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| “That’s What Friends Are For” | |
|---|---|
| Song by Rod Stewart | |
| from the album Night Shift | |
| Released | 1982 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 3:54 |
| Label | Warner Bros. |
| Songwriter(s) | Burt Bacharach Carole Bayer Sager |
“That’s What Friends Are For” is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.
It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film Night Shift, but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder. This recording, billed as being by “Dionne & Friends”, was released as a charity single for AIDS research and prevention. It was a massive hit, becoming the number-one single of 1986 in the United States, and winning the Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Song of the Year. It raised over $3 million for its cause.
Dionne Warwick version
By The cover art can be obtained from Arista Records., Fair use, Link
| “That’s What Friends Are For” | |
|---|---|
| Single by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder (as “Dionne & Friends”) | |
| from the album Friends | |
| B-side | “Two Ships Passing in the Night” |
| Released | October 1985 |
| Recorded | 1985 |
| Genre | Soulpopsoft rockadult contemporary |
| Length | 4:15 |
| Label | Arista |
| Songwriter(s) | Burt BacharachCarole Bayer Sager |
| Producer(s) | Burt BacharachCarole Bayer Sager |
| Dionne Warwick singles chronology | |
| “Run to Me“ (1985)”That’s What Friends Are For“ (1985)”Whisper in the Dark“ (1986) | |
| Elton John singles chronology | |
| “Act of War” (1985)”That’s What Friends Are For“ (1985)”Nikita“ (1985) | |
| Gladys Knight singles chronology | |
| “Till I See You Again” (1985)”That’s What Friends Are For“ (1985)”Send It to Me” (1986) | |
| Stevie Wonder singles chronology | |
| “Part-Time Lover“ (1985)”That’s What Friends Are For“ (1985)”Go Home“ (1985) |
A one-off collaboration headed by Dionne Warwick and featuring Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder, with a different second verse, was released as a charity single in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1985. The song is in the key of E♭ major. It was recorded as a benefit for American Foundation for AIDS Research, and raised over US$3 million for that cause. Warwick, who had previously raised money for blood-related diseases such as sickle-cell anemia, wanted to help combat the then-growing AIDS epidemic because she had seen friends die painfully of the disease. John plays piano and Wonder plays harmonica on the song; the two had previously worked together on 1983’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues“.
By scan of single cover, Fair use, Link
Clockwise from left, Gladys Knight, Carole Bayer-Sager, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, “That’s What Friends Are For”, 1985
In the United States, the song held the number-one spot of the adult contemporary chart for two weeks, the number-one spot of the soul chart for three weeks, and the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and became Billboard‘s number one single of 1986. It was certified Gold on January 15, 1986, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the final US number one for all but John (John would have two more US number-ones during the 1990s). Due to Wonder’s involvement, it also holds the distinction of being the last number-one song for anyone who had topped the charts before the British Invasion (his first number-one hit, “Fingertips“, came in 1963). Despite the song hitting the top spot in US Adult Contemporary chart, it wasn’t included in the collection of John’s number ones on that chart.
Outside the United States, the song topped the charts in Canada and Australia and reached the top 10 in Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden. On the UK Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 49 and climbed to its peak of number 16 three weeks later, staying at that position for another week before descending the chart. It remained in the UK top 100 for a further five weeks, totaling 10 weeks on the chart altogether.
The Dionne and Friends version of the song won the performers the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Bacharach and Bayer Sager. This rendition is also listed at number 75 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of all time.
Warwick, John, Knight, and Wonder performed the song live together for the first time in 23 years at the 25th Anniversary AmfAR Gala in New York City on February 10, 2011.
