot 100.[10]
We Five, produced by Kingston Trio manager Frank Werber, released the first version of the song to break into the top forty, in 1965 as the follow-up to their top ten hit "You Were on My Mind". "Let's Get Together" peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. [12] and reached No. 5 in Canada.[13] It would be the group's last hit record. It was included on their second album, Make Someone Happy.
Canadian group 3's a Crowd released their version as a single in 1968, titled "Let's Get Together". It peaked at No. 70 on Canada's national singles chart.[14]
In 1970, Gwen and Jerry Collins released the song as a single that reached No. 34 on the US Country chart.[15]
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.[17] It also reached No. 32 on Cash Box.
In Smug Alert!, the second episode of season 10 of South Park (aired on March 29, 2006), Stan sings a song about hybrid cars which had similarly repeated lyrics of "Come on people now".
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