Friends and Lovers (Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson song)

"Friends and Lovers" is a song written by Jay Gruska and Paul Gordon.[1] The song was first recorded as a duet by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson in 1985 for the soap opera Days of Our Lives, produced by Doug Lenier. That recording remained unreleased until the summer of 1986, when it was released shortly after a version by Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt hit country radio. The country version featured the altered title of "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)".

"Friends and Lovers"
Single by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson
from the album Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson
B-side"You Always Knew" (Gloria Loring)
Released1986
Recorded1985
GenrePop, contemporary R&B
Length3:50
LabelUSA Carrere
Songwriter(s)Jay Gruska, Paul Gordon
Producer(s)Yves Dessca, Doug Lenier, Carl Anderson

Pop version

Gloria Loring is a singer and actress who beginning in 1980 portrayed the character Liz Chandler on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Her character was a lounge singer, so Loring was often called upon to perform on-screen; one of the songs she performed during this period was "Friends and Lovers". The song became the theme music for one of the popular supercouples on the show in the mid 1980s, Shane Donovan and Kimberly Brady (portrayed by Charles Shaughnessy and Patsy Pease).[2]

In 1985, Carl Anderson (known for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in both the film and stage versions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Tim Rice rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar) appeared on Days of Our Lives and performed the duet with Loring. The commercial release of this duet was delayed for months before becoming available in the summer of 1986, first as a single on the label USA Carrere, then later on Anderson's self-titled album on Epic Records and Loring's eponymous album on Atlantic Records. According to Loring, it had been turned down by most of the major American record labels at the time, and she had taken to referring to the song informally as "Friends and Lawyers".[2]

The song was a hit when released, spending two weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late September and early October 1986, only behind "Stuck with You" by Huey Lewis and the News. It remained in the Top 40 for 14 weeks. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard sales chart and No. 2 on the airplay chart (the two components of the Hot 100 chart). It also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart. "Friends and Lovers" would be the only Top 40 hit for either performer. Loring left Days of Our Lives the same year the single appeared on the music charts. Anderson died in 2004 from complications arising from a long battle with leukemia.

Chart history
Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 13
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[3] 1
Canada RPM Top Singles 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 43
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[6] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] 54
Year-end chart (1986)Rank
Australia 100
Canada [8] 8
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[9] 13

Country version
"Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)"
Single by Eddie Rabbitt and Juice Newton
from the album Rabbitt Trax (Rabbitt) and Old Flame (Newton)
B-side"A World Without Love"
ReleasedJune 1986
Recorded1985
GenreCountry
Length3:55
LabelRCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Jay Gruska, Paul Gordon
Producer(s)Richard Landis
Eddie Rabbitt and Juice Newton singles chronology
"Repetitive Regret"
(1986)		 "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)"
(1986)		 "Gotta Have You"
(1986)
Juice Newton singles chronology
"Old Flame"
(1986)		 "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)"
(1986)		 "Cheap Love"
(1986)

In 1986, country-pop singers Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt released a version of "Friends and Lovers", altering the title to emphasize the final line of the chorus. Technically, Newton and Rabbitt's recording is a pre-release cover version, since it was commercially available before the pop version was released. Therefore, even though Loring and Anderson recorded the song first, Newton and Rabbitt are credited with the original commercial version. Their duet was called "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)", and although its arrangement differed from Loring and Anderson's recording, it is lyrically the same song. Both Newton ("Queen of Hearts", "Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me") and Rabbitt ("I Love a Rainy Night", "Every Which Way but Loose") had already enjoyed considerable success on both the pop and country music charts, and their version of the duet went to No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. This was Newton's final No. 1 though her last solo No. 1 had come eight months earlier with "Hurt".

Chart positions
Chart (1986) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1

See also

References
  1. Back to the 80s: Interview with songwriter/composer Paul Gordon - Kickin' It Old School
  2. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 310.
  3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1986-09-27. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  4. "Charts.nz – GLORIA LORING & CARL ANDERSON – Friends and Lovers". Top 40 Singles.
  5. "Carl Anderson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  6. "Carl Anderson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  7. "Carl Anderson Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  8. Canada, Library and Archives (26 December 2017). "RPM Weekly - Top Singles of 1986". Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  9. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 98 (52): Y-21.
  10. "Eddie Rabbitt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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