Friends (Adam and the Ants song)

"Friends" b/w "Kick"/"Physical"

Front of the 7" picture disc version of The B-sides
Single by Adam and the Ants
A-side "Friends"
B-side "Kick"/"Physical"
Released 1982
Format vinyl record (7")
Recorded August 1979
Genre New wave, post-punk
Length 3:33
Label Do It Records
Writer(s) Adam Ant
Adam and the Ants singles chronology
"Deutscher Girls"
(1982)		 "Friends" b/w "Kick"/"Physical"
(1982)		 "Goody Two Shoes"
(1982)

"Friends" b/w "Kick"/"Physical", also known as The B-sides,[1] was the final single from Adam and the Ants. All three songs were written by Adam Ant, and were early fan favorites among "Antpeople." "Friends" and "Physical" were performed at a John Peel session on 10 July 1978.

Antmusic EP

All three songs were recorded during the Dirk Wears White Sox recording session at Sound Development in August 1979. When none were used on the album, Do It Records intended to release the tracks on the Antmusic EP in 1980. When that project fell through,[2] Adam and the Ants and Do It Records parted ways.

Soon afterwards, Adam and the Ants jumped over to CBS Records, and became something of a phenomenon with the album Kings of the Wild Frontier. Released in late 1980, it was the UK number 1 selling album in 1981, and the 48th best seller of 1980. It was named the Best British Album at the 1982 Brit Awards.

As "Antmusic for Sex People" was sweeping through Britain, Do It decided to cash in on their success by releasing the Antmusic EP and "Friends" b/w "Kick"/"Physical" as a 7" single in 1982. Chronologically, the single followed "Deutscher Girls", which was also an old track released by a former label (E.G. Records). It reached number 46 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]

B-sides

Cleaner, more polished versions of all three songs had already been released as B-sides to previous Adam and the Ants singles. "Friends" was the B-side of "Ant Rap",[4] "Kick", with completely different lyrics, was the B-side of "Cartrouble",[5] and "Physical" was called "Physical (You're So)" when it appeared on the B-side of "Dog Eat Dog".[6]

The version of "Physical" that appears on this single appeared on the B-side of a July 1980 2000 copy pressing of the "Zerox" single, though "Whip in my Valise" was still credited.[7]

All three tracks had previously been recorded in 1978 for the Ants' first label Decca - Kick at RAK Studios in Chalbert Street, London, produced by Snips, Friends and Physical at Decca's own studio at Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, produced by Ant himself.[8]

"Friends" lyrics

In "Friends" Adam does a considerable amount of name dropping in an attempt to be guestlisted. Among the people he claims as a friend include Shirley Bassey, former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, Michael Jackson, Michael Caine, John Wayne, Stevie Wonder, Eric Fromm and Bryan Ferry.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Adam and the Ants. "The B-sides". Adam-Ant.net.
  2. ↑ Adam and the Ants. "The Antmusic EP (Promo)". Adam-Ant.net.
  3. ↑ "Adam and the Ants Top Songs/Chart Singles Discography". Music VF.com.
  4. ↑ Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni (30 November 1981). "Ant Rap". Adam-Ant.net. CBS Records.
  5. ↑ Ant, Adam (7 March 1980). "Cartrouble". Adam-Ant.net. Swishgrade Ltd./EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
  6. ↑ Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni (3 October 1980). "Dog Eat Dog". Adam-Ant.net. EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
  7. ↑ Ant, Adam. "Zerox". Adam-Ant.net. Swishgrade Ltd./EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
  8. ↑ "<>". Antmusic.simondaw.me.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  9. ↑ Ant, Adam. "Friends". LetsSingIt®. Swishgrade Ltd./EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
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