He's a Friend

Untitled

He's a Friend is the seventh album by former Temptations vocalist Eddie Kendricks. It was released in February 1976 on the Tamla imprint of Motown Records.

Reception

This album was totally embraced by the black and gay underground clubs as a complete entity. The lead and album title single, "He's a Friend" merged the classic Motown sound with T.S.O.P., the Sound of Philadelphia courtesy of Norman Harris and several Philly sessions players. That first single was rotated like a #1 record at these clubs. Along with that, "Get it While It's Hot", "I Won't Take No" and even the ballad, "Part of Me" was spun when clubs would play one or two downtempo tracks at the close of an evening. This diverse club play made "He's a Friend" an underground club classic.

"He's a Friend" fell one step away from securing another #1 single for Eddie stopping at #2. Eddie had an impressive 9 Top 10 hits (10 if you count The Temptations reunion single, "Standing on the Top", recorded when he was a solo artist). Two more singles, like the smash "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" also made the Top 20!

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Track listing

1. "He's a Friend" (Allan Felder, Bruce Gray, T.G. Conway) 4:36
2. "A Part of Me" (Allan Felder, Norman Harris, Tyron Presson) 3:16
3. "I Won't Take No" (Allan Felder, Norman Harris, Tyron Presson) 2:55
4. "Never Gonna Leave You" (Allan Felder, Bruce Gray, T.G. Conway) 4:08
5. "Get It While It's Hot" (Mike Holden, Theodore Life) 3:09
6. "Chains" (Allan Felder, Bunny Sigler, Norman Harris, Ron Tyson) 3:23
7. "The Sweeter You Treat Her" (Buddy Turner, Jerry Akines, Johnny Bellmon, Victor Drayton) 4:53
8. "It's Not What You Got" (Allan Felder, T.G. Conway) 4:07
9. "On My Way Home" (Buddy Turner, Jerry Akines, Johnny Bellmon, Victor Drayton) 3:49
10. "All of My Love" (Allan Felder, Bruce Gray) 2:46

Personnel

• Eddie Kendricks - lead and backing vocals
• Norman Harris - guitar
• Vincent Montana, Jr. - vibraphone
• Bruce Gray - keyboards, backing vocals
• Michael "Sugar Bear" Foreman, Ron Baker - bass
• Charles Collins, Earl "The Pearl" Young - drums
• Bobby Eli, T.J. Tindall - Guitar
• Carlton Kent, Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey, T. G. Conway - keyboards
• Larry Washington - congas
• Don Renaldo - horns, strings
• Barbara Ingram, Bruce Hawes, Carl Helm, Carla Benson, Darryl Grant, Evette Benton - backing vocals
• Allan Felder - vocal arrangements, percussion, backing vocals
• Norman Harris, Vincent Montana, Jr., T.G. Conway, Ron "Have Mercy" Tyson - arrangements

Charts

Year	Album	Chart positions
		US	US R&B
1976	He's A Friend	38	3

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US	US R&B	US Dance
1976	"Chains"	—	—	3
	"Get It While It's Hot"	—	24	3
	"He's A Friend"	36	2	15
	"It's Not What You Got"	—	—	2

External links

• Eddie Kendricks-He's A Friend at Discogs.com