Released 9 June 1986 Recorded 1985 – 1986 | Format vinyl record (7"/12") | |
B-side "Friends Will Be Friends (Extended Version)"/"Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)" Length 4:07 (album version)5:58 (CD bonus track: "Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends")6:15 (12" extended version)4:14 (video version) | ||
"Friends Will Be Friends" is a song performed by Queen and written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, included on the album A Kind of Magic. It was the band's 30th single in the UK upon its release on 9 June 1986, reaching number 14 in the UK.
Contents
"Friends Will Be Friends" was performed live on The Magic Tour. It is remarkable in that it was the first and only song that was sung at the end of concerts between "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" since the News of the World Tour in 1977.
The song was included in various greatest hits compilations by Queen such as Greatest Hits II, Greatest Flix II and Greatest Video Hits II.
Musical Arrangement
The song's key signature is G major, and makes heavy use of Brian May's melodic guitar playing style. The song was debuted on the second show of the Magic Tour (Leiden). Queen played the complete version of the song for the first two Leiden shows then the arrangement was shortened on June 14 (Paris). The shorter version is featured on the Live At Wembley Stadium release. On all live versions, the key was lowered a full step.
Music video
The video was directed by DoRo and filmed at JVC Studios, Wembley in May 1986 and features the band performing the song in front of fan club members. The lead singer, Freddie Mercury, high fived the audience members and at the end Freddie cuts the music and sings along with the audience letting them lead; because of this, it was nicknamed "Queen's Greatest Show Never Performed".
In popular culture
This song was used in The Clemintine Singer : Huckleberry Hound in a scene where Huck gets the money from the Silvercup Bank, it was also heard in the end credits after The Huck Work Song
It will also be heard in the 2017 promo for Universal movies coming to DVD