Album Review 54: The Beach Boys - Friends
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- In this week's video we chat about one of my favorite Beach Boys album; Friends. This album was made with so much love and care in a time where this music could not be more out of place with the world. There is so much heart and soul on this warmly crafted masterpiece, and it's just as beautiful today as it ever was. What do you guys think of it? Let me know!
I'm amazed this review is longer then "Friends" total playing time.
Wes Wennerstrom we here at Giggens tv can get pretty wordy haha
First thought that came to my head! I love this album but it's so frustratingly short.
You say that like it’s a bad thing. In-depth reviews are the shit, love it when someone thinks so much of something that they can talk about it endlessly.
Yea, that's how it was back in those days... Ya want airplay, song had to be under 3 mins....if you're into punk rock as well like I am...ya get used to it...a standard punk song is 2 mins
😄
Friends is by far my favorite of their lo-fi trilogy. It really sounds like they were friends, it's so collaborative and fresh with no shadows of Smile.
Many people hate Transcendental Meditation but I dig it and think it's an excellent album closer. If you think about what TM attempts to do, concentrate on one thing like your hum or your breath to the point where you're actually thinking of nothing, the song comes about as close as you can to capturing that in a pop sense with its almost monotone repetitive drone - the sax solo fits brilliantly. Jazz? Definitely not. Rock? Not really. Discordant pop? Absolutely, and I think that's why most people can't relate.
Capitol screwed their artistic/image change and derailed their sales - which didn't benefit the label either. The tone of this album could have been a perfect counterpoint to the political / cultural storm of 1968.
Very well said man!! I never though of the song as a meditation in itself, cool idea there!
Child Is Father Of The Man makes an appearance in Little Bird as well
Brian shows us that even waltz’s can rock. Top three Beach Boy album. Nice one to chill out to.
Very much so! Easily in my top three aswell!
The Beach Boys were about much more than sun, surf cars and girls!! Their later stuff was so underrated and overlooked!! So sad
Well said Thomas! They were so much more than the early 60's stuff!
I love Friends. The older I get the more the title track means to me. And, as many people have said here, I love the lo-fi production. Taking the lo-fi route seems prescient in retrospect. Nice review.
When your in the mood for Friends its just beautiful. Mellow and perfect.
Exactly!
Great reviews by the way
Thanks LED! Much appreciated!
Absolutely right. Mike's vocal on Meant for You is sublime.
this album is very dear to me since i listened to it in repeat when i was backpacking through spain
That sounds like the best soundtrack to a great adventure!
hey I’m just now getting into the BB and I didn’t even know this album existed, thanks for putting me on it! I’m laying here listening to it and smiling for the first time in days. thank you, awesome video, what a cool freaking album!
It's one of their most chill and wonderful albums! Glad you dig it!
I relate to this album so much. One of the best albums, to put on when you wake up for a few hours in the middle of the night, to get you back to a peaceful sleep.
Agreed. This is my favorite BB album because it was so relaxing in a time full of turmoil. And the music is gorgeous. I wore my vinyl out back in the day.
The album that sent me over the edge into Beach Boys obsession and record collecting back in 1977. I had seen them live two years before that. "Busy Doin' Nothing" just blew me away.
I just got this album a few days ago. So not sure how I feel about it yet. But it does have some rather unusual and catchy melodies. The Beach Boys image that most people have is probably a band your mom (or grandma) would approve of. Not a group with experminental arrangements and sounds. However, this is so unique and difficult (in a good way, to me) at once.
Such an incredible album!
Once again, you have brought one of my absolute favorite albums perfectly into perspective.
Can't disagree with anything. Lot's of research went into this. GREAT
Carl Rudd thank you man!!! It had to be a good one for such a great album!
This album has become my favorite from them I think. The song writing and specifically the constant key changes are AMAZING
Truly incredible album!
I have NO problem picking Sunflower as my favorite BB album post - Pet Sounds. For a number of reasons.
Agreed!
friends might be their best album.....every song is good
Totally agree man!
I think it was
What a great review for this album, it was worth watching, thanks Giggens !!
Thanks Derek!
Some of their best singing and vocal recording quality is found on this album. Love the vocal sound on these tracks.
