Timmy Thomas, the singer, songwriter and keyboardist whose minimalist yet urgent 1970s hit anti-war anthem “Why Can’t We Live Together” eventually would sell more than 2 million copies, died March 11, at a hospital in Miami. He was 77.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
His family announced his death on Facebook, and wife Lillie (Brown) Thomas told The New York Times that the cause was cancer.
Accompanied only by his Lowrey organ and an early drum machine set to a staccato, bossa nova beat, Thomas delivered a fervent, melancholy vocal performance calling for an end to war as the conflict in Vietnam dragged on. In a refrain that was as catchy as it was pleading, Thomas sang, “Everybody wants to live together/Why can’t we live together?”
Released in August 1972, the reached No. 1 on R&B charts and No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in early 1973.
Although Thomas would have various R&B singles charting modestly over the next decade, he’d never repeat the commercial success of “Why Can’t We Live Together.” He recalled in a 2015 Spin magazine interview that a record executive once told him, “Timmy, your major problem was what you said was so profound that you could never back it up.” Thomas added, “I had some nice regional records after that but nothing that worldwide.”
The song has lived on as a staple of ’70s-era oldies radio and, along with Freda Payne’s “Bring the Boys Home,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” Edwin Starr’s “War” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” remains a foundation of the era’s anti-war sentiment.
The song received renewed attention when Drake sampled the original in his 2015 hit “Hotline Bling.”
“Why Can’t We Live Together” has been covered by numerous artists, most notably Sade in 1984, Joan Osborne in 2002 and Steve Winwood in 2003.
“Timmy Thomas has for years influenced many people, none more than me,” Winwood said in a statement today, “his being an organist and using percussion loops – things that I’ve endeavoured to do over the years. Timmy was a prolific songwriter and has had many releases, but he is best known for ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’, and rightly so. Its lyrics are as poignant today as ever, and it’s been covered by many musicians and singers. I’ve done it twice: once live with Santana, and on my own album in 2003. A very important innovator, he and his songs will be remembered by many for a very long time. Farewell, Timmy.”
Must Read Stories
Disney Dissent Grows Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ As LGBTQ+ Staff Plan Walkouts Starting Today
Jonathan Majors Set To Star In Adaptation Of Walter Mosley’s ‘The Man In My Basement’
Fox News Cameraman Pierre Zakrewski Killed In Ukraine; Reporter Benjamin Hall In Hospital
European Union Clears Amazon’s Acquisition Of MGM In Key Approval; FTC Still Mulling Deal
Read More About:
Source: Read Full Article