You're a Friend of Mine
{{Short description|1985 single by Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne}}
{{Infobox song
| name = You're a Friend of Mine
| cover = You're a Friend of Mine single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne
| album = Hero
| B-side = Let the Music Say It
| released = October 1985
| format =
| recorded = 1985
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Jazz rock, dance-rock
| length = 4:48 (album version)
4:12 (single edit)
| label = CBS Records
| writer = Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen
| producer = Narada Michael Walden
| chronology = Clarence Clemons
| prev_title = Resurrection Shuffle
| prev_year = 1983
| next_title = I Wanna Be Your Hero
| next_year = 1986
}}
"You're a Friend of Mine" is a 1985 hit song, written by Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen, with lead vocals by Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne in a duet. At the time of the song's release, Clemons was already well known nationally as the saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. The song was released on Clemons's solo album Hero (1985). Browne's then-girlfriend Daryl Hannah provides background vocals and appears in the song's music video painting and later filming the duo. Also appearing in the video is a backing band, including songwriter Walden on drums. The B-side was "Let the Music Say It", a non-album track written by Clemons and Michael Jonzun.
The song was a commercial success, reaching the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 (#18), Mainstream Rock (#16), and the top 40 on the Adult Contemporary (#21) charts in the U.S. The song also reached the top 20 in Ireland on the Irish Singles Chart (#18).
A live version of the song was recorded on Clemons's 2004 album with Temple of Soul entitled Live in Asbury Park, Vol. 2.
Singing cousins Whitney Houston & Dionne Warwick sang a live version of "You're a Friend of Mine" on Solid Gold in January of 1986, which can be found on YouTube.
This song was used by the World Wrestling Federation (WWE) in early 1986, to cement a storyline involving a feud between "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Ace" Cowboy Bob Orton, culminating with a montage of their work together from 1984 to 1986. It was also used again on 02/03/1989 on NBC's The Main Event to show the close friendships of The Mega Powers: Hulk Hogan, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and Miss Elizabeth.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}
Charts
=Weekly charts=
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
scope="col"| Chart (1985–1986)
! scope="col"| Peak |
---|
scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{Cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, NSW|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6 }}
| 9 |
{{single chart|Flanders|12|artist=Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne|song=You're a Friend of Mine|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
Ireland{{Cite web |title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=www.irishcharts.ie}}
|18 |
{{single chart|Dutch40|7|year=1986|week=5|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
{{single chart|Dutch100|10|artist=Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne|song=You're a Friend of Mine|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|18|artist=Clarence Clemons|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|21|artist=Clarence Clemons|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|16|artist=Clarence Clemons|rowheader=true|access-date=September 27, 2021}} |
=Year-end charts=
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
scope="col"| Chart (1986)
! scope="col"| Position |
---|
scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1986|magazine=Kent Music Report|issue=650|date=December 1986|via=Imgur|access-date= January 24, 2023}}
| 55 |
scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=September 27, 2021}}
| 86 |
scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=September 27, 2021}}
| 66 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=087mi1e46us "You're a Friend of Mine"] on YouTube
- [https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/clarence-clemons/youre-a-friend-of-mine Song lyrics] at SongFacts
{{Jackson Browne}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Narada Michael Walden
Category:Song recordings produced by Narada Michael Walden