Title track on this curiously satisfying compilation of tunes by former Miami business man, Timmy Thomas, the 1972 smash, ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ has Timmy singing to his customary organ and primitive, early drum-machine. Nothing else. Just an organ and a drum machine. Way ahead of it’s time in each and every respect, and the embodiment of simplicity and grace itself. Fair enough, it might be the only real hit the man had – but what a sizzler: teasingly long rhythm and organ intro and one gloriously impassioned vocal address. And then abruptly, the song finishes. The 1990 update, Why Can’t We Live Together? (lasting peace remix) is also included on this collection.
Although ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ was originally released on the tiny local Konduko label, Thomas was a TK artist known primarily for this one huge hit, although he wrote and recorded many other numbers, the best of which can be found here: all of them gritty, all of them lo-fi (the mono track especially)
Naturalistic, socially aware, gentle and effortlessly lusty this is as seductive a set of songs as you’re likely to get. With label sister Betty Wright assisting on the fabulously chill ‘Sweet Brown Sugar’ and dueting with Thomas on ‘Ebony Fair’ its also got its fair share of light and shade – but its still the sparse, underprivelged tracks like ‘Funky Me’ and ‘Dizzy Dizzy World’ that really do the business.