My favorite track might be Anna Lee, The Healer, it's just so perfectly cheesy. I could listen to it a million times over. I was surprised when I found out some people dislike it. This whole album is so chill, I think this one reviewer from back when the album came out said it best:
"Listen once and you might think this album is nowhere. But it's really just at a very special place, and after a half-dozen listenings, you can be there."
Totally agreed!
Brian Wilson one of the greatest composers in the latter 20th
Century. Up there with Copeland, Berlin, Gershwin, etc.
Well said!
Wow, a lot of great background information in this review. great stuff, Giggens.
I came across 'Friends' by mere chance. Felt like buying a beach Boys album, since I had loved their 60s hits from the 60s as a kid. I knew they became a bit more psychedelic later in the decade, but I had never heard of this album at all. I was sold immediately. This is easily among my absolute top BB albums, possibly even my #1.
the same with the kinks album - village green preservation society,. its one of the best albums ive ever heard (and its pretty sucessful today) but not around this time in the 60ies ... thats like it was
Stephen Kater that's my favorite Kinks album man! And yeah I agree!
That's pretty much almost every Kinks album until the 80s, at least in the U.S..
Friends is so amazing and underrated. Brian put more into the album than he did with the previous two, and when it turned out to be one of the worst selling albums, he once again withdrew and was depressed. I don't think he ever got into another album as much until the mid 70s with his Comeback
Totally. I'd say he got pretty heavily involved with Sunflower, but other than that, not much till the mid 70s!
@@Giggens Oh yes, you're right, he did write a few great one's on Sunflower/Surf's Up, those are some great albums. Heck, I personally love everything Brian Wilson wrote.
@@Giggens hey, I'm sure you probably already heard the 'Wake the World" friends sessions, it is amazing, also check out Sunshine Tommorow which is Smiley Smile/Wild Honey sessions
I love the Friends album, and especially the outtakes on the digital-only Wake the World release, the variations of some of the songs are ultra-interesting and really demonstrate what a creative time this was. Especially cool on that set is Brian having fun with the Bacharach-David song Little Red Book. He sounds like he is in a fantastic mood.
Agreed, excellent album for his creative talents!
Giggens. I cant believe how informative you are about The Beach Boys. I bought this album(cd), over 30 yrs ago. Listened to it, didnt like it, and never played it again until i saw your review a on this album and 20/20. Im starting to listen to it with new ears. and appreciating it. Thanks. I hope you do a review on Love you & 15 Big Ones.
Thanks for watching! Those reviews are on my page too!
I love this album, I bought this when I got back from Vietnam in 1971, in the Bargain bin at the Soo, Canada Sears, it was a great album I loved it then and I love it now.
Excellent to see positive things about this album!
Its a great album, and you did a fine review, I really am looking forward to a Sunflower Review, because that album is really close to my heart, as well as Today, because Today was the Last album I bought before I shipped out to Vietnam in 1966.
Fenton Hardy thank you again for your service! And I feel the same way, Sunflower is truly special. I have a feeling that may be a two part video cause I have a lot to say about it
Friends is in my Beach Boys Top Five (along with Pet Sounds, The Smile Sessions, a tie for Sunflower/Surf's Up and Holland). My only gripe with Friends is that the songs are too short. It's a shame that it wasn't more commercially successful.
Agreed! This album should've been much bigger for them!
When I think of "Friends", I imagine people all over America getting it dirt cheap in bargain bins across the country 6 months/a year later, because it totally bombed commercially, and being (hopefully) blown away by it. I hope there are stories like that. I love this album (including the cover).
I hope there are stories like that too!
That's definitely not the case now. The most beat-up copies of it start at $50 on ebay , Amazon, and discogs. I've seen it in good condition for sale for $2000 on ebay. Beach Boys may have fell from grace in the public eye, but left a lot of hidden treasure over the years.
@@jdd3786 Don't get me started on the price of vinyl.
The first 10/12 minutes of this video has some very funny moments man, it also shows once again that the BBs made some terrible decisions during their career. Friends really is a beautiful album, I loved the cover it has a lot going on, and you're right it is Paul McCartney, I also have to agree with you regarding Diamond Head, this track is so beautiful. The only weak track on it is Anna Lee, but it doesn't let the album down. Another great review of a truly great and underated album. As for the Stack o tracks album?, well I have two copy's of the original album, which is nothing to do with Friends I know but you do mention it in this video, and it does prove once again that the BBs were ahead of any other band at the time by being the first group to introduce Karaoke.
