I'll Be There for You (The Rembrandts song)
| "I'll Be There for You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Single by The Rembrandts | ||||
| from the album LP | ||||
| Released | May 1995 | |||
| Format | 7", CD single | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Power pop, pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:09 | |||
| Label | Atlantic, WEA | |||
| Writer(s) | David Crane, Marta Kauffman, Michael Skloff, Allee Willis, Phil Sōlem, Danny Wilde | |||
| Producer | Kevin Bright, David Crane, Marta Kauffman | |||
| The Rembrandts singles chronology | ||||
|
||||
"I'll Be There for You" is the title of a song recorded by the American pop rock duo The Rembrandts. It is best known as the theme song to the American sitcom Friends, which premiered during 1994 and ended in 2004.[1] The song was also released as the first single from the group's third studio album LP.
Contents |
[edit] Song information
"I'll Be There for You" was co-written by Friends producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Kauffman's husband, composer Michael Skloff, and songwriter Allee Willis, along with Phil Sōlem and Danny Wilde, both of the Rembrandts. It was initially offered to the rock bands They Might Be Giants and R.E.M.[2] It is strongly influenced by The Beatles, especially the guitar riff, reminiscent of I Feel Fine, itself influenced by blues singer Bobby Parker's "Watch Your Step".
The original theme, which is under one minute long, was later re-recorded as a three-minute pop song. After Nashville program director Charlie Quinn, along with radio announcer and music director Tom Peace looped the original short version into a full-length track and broadcast it on radio station WYHY Y-107, it became so popular that they had to re-record it. "Our record label said we had to finish the song and record it. There was no way to get out of it," lead singer Phil Sōlem said.[3]
The song made it onto The Rembrandts' album LP at the last moment. The song was not initially released as a single, a then-common practice by record companies who feared it would cannibalize album sales.
[edit] Music video
The music video of the song featured the six main stars of Friends, taking the singing and dancing roles of the band. The video was included as a bonus feature on several of the show's Complete Season DVD Boxsets.
[edit] Track listing
- European CD maxi-single
- "I'll Be There for You" - 3:09
- "Fixin' to Blow" - 5:03
- "Just the Way It Is Baby" - 4:06
- "Snippets Medley" - 6:46
[edit] Chart performance
In the United States, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for eight weeks. When the single was released 1995, it peaked at No.3 on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom and at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States as the flipside to "This House Is Not a Home". It also peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Top 40 Mainstream and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts.[4]
Rarely heard on radio in the United Kingdom after its early popularity, the song was frequently played on British popular radio in 2004 around the time of the series finale.
In April 2004, the song was ranked at No. 15 on Blender magazine's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".[5]
Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio ranked the song at No. 25 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, calling it "The most dangerous song on this list. Like a panther, it can strike anywhere that reruns of 'Friends' roam free."[6]
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1995-1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[7] | 3 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] | 10 |
| Canada (RPM) | 1 |
| Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[9] | 20 |
| France (SNEP)[10] | 25 |
| Germany (Media Control AG)[11] | 77 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 5 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[13] | 3 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[14] | 5 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 34 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[17] | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay[17] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[17] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks[17] | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[17] | 23 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[17] | 1 |
[edit] Compilation usage
"I'll Be There for You" has been included on the following compilation albums:
- Friends: Music From The TV Series (1994) - for the American series Friends' opening song;
- Serial TV: Les Plus Grands Hits Des Séries TV
- Happy Songs
- Billboard Top Hits: 1995 - for Bilboard's 1995 CD.
[edit] Cover versions
American pop rock band The Goo Goo Dolls recorded their own version of this song which contained slightly altered lyrics, and a more upbeat tempo, rockier sound, as well as a glockenspiel in the rhythm track.
American punk rock band Pink Lincolns covered this song under the title "Friends" for a 1997 compilation album titled Show & Tell.
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered this song for their 2007 video game Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Irish pop band Westlife performed the song live on their Turnaround Tour.
Ron "Zvi" Varod from Avant/Prog band So is the Tongue recorded a drone metal version for an upcoming TV cover benefit album for Nacht Records.
Independent Contemporary Christian band, unevenLanes, covered this song for their 2003 CD release concert. The concert was celebrating the release of the band's debut album, Closer Than Ever.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Rembrandts: 'So no one told me it was going to be this way'". Independent (London). April 27, 2004. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-rembrandts-so-no-one-told-me-it-was-going-to-be-this-way-756469.html. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
- ^ Trivia - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge Base
- ^ Nashville DJ helped turn "Friends" song into radio hit
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 202.
- ^ The 50 Worst Songs Ever! Watch, Listen and Cringe! from Blender.com
- ^ Wilkening, Matthew (September 11, 2010). "100 Worst Songs Ever -- Part Four of Five". AOL Radio. http://www.aolradioblog.com/2010/09/11/100-worst-songs-ever-part-four-of-five/. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ "Australian-charts.com – Natalie Imbruglia – Torn". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Natalie Imbruglia – Torn" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ Search for Irish peaks
- ^ "Charts.org.nz – The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You". VG-lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f allmusic ((( The Rembrandts > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))
| Preceded by "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Nicki French |
Billboard Pop Songs number-one single June 17 - August 5, 1995 |
Succeeded by "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal |
| Preceded by "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" by Bryan Adams |
Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one single July 8 - August 19, 1995 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
