Why Can't We Be Friends? (song)

For the 1929 song, see Can't We Be Friends? For "Y Can't We B Friends", see Bryce Vine § Singles.

"Why Can't We Be Friends?" is a song by American funk band War, from their 1975 studio album of the same name. It has a simple structure, with the phrase "Why can't we be friends?" being sung four times after each two-line verse amounting to forty-four times in under four minutes. The song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1975, and uniquely features each band member singing their own verse. It was played in outer space when NASA beamed it to the linking of Soviet cosmonauts and U.S. astronauts for the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project.^[4] Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song of that year.

"Why Can't We Be Friends?"
Single by War
from the album Why Can't We Be Friends?
B-side	"In Mazatlan"
Released	April 1975
Genre	Funk[1][2] pop[2] reggae[3] R&B[3] soul[3]
Length	3:50
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Papa Dee Allen Harold Ray Brown B. B. Dickerson Lonnie Jordan Charles Miller Lee Oskar Howard E. Scott Jerry Goldstein
Producer(s)	Jerry Goldstein
War singles chronology
"Ballero" (1974) "Why Can't We Be Friends?" (1975) "Low Rider" (1975)
Music video
Why Can't We Be Friends on YouTube

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1975) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 93 Canada RPM Top Singles[6] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[7] 6 US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)[8] 9 US Cash Box Top 100 5

Year-end charts Chart (1975) Rank Canada[9] 75 US Billboard Hot 100[10] 24

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Smash Mouth version

"Why Can't We Be Friends?"
Single by Smash Mouth
from the album Fush Yu Mang
Released	January 12, 1998 (1998-01-12)[12]
Genre	Ska punk alternative rock[13]
Length	4:46 (album version) 3:17 (radio edit)
Label	Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Papa Dee Allen, Harold Ray Brown, B. B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard E. Scott, Jerry Goldstein
Producer(s)	Eric Valentine
Smash Mouth singles chronology
"The Fonz" (1997) "Why Can't We Be Friends?" (1998) "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" (1998)
Music video
"Why Can't We Be Friends?" on YouTube

American pop rock band Smash Mouth covered the song on their debut album, Fush Yu Mang, and released it as the album's third single in January 1998.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Hot on the heels of 'Walkin' On The Sun' comes a wonderfully festive, anthemic rendition of War's pop/R&B chestnut. The song's original funk-flavored arrangement proves perfectly accessible to Smash mouth's pop/ska style. The heartfelt 'let's get along' tone of the lyrics remains as relevant as ever to today's social and political climate, and the band's rousing approach makes the message all the more user-friendly to the pop masses. Another sure-fire multi-format hit from the album Fush Yu Mang."^[14]

Charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[15]	67
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16]	19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[17]	19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18]	89
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19]	39
Spain (AFYVE)[20]	5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21]	29
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[22]	28