Just now getting into this era from the BB and your reviews are amazing! Thank you so much!!
Thanks Jaxon! Such a great era of this band!
I just got done listening to wild honey on cassette its probably my 2nd favorite beach boys my first favorite being pet sounds. 1966-1973 is probably my favorite era of the Beach boys
Loving your Beach Boys album reviews.So good!
Thank you!
The tag at the end of “Little Bird” has the chord structure and muted trumpet part from “Child Is Father To The Man”
Love your reviews.. I honestly am surprised to see a review about any of the 70's Beach Boys material😂 These albums.. I hate that I love them.. They're just great when you want to put something on for 30-45min and do nothing. I could talk Beach Boys for hours.
This is also among my personal favorites too - In the liner notes for the double CD edition, Brian says that although "Pet Sounds" is far and away his "best" album, he has to get in a mood to want to hear it, whereas "Friends" he can get into anytime..I would go along with that - it has such a peaceful vibe to it. Nowadays when I listen to music, I tend to reach for things that are relaxing and comforting - "Friends" has that quality in spades.. I got a kick out of your Impressions of "Passing By" - I tend to think of the ice cream truck on a summer day when I hear it, lol..."Busy Doin' Nothin'" is probably my favorite on the record, but all of side two is great - "Transcendental Meditation" is pretty groovy - love when you hear Brian go "it's coool" near the end - nice review..
Thomas Calden awesome comment man! I remember reading that about Brian too, and it makes total sense. The ice cream truck, haha I get that too!!
yes Brian sings "It's cool! It's cool!" for the chorus of Transendental Meditation, we know that, but go online (oh, you're already there) and google the various song lyric sites on this particular Beach Boys tune title and you'll see them saying instead "It's good! It's good!" Give me a colossal break
Love this album
It's one of their best!
@@Giggens Defiantly!
my favourite bb album
One of mine too!
love your reviews and in depth background! any plans of a sunflower review though??
Sunflower will happen for sure :)
At first I only believed Friends was the "TM Album" and I dismissed it as preachy- then I sat down and listened to some of the tracks; I changed my mind- its so peaceful and calming- now I just have to find the vinyl!
It's a little harder to find, but they are out there!
Great review man! Friends is such a special and beautiful album. Friends, Wake The World, Be Here In The Mornin,' Little Bird and Busy Doin' Nothin are 5 of my favorite Beach Boys songs of all time. When I saw Brian Wilson live several months ago, Al Jardine sang Wake The World which was amazing.
HeGivesMixes that's crazy!!! I would love to see that. They did Little Bird a couple tours back I think too
Giggens Yeah I think they had David Marks sing Little Bird, now that would be cool to see.
HeGivesMixes ahh that's right!
Even though this is my favorite BB's album, your review has made me love every single song. That's not easy to do.
This album is laid back in a beautiful and creative manner.The Beach Boys had become passe in the States. It didn't matter that they were making better records than other bands.I love this album. Very short record.After Sunflower and Pet Sounds its right up there with their best work. Should have never wore those square striped shirts. The Beatles were considered cool.The Beach Boys were not.
I hear you Randall! This album is easily one of their best!
In the early seventies in England my mother bought me this record as a Christmas present. But unlike the fab cover it was originally released in it was part of a double LP paired with Smiley Smile with drawings of "beach babes " standing on a beach.
Inside there were some liner notes "explaining" each album - almost as an apology I thought! - which basically said "these are not the Beach Boys as you expect them but one is quirky and the other is lovely". It did go into much more detail after that which was informative. Do you know anything about this release. I this it was on Warner Bros Reprise.
I loved them, both of them. Friends always makes me smile in a"blissed" out" chilled way and much like the track Passing By, that is what the album does - very quickly but in very beautiful way. At less than 30 minutes it definitely shows that "less is more"
Andy Gaines I have that Two-Fer set aswell, a promo copy I think!
This is one of two BB albums that I don't enjoy a single song on (the other being Holland). Glad you like it though and I enjoyed the video, man.
Interesting! I love hearing other points of view!
A great review for a great album!
