“Friends” by Elton John (1971)

If you’re an Elton John fan….or a ’70s music fan in general, you probably know that Elton’s breakthrough hit was 1970’s “Your Song:” a Great Song that remains a classic today–54 years later.

But do you remember Elton’s second hit?

It was the title cut from a 1971 French-English film called “Friends.”

The film was about a teenage romance, and had absolutely no connection to a certain US TV show that came along quite a few years later. 🙂

The song was written by Elton and Bernie Taupin (as usual) and was actually released as a single from the soundtrack album.

Although critics loved it, “Friends” was, by no means, one of Elton’s biggest hits. It reached #5 in Italy, #12 in France, #13 in Canada, and #17 in the US on Billboard’s Easy Listening Chart.

Still, over the years, “Friends” has slowly become a classic in its own right, especially when compared to the rest of Elton John’s earliest material–and is easily a “Great Song of 1971.

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