"My Friend the Sun" | ||||
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Single by Family | ||||
from the album Bandstand | ||||
B-side | Glove [1] | |||
Released | December 8, 1972 (UK) [2] | |||
Recorded | 1972 | |||
Studio | Olympic Studios, London | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 4:20 [1] | |||
Label | Reprise (UK), United Artists (US) | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Family singles chronology | ||||
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Official audio | ||||
"My Friend the Sun" on YouTube |
"My Friend the Sun" is a song by the British rock band Family. It was written by Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney for the band's 1972 album Bandstand . The single did not make the UK Singles Chart.
It was later released on the Strange Band: The Best of Family album and A's & B's album. [3] In 1976 Record World called the song a "Family favourite" alongside "Burlesque." [4] Both songs were later released together by Rebecca Records on 22 January 1982, with "Burlesque" as the A-side and "My Friend the Sun" as the B-side. [5]
Record Mirror said of the song that "(It is) Family's second single from their ' 'Bandstand' ' album (to be) released. It is their gentle song...a notable contrast to Burlesque, which gave the group one of their biggest British hits." [6] Bob McBeath (Easy Livin) of Prog Archives said "'My Friend the Sun' was perhaps too different to their previous releases to succeed as a single. The song is a soft acoustic ballad with CSN like harmonies, and accordion backing." [7] Lorenzo Galbiati (jamesbaldwin) also of Prog Archives said "'My Friend the Sun' is a prog-folk song (vote 8+) with in the foreground the voice of Chapman, here splendidly delicate, tender, and the acoustic guitar. Wetton sings the harmony vocals. The song is simple but very inspired.", [7] and Only Solitaire said that "'My Friend The Sun' is a guitar/accordion ballad with a very pretty and friendly sound". [8]
The song has been covered by Linda Lewis for her 1977 album Woman Overboard and by Jimmy Nail for his 1999 album Tadpoles in a Jar. [9] [10] "My Friend the Sun" was also covered by Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey of the North Carolina band the dB's on their 2009 duo album Here and Now. [11]
Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, released on 23 March 1973 through Island Records in the UK and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation, featuring co-founder and guitarist Robert Fripp along with four new members: bass guitarist and vocalist John Wetton, violinist and keyboardist David Cross, percussionist Jamie Muir, and drummer Bill Bruford. It is a key album in the band's evolution, drawing on Eastern European classical music and European free improvisation as central influences.
The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. Their debut album, Stands for Decibels, is often acclaimed as one of the greatest "lost" power pop albums of the 1980s.
John Kenneth Wetton was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Known for his dexterous bass playing and booming baritone voice, Wetton first gained fame in the early 1970s. He performed with many members of the progressive rock scene, including King Crimson, U.K., Family, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash.
Mitchell Blake Easter is a musician, songwriter, and record producer. Frequently associated with the jangle pop style of guitar music, he is known as producer of R.E.M.'s early albums from 1981 through 1984, and as frontman of the 1980s band Let's Active.
Peter Livingston Holsapple is an American musician, who formed, along with Chris Stamey, the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became the band's principal songwriter and singer after Stamey's departure. The band, with Stamey back in the fold, reformed with new material in 2005–2006.
Christopher Charles Stamey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. After a brief time playing with Alex Chilton, as well as Mitch Easter under the name Sneakers, Stamey formed The dB's with Peter Holsapple.
Family are an English rock band, active from late 1966 to October 1973, and again since 2013 for a series of live shows. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, as their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles such as folk, psychedelia, acid rock, jazz fusion, and rock and roll. The band achieved recognition in the United Kingdom through their albums, club and concert tours, and appearances at festivals.
"Heat of the Moment" is the first single released by English progressive rock supergroup Asia from their 1982 eponymous debut album. It was written by singer and bass guitarist John Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes. It was named by Lee Zimmerman of Paste as Asia's signature song.
Richard John Whitney, also known as John "Charlie" Whitney, John Whitney and Charlie Whitney, is an English rock guitarist and a founder member of the rock bands Family, Streetwalkers and Axis Point.
Fearless is the fifth album by the British progressive rock band Family, which was released on 29 October 1971, on Reprise Records in the UK and United Artists Records in the US. It is known for its innovative cover design by John Kosh, using layered-page album headshots of the band's members melding into a single blur.
"Starless" is a composition by English progressive rock band King Crimson. It is the final track on their seventh studio album, Red, released on 6 October 1974.
Bandstand is the sixth studio album by the British progressive rock band Family. Released in 1972, it was their second and last album to chart in the United States. The original album cover was die-cut in the shape of a Bush TV22 television set, with a black-and-white image of the band onscreen.
Stands for Decibels is the debut studio album by American power pop band the dB's, released January 15, 1981 by Albion Records. The album was commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed.
Repercussion is the second studio album by American power pop band the dB's, released in 1982 by Albion Records. Like its predecessor, Stands for Decibels, the album was commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed.
Like This is the third studio album by the American power pop band the dB's, released in 1984 via Bearsville Records. The band recorded as a trio following the departure of Chris Stamey. The album includes a re-mixed version of "Amplifier", the lead single from their previous album, Repercussion.
The Sound of Music is an album by American power pop group The dB's, released in 1987 on I.R.S. Records.
Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Recordings is a part of Omnivore Entertainment Group LLC, which also incorporates sister companies Omnivore Music Publishing and Omnivore Creative, which provides A&R and art direction/design consulting for recording artists, artist estates, and other record labels.
Mavericks is a collaborative album by the two original singer/songwriters of jangle pop band the dB's, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. It was originally released in 1991 on Rhino Records and was re-released on January 15, 2008 by Collectors' Choice Music. The reissue featured six previously unreleased tracks. The album is noted for having a more acoustic and slower sound than Holsapple and Stamey's work with the dB's.
Dukes of the Orient are an English and American AOR and progressive rock band formed in 2017 by lead vocalist, guitarist and bassist John Payne and keyboardist Erik Norlander. Payne and formerly Norlander had worked together in Asia Featuring John Payne, an offshoot of British progressive rock group Asia of which Payne was a member from 1991 to 2006, when Asia's original lineup reunited. Following Asia lead singer John Wetton's death on 31 January 2017, Payne and Norlander formed Dukes of the Orient as a vehicle to release new material, both out of respect for Wetton, and to distinguish themselves from Payne's former band. Asia Featuring John Payne remains active in a touring capacity, and members and former members of the group; Jay Schellen, Bruce Bouillet, Guthrie Govan, Jeff Kollman and Moni Scaria, have contributed to Dukes of the Orient's debut album.
A Shadow of My Future Self is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Ross Jennings. It was released on 19 November 2021 through Graphite Records. Unlike his more well-known Progressive music, Jennings' solo record follows a much more mainstream approach with Jennings directly citing Styx, Coldplay, Journey and Porcupine Tree as references.