Thank you! Love this album!
i know this is totally off topic but can you do an entire video on your setup (turntable, receiver, speakers, cassette deck, record collection and shelve, etc.). It would be sort of interesting to see you show us around some of the stuff you've always had going on back there in your videos! Btw, what a fantastic review!! Great review for a great album
Hmmmm, that might make a cool video! I'll think about it!
Thanks so much for the info on "Friends" and your enthusiasm for it, Giggens. Might I point out: "Friends" was the first Beach Boys album in stereo (previous albums are in Monophonic or Duophonic). This confirms your observation of the equal partnership on the album, since Brian, with his only 1 good ear, cannot really comprehend stereo.
The song, "Friends" is in 3/4 time, but not really waltz time. Waltz time is 1, 2 and 3 (quarter note, eighth note, eighth note, quarter note per bar). "Friends" is 1,2,3 and (quarter note, quarter note, eighth note, eighth note per bar). This seems to be true of most rock 3/4 time songs -- "Disney Girls" by Bruce Johnston, "Cabinessence" chorus by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks and "Just Like a Woman" by Bob Dylan. I know of no 3/4 time rock song that made the top ten.
Interesting, thanks for the info there Count!
I think Al’s singing the lead on “Be here in the Morning”. Brian just sings the “Aha” after the second verse.
You're correct!
You've probably heard this at this point since the video was uploaded, but the falsetto on Be Here in the Mornin' is actually Al Jardine. I think maybe slightly sped up to make it sound higher.
Yup! My mistake back in the day :)
Thank you, I like this review!
appreciate all the info in this review. love the friends song. now i’ll check out the other songs on this album. thanks. so far sunflower is my fav but maybe this album could change that. don’t care for the yogi. love their transition through the 70s because of carl’s maturing voice, but of course i’m also hooked on the 60s because of brian’s falsetto and bass
Totally! The Sunflower review will happen soon too!
It’s a strong, underrated record. I enjoy it. I can totally see why it was a commercial flop though. There’s hardly any pop appeal to it, it sounds like an indie record
“Transcendental Meditation” is a masterpiece!!! We did a cover of it!!! xoxo The Clarences
Friends is my favorite Beach Boys album by miles.
Absolutely!
Wow - I thought I was the only one to see that Paul McCartney thing! LOL!!!
23:49
Really enjoyed this review!! One thin though. That falsetto on Be Here In The Morning is not Brian, it's Al, yeah I'm not kidding , for some reason it doesn't say it on Wikipedia. and the Little Bird part you're talking about with SMiLE it's from Child Is Father Of The Man, it Come In on the part that goes 'little Bird up in a Tree, look down and sang a song to me, The trout in a shiny brook
Gave the worm another look
And told me not to worry about my life'
That's Al??? WHAT!??! He sounds just like Brian! That's really Al in the verses? Blown away!
Giggens yeah I always thought it was Brian and when I found out it was Al it was very surprising. If you hear him sing Don't Worry Baby on the 1973 Concert album you may see a similarity
Damn it's been a while since I've played that. I knew he capable of doing the high parts, and filled in for that stuff live in the 60s, but I had no idea he could go up that high. Seriously blown away!
I have "Friends" on a original mono LP pressing in excellent condition, rare stuff indeed! It's one of my favourite BB albums as well! An album of pure bliss!
Pure bliss indeed!
I haven't notice that left guy is looks like Paul McCartney.
Right guy seems to Donovan, and bottom left guy looks like Ringo.
But I don't know. Anway, my favorite song is Anna Lee, The Healer.
I feel this song and 'He Come Down' in 'So Tough' are close image.
To Me BB Can Just About Do Anything And You Don't Have To Imitate Others - Just Be Yourself.
I agree, it’s the best
Be here in the mornin is Al on the falsetto in the verses
Yup!
Love the Beach Boys, especially my man Brian Wilson. Thanks for all the info about the BBoys and music in general from this time! Also have this album in my top 3 Beach Boys releases of all time! Would it surprise anybody that Beach Boys Love You is also in this top 3?😄
Those are excellent albums for sure! Love You is up there for me too!
Then please do a review of Love You sometime soon!👍
cultofbunny 1970 it’ll happen!
Thanks Giggens! Great videos, watching your hair change cracks me up.😄
Saw them a few months after Friends was released at Robarts Sports arena in Sarasota Fl. Bobby Goldsboro and Buffalo Springfield on the same bill. Still solid memory of this show.
