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 have been used in several film and TV productions, notably Bridge to Terabithia, The Final Destination, Wild Things and King of the Hill.
Track listing 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 "Lonnie Dreams" – 0:49 "The Way We Feel" (War, lyrics: Keri Oskar) – 1:10 "La Fiesta" – 2:10 "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 Personnel taken from Why Can't We Be Friends? liner notes.
War Howard Scott – guitar, percussion, vocals B. B. Dickerson – bass, percussion, vocals Lonnie Jordan – organ, piano, RMI 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
Additional musicians Sharone Scott – backing vocals Milton James – backing vocals Moses Wheelock – backing vocals
Technical personnel Jerry Goldstein – producer Lonnie Jordan – associate producer Howard Scott – associate producer Ed Barton – recording engineer Andrew Berliner – recording engineer, mastering engineer Chris Huston – recording engineer Howard Miller – album cover art Lee Oskar – album cover concept Gary Sato – photography
Charts Year Album Chart positions US USR&B AUS 1975 Why Can't We Be Friends? 8 1 81
See also List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1975
References
External links Why Can't We Be Friends? at Discogs