The Friends of Mr Cairo is the second album by

Jon and Vangelis Jon and Vangelis was a music collaboration between British rock singer Jon Anderson (lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes) and Greek synthesiser musician Vangelis. The duo released four albums between 1980 and 1991. History In 1974, V ...

, released in 1981. There are two editions of the album, with different sleeves. Both were released in 1981 within a few weeks of each other. The title track, "The Friends of Mr Cairo", peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian singles chart in late 1981, though the track was not a hit elsewhere. The second edition of the album includes the single "

I'll Find My Way Home I'll Find My Way Home is a song written by Jon Anderson and Vangelis for the Jon and Vangelis' 1981 album ''The Friends of Mr Cairo''. The song was released late November 1981. It was later covered by numerous artists, including Demis Roussos, Ch ...

", which according to Anderson was added in response to poor initial sales of the album, and which stayed in the Swiss charts for 14 weeks and peaked at No. 1 on 7 March 1982. It also peaked at No. 6 in the UK. The album was #2 in Canada for 3 weeks, and was #15 in the Best of 1981. " State of Independence" was later a hit single for

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her mus ...

, and a decade later for Moodswings with

Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...

on vocal. Anderson also later re-recorded that song on his solo album '' Change We Must'', released in 1994. The title track and its accompanying music video serve as an ode to classic Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s, including references to the classic

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'' The Maltese Falcon''. Joel Cairo (Mr Cairo) is the character played by

Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...

in ''The Maltese Falcon''. The track incorporates sound effects and voice impressions of the stars of the era, most notably Lorre,

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...

Sydney Greenstreet Sydney Hughes Greenstreet (December 27, 1879 – January 18, 1954) was a British-American actor. While he did not begin his career in films until the age of 61, he had a run of significant motion pictures in a Hollywood career lasting throu ...

, and

Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

Track listing

First edition

Side A # "The Friends of Mr Cairo" – 12:04 # "Back to School" – 5:06 # "Outside And Inside" – 5:00 Side B #

" State of Independence" – 7:53 #

"Beside" – 4:08 #

"The Mayflower" – 6:35

Second edition

Side A # "

" – 4:29 # "State of Independence" – 7:53 # "Beside" – 4:08 # "The Mayflower" – 6:35 Side B #

"The Friends of Mr Cairo" – 12:04 #

"Back to School" – 5:06 #

"Outside And Inside" – 5:00

CD

# "I'll Find My Way Home" – 4:29 # "State of Independence" – 7:53 # "Beside" – 4:08 # "The Mayflower" – 6:35 # "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" – 12:04 # "Back to School" – 5:06 # "Outside of This (Inside of That)" – 5:00

Personnel

Jon Anderson John Roy Anderson (born 25 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire. He was a member of the band across thre ...

– vocals, composer *

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...

– composer, producer, arranger, performer *

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

– saxophone, flute * David Coker – voices *

Sally Grace Sally Grace (born 10 September 1951) is an English actress who has worked extensively on radio and television and in animation. Life and career Grace was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, and trained at the Guildhall School of Music ...

– voices (5) * Dennis Clarke - saxophone *

Claire Hamill Josephine Claire Hamill (born 4 August 1954) is an English singer-songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has collaborated with Wishbone Ash and Yes's Steve Howe. Life and career Claire Hamill was born in Port Clarence, County Durham ...

– backing vocals (6) *

Carol Kenyon Carol Kenyon (sometimes spelt Karol; born 1959) is a British singer. She is best known for her vocals on the Heaven 17 hit song "Temptation", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1983. When the song was re-released as a remix by ...

– backing vocals ;Technical * Roger Roche – engineer * Raine Shine – engineer * Alwyn Clayden – sleeve * Veronique Skawinska – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Album Singles

References

External links

Review on Vangelis Movements

Review on allmusic.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Friends of Mr. Cairo 1981 albums Jon and Vangelis albums Polydor Records albums Songs about fictional male characters Cultural depictions of Humphrey Bogart Cultural depictions of Peter Lorre