That is awesome!
WHOA ! hold up! I just noticed ATLANTIS IN HIFI behind you. Amazing...that's one of my most prized Lp's...How did that happen? I'm tripped out by that.
Carl Rudd lets! Go! Trippinnnnn!!
lovely album, lovely review
Thanks Street! Agree, this album is amazing!
I love this album. Anna Lee the Healer is my favorite.
Love that one too!
The 50 th anniversary of the Friend's Album should be out Soon
Let's hope!!
Did it come out ?
I love friends. It’s one of my favorites too. The songs are just so... nice and friendly. It does have a special atmosphere. I just wished the last 2 songs better matched the rest of the album. They could have replaced those with the more fitting I went to Sleep, time to get alone or let the wind blow. That would have made the album more cohesive.
I can see those on there for sure!
thanks for this another insightful-interesting review on Friends. What I found interesting the most was that your review - 26 minutes and 42 seconds, is probably about the same length as the actual album (my iphone indicates 26 minutes for Friends...) anyway, it kinda hit me...
Pretty cool huh? Haha
Love it too. Well ... the best bits, which would just about fill what used to be called an E.P. Contemporary review ( Record Mirror) was something like "If this album hadn't already been so short, I would have filed off the last track" And the last track is, indeed, dire. High falsettos - American Spring? Max. 15 minutes of exquisite beauty from a band desperate for new material.
Excellent comments there Steve!
I prefer Wild Honey and it’s clever use of the honky Tonk piano effect . Friends is mellow and soft but just seems a bit lightweight.
Its a shame that you are not older, you could have been a good manager for the Beach Boys.. i think you would have been a good all round influence and mediator.
That's honestly the best compliment I've ever received on here, thank you!
@@Giggens Your welcome, I have been enjoying your reviews of the album's, I went to see the Beach Boys in 1987 at Wembley arena, in November, it was freezing cold, but they had a Hawaiian background and shirts on I remember, It was the full line up minus Dennis of course, good fun!
In my top 5 albums of all time:
* Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John,
* Friends by The Beach boys
* Pet Sounds by the Beack boys
* Time by ELO
* Hopes and Fears by Keane
* The Stranger by Billy Joel.
Wooops. That's six.
Those are all awesome albums!
Are you going to review the Beach Boys 'Love you' album from 1977 ?
I sure am! That will happen this year at some point. One of my all time favorites from the guys
Great. You might like these two beach boys songs that i uploaded to my channel ua-cam.com/video/XDbVi24V364/v-deo.html
justmadeit2 excellent stuff man! They were so tight live during this era
Giggens Thanks :)
Awesome album in my opinion...
My favorite BB album!
Be here in the morning was sung by Al
Yup!
in 1968 beach boys albums did not wind up in the bargain-priced cut-out bins at stores--but Friends LP immediately changed all that and you could buy it then for 88 cents for a short time anyway until Capitol liquidated all their stock. Even a Beach Boys fan could miss it these things occurred in a blink of an eye. While I agree this is a serenely beautiful and unique effort by the group and contains favorite songs of mine, I must emphasize I consider the cover (art) trash. It helped hasten the sinking of this LP at the stores in my strong opinion. No visual attraction plus the simple color washes on the rough art looked cheap
Interesting take on the album art! I didn't even dawn on me that this could have been a reason people didn't buy this thing. It was nowhere near as exciting as Are You Experienced or Disraeli Gears! I still dig it tho, I like the calm vibe haha. But wow, 88 cents?? Holy moly man!
giggens. Do you ever do George Harrison and/or Beatles albums like, revolver or Rubber soul?
Absolutely!
Hey love these reviews, why don’t you do my favourite, the 50th anniversary cd?
I can totally do that!
8 amazing BB albums in a row "prove" the genius muse of the fab 5,..
I hear that!
I believe the song "You're As Cool As Can Be" is the same as the track titled "Redwood" on the Sunshine Tomorrow CD. I've seen that instrumental called that in bootlegs and the descriptions of the track I've read match pretty closely with the sound of "Redwood" too.
I need to check that out!
I listen this album for 1st time today, I love it.
That is awesome! Congrats!
@@Giggens great review, thank you!
