Elton John

Friends (1970)

1.Friends
2.Honey Roll
3.Seasons
4.Variation on Michelle's Song (A Day in the Country)
5.Can I Put You On
6.Michelle's Song
7.Variation on Friends
8.I Meant to do My Work Today (A Day in the Country)
9.Four Moods
10.Seasons Reprise

Before Elton and Bernie had exploded with success in the later years, it seemed like a worthwhile experience to broaden their horizons by providing music for a forthcoming Paramount Film. It was a decision they were later not particlarly proud of as part of their collection. That's not to say the music is poor, only that this new medium placed restrictions on the music writing and recording that they had not been exposed to before. There are actually very few traditional "songs" on the album, which left more room for instrumental pieces to be played as the score to scenes in the movie.

The movie, which never did particularly well and has been pretty much forgotten, dealt with an adolescent English boy who meets a French girl about the same age who find comfort in each other's arms as young lovers so often do. It's not a particularly important point, but it does help explain some of the songs. Ironically, two of the songs Honey Roll and Can I Put You On have nothing to do with the story, but were just extra songs thrown in at the last minute. The only other traditional pieces are the title cut and Michelle's Song. Even though this release has been pretty much forgotten, it is a very pleasant listen. Since it was not a DJM release (their record company at the time) it was discovered in the bargain bins not too long after it was released and soon out of print. Although the release is not available on CD, it does appear in its entirety on the Rare Masters compilation.

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