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Get Together

by

The Youngbloods


Album: Youngbloods
Released: 1967
Charted:
5
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Songfacts®:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This was written in 1963 by Dino Valenti from Quicksilver Messenger Service. He signed away rights to it when he was imprisoned for marijuana possession. The Youngbloods recorded it and gave the composer credit to Chet Powers, Valenti's real name.
When this was released in 1967, it flopped. It became a hit in 1969 when The National Conference of Christians and Jews distributed it to radio and TV stations to support "Brotherhood Week."
The California group We Five recorded this in 1965. Their version went to US #31.
This song was the last of The Dave Clark Five's 8 Top Ten UK hits, reaching #8 when they recorded it as "Everybody Get Together" in 1970. The backing vocals on their version were done by the students of the Central London School of Speech and Drama. Included amongst the backing vocalists was one Peter Davison who went on to star in the BBC TV series All Creatures Great And Small, 1977-79, and as the fifth Dr. Who, 1982-84.
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The Youngbloods
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More songs that became hits long after they were first released
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Comments (12):

What an encouraging song this was to me when I was a rock n roll dj in the '70's. I especially liked the verse "Some may come and some may go, We shall surely pass, When the One that left us here Returns for us at last We are bu a moment's sunlight Fading in the grass" Years later that verbiage was echoed in "Dust in the Wind".
- Dave, Omaha, NE
As reported in LIFE magazine; There was a small car that drove very slowly with the throngs of young people walking along the road to the Woodstock Fesival in 1969. A hippie girl sitting on the roof of the car with a little, battery operated record player kept playing the The Youngblood's version of this song over and over and over again; supplying a solid contribution to the "peace and love" vibe that permeated the whole magical weekeknd.
- Marty, Buffalo, NY
The author of Get Together (also recorded as "Let's Het Together") was Cester William Powers, Jr. (Chet Powers). The Youngbloods didn't make that up. Dino Valenti was one of several stage names used by Powers. The song was first recorded in 1964 by The Kingston Trio. The version recorded by We Five in 1965 charted in the US at #31. Jefferson Airplane recorded a version on their debut album in 1966. In 1966 Powers sold the song to Frank Werber, manager of the Kingston Trio, to help pay for his legal defense on drug charges. The Youngbloods version was originally released in 1967. It was reissued in 1969 after it was used in a television campaign. The 1969 release charted in the US at #10 and is the version most remembered.
- Popa, Redondo Beach, CA
In Nirvana's "Territorial Pissings", from the album "Nevermind", Kurt Cobain sings the chorus of this song - "Come on people now, smile on your brothers, everybody get together right now".
- Gimel, Tel Aviv, Israel
The Youngbloods didn't make up the name Chester Powers, it was Dino Valenti's real name.
- peter, new york, NY
The song that was covered with the title "Everybody Get Together", was actually sung by The We Five.
- Farrah, Elon, NC
the lead singer of Aussie band Mental as Anything, Martin Plaza, also released a version of this song, very similar to the original
- pete, nowra, Australia
It's a definitive call for peace and brotherhood in the late 60s. At least it got a second chance in 1969 after it flopped two years earlier.
- Howard, St. Louis Park, MN
This song came up on my random play on the PC just now. Listen carefully to the left channel, especially in the beginning. Do you hear the "do do do do?" Like someone was setting the pace for the guitar part singing, "do do do do"
Bill G
- Bill, Plano, TX
Appeared in Season 1 Episode 16 of Cold Case on CBS. The name of the episode is "Volunteers."
- Jonathan, Natchitoches, LA
Krist Novoselic of Nirvana sings a distorted version of the chorus in the beginning of the song "Territorial Pissings"
- the jorge, Hell, Other
This song was later covered by the british group DAVE CLARK FIVE with the title "Everybody Get Together" (a single released on February 1970 - #8 in the UK charts). The mp3 file of this track is now available for download in www.discosantigos.com
- Rato, Lisbon, Portugal
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