A bit off-topic, but have you ever considered doing a discussion on how SMiLE would have impacted the music world in 1967 had it been released? And what would have been the next logical step for the group? Would Brian have attempted something even more outlandish, trying to one-up himself yet again, or would he have ended up doing a stripped, laid back album like Friends or Wild Honey? Curious to hear your thoughts, Giggens
Awesome thought Jon! Yeah, I have thought about making a video like that, because that's such a huge discussion; so many "what-ifs"
That's easy---- it would have rendered Sgt. Pepper to be a nice pop album, and not have the same cultural impact that it had!! ( no doubt)!*
Interestingly, Bruce Johnston is a Roman Catholic, "O Come All Ye Faithful" is a well known Roman Catholic hymn.
What was Bruce’s attitude towards the TM stuff?
@@reactivearmour5126 TM?
Transcendental meditation. I was curious what Bruce’s attitude would be about this eastern philosophy since Bruce is a Christian.
@@reactivearmour5126 He was the only one who didn't try it iirc.
I knew there was a reason I liked Bruce. Always seemed like a nice guy. Love his song Disney Girls also.
Great vid upload, I always felt "Little Bird" sums up the Beatles' White Album just like Back in the USSR summed up the Beach Boys Surf Music.... maybe I'm off base.
TheChinatownkid interesting!!
hi giggens about "stack-o tracks" capitol pressed so few copies that many people couldn't buy a copy since the l.p. didn't even show up in most record stores (summer 1968).i bought a u.k. import (no music sheet for it's release) in 1978 .capitol u.k. released "stack" in 1976 while capitol u.s.a,and canada where i am , released the "beach boys '69" live in london which was released in britain in 1970 (whithout the group's knowledge or consent!) as a sort of trade - off...make sense? i know, i don't get it , either...eventually found the original u.s.pressing with the sheet mucic in winter "84 and the prize of my collection.
Oh man that is so cool you have one man! I'm hoping to obtain one someday! Cool facts about it coming out, didn't know so few copies were pressed back in 68!
While I am not a fan of the slapdash "Smiley Smile" and "20/20", IMHO two of their weakest records (at least until that group of stinkers that began with "15 Big Ones"), but "Friends" has grown on me a great deal over the years; now I consider it of the BB's very best albums. If "Friends" had "I Can Hear Music" and "Breakaway" added, it would be most deserving of the coveted "10" out of "10."
I’ll be honest I always would ignore this album. Never bothered to listen to anything from it. But after your review I decided to check it out and love it. I get a very chill vibe with it
Also please review Love You! It’s right up there with Pet Sounds for me would love to see your take on it
Glad you checked out this album man, easily one of my favorites!! And don't worry, the Love You review is on its way. That's a truly special album!
Giggens some of Brian’s best work is on there especially side 2!
Cristian Reyes agreed! I seriously love every song on this album. One of my all time favorite BB records!
Giggens Love You really seems to divide BB fans. I think it’s amazing. A lot of the stuff I write is heavily inspired by that album. People say their voices were wrecked by the mid 70s, it’s true it wasn’t the same as the 60s but all 3 Wilson brothers got more soul
You ever catch the bad edit on “be here in the mornin”? You hear the vocals get cut off but there’s a snip it off the cut off vocals after the first chorus
A classic!
Very much so!
I love this
Such a great album!
Our Happy Home the unreleased song will be released next year I bet with Beach Boys 1968 Good Times And Tears
We can only hope!
@12:41 - the album review finally starts here. Yes, this video could have been about half the length!
I wish he'd just get to the point!
Hello, Woody! Greets from Argentina
Hello!
@@Giggens Now, seriously, as a big fan of the BB, I'd like to recommend that you do a review for the box set Good Vibrations 30th Anniversary. It's my hoarded possession. Anyway, besides I own many other BB's CDs. How do you like That's why God Made... Al's track is his very best performance since the beginning, don't you think.
I like your videos a lot. Saludos desde América del Sur, Buenos Aires. Me gusta tu pasión por los Beach Boys, nos vemos!!
transcendental meditation cannnnn
So Dennis Wilson introduced Mike Love to the TM, which he stuck with forever, but didn't like Dennis at all when he was in trouble.. just goes to show..
Exactly haha
Friends.great.song