Let’s Stick Together: How Bryan Ferry Turned Blues into Icy Cool Glamour
There are cover versions, and then there are transformations. In the summer of 1976, Bryan Ferry, the impossibly suave frontman of the recently (though temporarily) disbanded art-rock pioneers Roxy Music, unleashed his solo rendition of “Let’s Stick Together” upon the world, and it was unequivocally the latter. Originally a raw, heartfelt blues plea written and recorded by Wilbert Harrison back in 1962, Ferry took the song’s bones and dressed them in Savile Row cool, turning it into an urgent, sax-drenched glam stomper. The result was electrifying and immediate. The single became Bryan Ferry‘s biggest UK solo hit up to that point, soaring to #4 on the charts and earning a Silver certification. It became the title track of his subsequent solo album, Let’s Stick Together, a collection largely comprising singles, B-sides, and audacious remakes of Roxy Music classics, further cementing Ferry’s unique artistic vision outside of his parent band.
The story of Ferry’s “Let’s Stick Together” is a perfect encapsulation of his solo methodology during that era. Emerging from the complex, often experimental soundscapes of Roxy Music, Ferry’s solo work often involved delving into the great American songbook – blues, R&B, soul, pre-rock standards – and reinterpreting them through his own distinctively cool, modern European lens. Working with producer Chris Thomas, Ferry didn’t just cover “Let’s Stick Together”; he utterly reimagined it. Gone was the raw, slightly loose feel of Harrison’s original. In its place was a taut, driving rhythm section, insistent blasts of saxophone (courtesy of the brilliant Chris Mercer), and Ferry’s signature vocal – a kind of yearning, mannered croon that sounded simultaneously passionate and aloof. It was the sound of heartache and commitment filtered through an impossibly stylish, almost detached persona.
And then there was the video. Few music visuals from the era remain as indelible as the one for “Let’s Stick Together.” It featured Ferry, impeccably attired, delivering the song with his characteristic intensity, flanked by musicians and, most iconically, his then-girlfriend, the statuesque model Jerry Hall. Clad in a striking blue outfit, lipstick smeared, Jerry Hall prowled, posed, and famously mimed the wailing saxophone parts, adding an unforgettable layer of predatory glamour and high-fashion chic to the song’s raw energy. The video didn’t just accompany the song; it amplified its essence, cementing “Let’s Stick Together” as an anthem of rock ‘n’ roll sophistication.
The meaning of the song, in its lyrical essence, remains unchanged from Wilbert Harrison‘s original intent: a straightforward vow of commitment, a declaration that unity is paramount (“Well now the marriage vow is very sacred… Stick together, come on, come on let’s stick together”). Yet, when delivered by Bryan Ferry, wrapped in that sleek production and icy cool demeanour, the words take on a different resonance. It’s less a humble plea, more an insistent, almost demanding statement of intent. There’s a tension between the earnestness of the lyrics and the sophisticated, world-weary delivery that adds a fascinating layer of complexity.
Listening to “Let’s Stick Together” today, April 7, 2025, it still sounds utterly captivating. It’s a masterclass in interpretive genius, demonstrating how a great song can be entirely reinvented while retaining its core power. It perfectly captures Bryan Ferry‘s singular talent for blending raw emotion with high style, creating something timelessly cool and enduringly powerful. It remains a cornerstone of his solo catalogue and a high watermark of 70s rock sophistication.