"Friends" is a song written and originally recorded by British vocalist and musician

Terry Reid Terrance James Reid (born 13 November 1949) is an English rock vocalist and guitarist. He has performed with high-profile musicians, as a supporting act, session musician, and sideman. Biography Reid was born in Paxton Park Maternity Home, L ...

, released on his eponymous album in August 1969. It was included as a medley with a cover of Bob Dylan's "

Highway 61 Revisited ''Highway 61 Revisited'' is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on August 30, 1965, by Columbia Records. Having until then recorded mostly acoustic music, Dylan used rock musicians as his backing band on ever ...

", in which "Friends" was sandwiched in between the two halves of the Dylan song.

Arrival version

In November 1969,

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...

band

Arrival Arrival(s) or The Arrival(s) may refer to: Film * ''The Arrival'' (1991 film), an American science fiction horror film * ''The Arrival'' (1996 film), an American-Mexican science fiction horror film * ''Arrival'' (film), a 2016 American science ...

released a cover of "Friends" as their debut single. The song featured lead vocals by

Dyan Birch Dyan Joan Birch (25 January 1949 – 10 October 2020) was an English singer. Born in Liverpool, Birch worked as a teenager in Brian Epstein's NEMS record shop in the city. In 1969 she and her friends formed the band Arrival, and moved to London. ...

and was arranged by Arrival and

Paul Buckmaster Paul John Buckmaster (13 June 1946 – 7 November 2017) was a Grammy Award-winning British cellist, arranger, conductor and composer, with a career spanning five decades. He is best known for his orchestral collaborations with David Bowie, Sha ...

. It peaked at number 8 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in January 1970.

Reception

Reviewing for ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', Derek Johnson wrote that Birch has a "great presence and her vital soul-flecked styling is enhanced by powerful harmonies from the rest of the team. The backing piano, underlying deep-throated strings and walloping beat is impressive and the material is way above average. A very good disc indeed". However, guest reviewing for ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'',

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...

wrote that "there are so many songs with that sort of beginning and that sort or chorus line" and that "there is nothing special about it".

Charts

References

{{authority control 1969 songs 1969 singles Decca Records singles