"Friends" is the second single from Jody Watley's second album, Larger Than Life.
| "Friends" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Jody Watley featuring Eric B. & Rakim | ||||
| from the album Larger Than Life | ||||
| B-side | "Private Life" | |||
| Released | April 15, 1989 | |||
| Genre | New jack swing[1] | |||
| Length |
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| Label | MCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | André Cymone | |||
| Jody Watley featuring Eric B. & Rakim singles chronology | ||||
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History
"Friends", like her previous single "Real Love", became a multi-format top-10 smash, reaching the top ten of the pop, R&B and dance charts in the U.S., as well as being her biggest single in the UK since her debut, "Looking for a New Love". The song was one of the first ever to feature a rap artist (Eric B. & Rakim) and a singer.
"Friends" appeared in the Top 10, peaking at number nine for one week on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number three on the Hot Black Singles chart and number seven on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
In 2006, Watley remade the once successful song for her release of The Makeover, on her Avitone Records label, uniquely titled "Friendz," featuring rapper Voshaun Gotti.
Charts
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart[2] | 146 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 11 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[3] | 25 |
| German Singles Chart[4] | 45 |
| Irish Singles Chart[5] | 25 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart[6] | 31 |
| South Africa (RISA)[7] | 8 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[8] | 20 |
| UK Singles Chart | 21 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 7 |
| US Dance Tracks (Dance Music Report)[10] | 1 |
| Year-End Charts (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles[11] | 65 |