Friends and Lovers (song)
Encyclopedia
"Friends and Lovers" is the title of a popular song from 1986. The song was first recorded as a duet
by Gloria Loring
and Carl Anderson
in 1985. That recording remained unreleased until the summer of 1986, when it was released shortly after a version by Juice Newton
and Eddie Rabbitt
hit country radio. The country version featured the altered title of "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)".
from 1970 until 1983. Beginning in 1980, she portrayed the character Liz Chandler
on the American
soap opera
Days of our Lives
. Her character was a lounge singer, so Loring was often called upon to perform on-screen; one of the songs she performed during this period was "Friends and Lovers", a song that was written by Jay Gruska and Paul Gordon
. The song became the theme music for one of the popular supercouples on the show in the mid 1980s, Shane Donovan and Kimberly Brady (portrayed by Charles Shaughnessy
and Patsy Pease
, respectively).
In 1985, Carl Anderson (perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot
in both the film
and stage version
s of the Andrew Lloyd Webber
/ Tim Rice
rock opera
Jesus Christ Superstar) appeared on Days of our Lives and performed the duet with Loring, a pairing that proved popular with fans of the soap. The commercial release of this duet was delayed for months before becoming available in the summer of 1986, first as a single
on the label USA Carrere, then later on Anderson's self-titled album on Epic Records
and Loring's self-titled album on Atlantic Records
. According to Loring, it had been turned down by most of the major American record labels at the time, and she had taken to referring to the song informally as "Friends and Lawyers".
The song proved to be a hit when released, spending two weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in late September and early October 1986. It was kept from the top position by "Stuck with You
" by Huey Lewis and the News
, and it remained in the Top 40 for 14 weeks. It reached #1 on the Billboard
sales chart and #2 on the airplay chart (the two components of the Hot 100 chart). It also spent two weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart
. "Friends and Lovers" would be the only Top 40 hit
for either performer. Loring would leave Days of our Lives the same year the single appeared on the music charts. Anderson died in 2004 from complications arising from a long battle with leukemia
.
, since it was commercially available before the pop version was released. Therefore, even though Loring and Anderson recorded the song first, Newton and Rabbitt are credited with the original commercial version. Their duet was called "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)", and although its arrangement differed from Loring and Anderson's recording, it is lyrically the same song. Both Newton ("Queen of Hearts
", "Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me
") and Rabbitt ("I Love a Rainy Night
", "Every Which Way but Loose
") had already enjoyed considerable success on both the pop and country music charts, and their version of the duet went to #1 on the Billboard country chart
. This was Newton's final #1 though her last solo #1 had come eight months earlier with "Hurt".
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
by Gloria Loring
Gloria Loring
Gloria Loring is an American singer and actress.- Career :Loring began her music career at age 14, singing with a folk group known as "Those Four". Gloria Loring released her first album in 1968. It was titled "Gloria Loring, Today" on MGM Records...
and Carl Anderson
Carl Anderson (singer)
Carl Anderson was an American singer, film and theatre actor best known for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in the Broadway and film versions of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.-Early life:Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Anderson was one of 12 children of...
in 1985. That recording remained unreleased until the summer of 1986, when it was released shortly after a version by Juice Newton
Juice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
and Eddie Rabbitt
Eddie Rabbitt
Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974...
hit country radio. The country version featured the altered title of "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)".
Pop version
Gloria Loring is a singer and actress who had been married to actor Alan ThickeAlan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
from 1970 until 1983. Beginning in 1980, she portrayed the character Liz Chandler
Liz Chandler
Elizabeth "Liz" Chandler is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. Liz was played by actress Gloria Loring from 1980 to 1986.-Fictional character history :Liz came to Salem in 1980. She is a singer...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
. Her character was a lounge singer, so Loring was often called upon to perform on-screen; one of the songs she performed during this period was "Friends and Lovers", a song that was written by Jay Gruska and Paul Gordon
Paul Gordon (composer)
-Career:Gordon composed the music and lyrics for the stage musical Jane Eyre which ran on Broadway in 2001, for which he received a Tony Award nomination...
. The song became the theme music for one of the popular supercouples on the show in the mid 1980s, Shane Donovan and Kimberly Brady (portrayed by Charles Shaughnessy
Charles Shaughnessy
Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy , simply known as Charles Shaughnessy, is a British peer, and television, theatre and film actor. He is known for his roles on American television, as Shane Donovan on the soap opera Days of our Lives and as Maxwell Sheffield on the sitcom...
and Patsy Pease
Patsy Pease
Patricia Ann "Patsy" Pease is an American soap opera actress. She is most known for her role as Kimberly Brady on Days of our Lives ....
, respectively).
In 1985, Carl Anderson (perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
in both the film
Jesus Christ Superstar (film)
Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973 American film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera of the same name. Directed by Norman Jewison, the film centers on the conflict between Judas and Jesus during the last weeks before the crucifixion of Jesus...
and stage version
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
s of the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
/ Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Jesus Christ Superstar) appeared on Days of our Lives and performed the duet with Loring, a pairing that proved popular with fans of the soap. The commercial release of this duet was delayed for months before becoming available in the summer of 1986, first as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on the label USA Carrere, then later on Anderson's self-titled album on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and Loring's self-titled album on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. According to Loring, it had been turned down by most of the major American record labels at the time, and she had taken to referring to the song informally as "Friends and Lawyers".
The song proved to be a hit when released, spending two weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in late September and early October 1986. It was kept from the top position by "Stuck with You
Stuck with You
"Stuck with You" is the title of a hit single by Huey Lewis and the News, written by guitarist Chris Hayes and lead singer Huey Lewis, from 1986. It was the first single from the band's fourth album, Fore!. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from September 20, 1986,...
" by Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, and it remained in the Top 40 for 14 weeks. It reached #1 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
sales chart and #2 on the airplay chart (the two components of the Hot 100 chart). It also spent two weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
. "Friends and Lovers" would be the only Top 40 hit
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
for either performer. Loring would leave Days of our Lives the same year the single appeared on the music charts. Anderson died in 2004 from complications arising from a long battle with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
Country version
In 1986, country-pop singers Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt released a version of "Friends and Lovers", altering the title to emphasize the final line of the chorus. Technically, Newton and Rabbitt's recording is not a cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
, since it was commercially available before the pop version was released. Therefore, even though Loring and Anderson recorded the song first, Newton and Rabbitt are credited with the original commercial version. Their duet was called "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)", and although its arrangement differed from Loring and Anderson's recording, it is lyrically the same song. Both Newton ("Queen of Hearts
Queen of Hearts (song)
"Queen of Hearts" is the title of a country-pop song written by Hank DeVito, who was the pedal steel guitarist in Emmylou Harris' backing group The Hot Band in the early '80s....
", "Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me
Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me
"Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me" is a 1982 song recorded by country-pop singer Juice Newton. It was a #7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of that year. It also charted at #4 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and #30 on the Billboard Country chart. The recording garnered...
") and Rabbitt ("I Love a Rainy Night
I Love a Rainy Night
"I Love a Rainy Night" is a rock song by Eddie Rabbitt. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Singles, and Adult Contemporary Singles charts in 1981...
", "Every Which Way but Loose
Every Which Way but Loose (song)
"Every Which Way but Loose" is a song recorded by Eddie Rabbitt. The title song to the 1978 film of the same name, it spent three weeks atop the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in February 1979.-Highest debut:...
") had already enjoyed considerable success on both the pop and country music charts, and their version of the duet went to #1 on the Billboard country chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
. This was Newton's final #1 though her last solo #1 had come eight months earlier with "Hurt".
Chart positions
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |