Why Can't We Be Friends?

Why Can't We Be Friends?
Why Can't We Be Friends?
Studio album by War
Released	June 16, 1975
Recorded	1974
Studio	Sound City Studios (Van Nuys, California)
Genre	Funk; rock;
Length	44:04
Label	United Artists
Producer	Jerry Goldstein; Lonnie Jordan; Howard Scott;
War chronology
Singles from Why Can't We Be Friends?
	"Why Can't We Be Friends?"; Released: April 1975; "Low Rider"; Released: May 14, 1975;

Why Can't We Be Friends? is the seventh studio album by American band War, released on June 16, 1975 by United Artists Records. Two singles from the album were released: the title track backed with "In Mazatlan", and "Low Rider" backed with "So". Both A-sides were nominated for the Grammy Awards of 1976.

Of the songs on this album, an interpolation of the first part of the song "Smile Happy" was used in the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy featuring RikRok. Versions of the album's titular song has been used in several film productions, notably Bridge to Terabithia and Wild Things.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−^[3]

Track listing edit

All tracks composed by War (Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B.B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard E. Scott), except where indicated. Note: The CD edition does not break "Leroy's Latin Lament" into sections.

"Don't Let No One Get You Down" (War, Jerry Goldstein) – 3:59
"Lotus Blossom" (War, Francie Nelson) – 3:59
"Heartbeat" – 7:25
"Leroy's Latin Lament (Medley)" - 6:36
1. "Lonnie Dreams" – 0:49
2. "The Way We Feel" (War, lyrics: Keri Oskar) – 1:10
3. "La Fiesta" – 2:10
4. "Lament" – 2:27
"Smile Happy" – 7:22
"So" – 4:58
"Low Rider" (War, Jerry Goldstein) – 3:11
"In Mazatlan" – 2:45
"Why Can't We Be Friends?" (War, Jerry Goldstein) – 3:49

Personnel edit

War

Howard Scott – guitar, percussion, vocals
B. B. Dickerson – bass, percussion, vocals
Lonnie Jordan – organ, piano, timbales, percussion, vocals
Harold Brown – drums, percussion, vocals (credit missing from LP cover)
Papa Dee Allen – conga, bongos, percussion, vocals
Charles Miller – clarinet, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, percussion, vocals
Lee Oskar – harmonica, percussion, vocals

Charts edit

Year	Album	Chart positions^[4]
Year	Album	US	US R&B	AUS^[5]
1975	Why Can't We Be Friends?	8	1	81

References edit

^ Beck, Dan (February 20, 2014). "Red Hot Chilli Pipers bring 'bagrock' to Easton's State Theatre". The Morning Call. Retrieved August 16, 2020. ..."Its 2010 record, "Music For a Kilted Generation," included covers of popular rock songs such as War's "Low Rider," The Who's "Baba O'Riley" and Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars.""
^ Allmusic review
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ "War US albums chart history". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 332. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

External links edit

Why Can't We Be Friends? at Discogs

[1] Beck, Dan (February 20, 2014). "Red Hot Chilli Pipers bring 'bagrock' to Easton's State Theatre". The Morning Call. Retrieved August 16, 2020. ..."Its 2010 record, "Music For a Kilted Generation," included covers of popular rock songs such as War's "Low Rider," The Who's "Baba O'Riley" and Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars.""

[2] Allmusic review

[CG-3] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[allmusic_albums-4] "War US albums chart history". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-07-13.

[aus-5] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 332. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

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