Whitney, Luther, Dionne, and Stevie Wonder LIVE – Thats What Friends Are For
That’s What Friends Are For (Piano Instrumental)
Charts
| Weekly charts Chart (1985–1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)10 Canada Top Singles (RPM)1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)1 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)19 France (IFOP)79 Ireland (IRMA)7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)3 Norway (VG-lista)6 South Africa (Springbok Radio)2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)11 UK Singles (OCC)16 US Billboard Hot 1001 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)1 West Germany (Official German Charts)36 | Year-end charts Chart (1986)Position Australia (Kent Music Report)12 Canada Top Singles (RPM)10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)28 South Africa (Springbok Radio)17 US Billboard Hot 1001 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)4 All-time charts Chart Position US Billboard Hot 10078 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada) | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
1990 benefit concert
On March 17, 1990, an AIDS benefit titled That’s What Friends Are For: Arista Records 15th Anniversary Concert was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. One month later, CBS aired a two-hour version of the concert on television. The celebrity guests and Arista label performers were: Air Supply, Lauren Bacall, Burt Bacharach, Eric Carmen, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Clive Davis, Taylor Dayne, Michael Douglas, Exposé, Whoopi Goldberg, Melanie Griffith, Hall & Oates, Jennifer Holliday, Whitney Houston, Alan Jackson, Kenny G, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, Milli Vanilli, Jeffrey Osborne, Carly Simon, Patti Smith, Lisa Stansfield, The Four Tops, and Dionne Warwick. “That’s What Friends Are For” was the finale song sung by Warwick and cousin Houston before being joined on the stage by the other guests of the event. Over $2.5 million was raised that night for the Arista Foundation which gave the proceeds to various AIDS organizations.
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| Night Shift | |
|---|---|
| Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ron Howard |
| Written by | Lowell GanzBabaloo Mandel |
| Produced by | Brian Grazer |
| Starring | Henry Winkler Michael Keaton Shelley Long |
| Cinematography | James Crabe |
| Edited by | Robert J. Kern Jr.Daniel P. HanleyMike Hill |
| Music by | Burt Bacharach |
| Production company | The Ladd Company |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date | July 30, 1982 |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8.1 million |
| Box office | $21.1 million |
Night Shift is a 1982 American comedy film directed by Ron Howard. The film centers on a timid night-shift morgue employee whose life is turned upside down by a new co-worker who fancies himself a free-spirited entrepreneur. It stars Howard’s Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton, in his first starring role, and Shelley Long. Also appearing are Richard Belzer and Clint Howard. There are brief scenes with a young Kevin Costner as “frat boy #1”, Shannen Doherty as a Bluebell scout, Vincent Schiavelli as a man who delivers a sandwich, and Charles Fleischer as one of the jail prisoners.
Winkler was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, while Keaton won the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Soundtrack
The film’s opening theme song is “Night Shift” by Quarterflash. The closing theme song, “That’s What Friends Are For“, performed by Rod Stewart, was written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.
The official soundtrack was released in 1982 on the Warner Bros. label, It included ten selected tracks from the film, six of which were written specifically for the film:
- “Night Shift” by Quarterflash
- “Street Talk” by Burt Bacharach
- “Girls Know How” by Al Jarreau
- “The Love Too Good to Last” by Phyllis Hyman
- “That’s What Friends Are For” by Rod Stewart
- “Someday, Someway” by Marshall Crenshaw
- “Talk Talk” by Talk Talk
- “Everlasting Love” by Rufus and Chaka Khan
- “That’s What Friends Are For (Night Shift Love Theme) (instrumental)” by Burt Bacharach
The soundtrack was released solely on vinyl and cassette. The versions of “Talk Talk” and “Penthouse and Pavement” that are on the soundtrack are different from any other releases of the songs as they were specially mixed for the soundtrack.
Other songs heard in the film include “You Really Got Me” by Van Halen
and a live version of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by the Rolling Stones, taken from the 1977 live album Love You Live; a section of “Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter” by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra is also heard.
Reception
Box office
Night Shift grossed $21,095,638 million at the domestic box office.
Critical reception
Night Shift received mostly positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 92% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 6.60/10. The site’s critics consensus reads, “Night Shift bristles with pitch-perfect laughs thanks to Ron Howard’s snappy direction and a side-splitting turn from Michael Keaton.” On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 62 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.[6] Many reviewers praised the performances of the two male leads, particularly Michael Keaton.
TV Guide‘s Movie Guide wrote that “Winkler turns in the best performance of his career, and Keaton is wonderful.” The Chicago Reader‘s Jonathan Rosenbaum compared Night Shift to the subsequent comedy film Risky Business (which also dealt with the theme of prostitution), noting that Night Shift is not “as snappily directed or as caustically conceived, … but it’s arguably just as sexy and almost as funny.” Janet Maslin of The New York Times, however, deemed Night Shift “a halfway funny movie, one that’s got loads of good gags in its first half and nothing but trouble in its second.” Gene Siskel, writing in the Chicago Tribune, gave the film two stars out of four but hailed Keaton’s “superb comic performance”, writing that “based on this one role, I would now pay to see Keaton in just about anything. Anything except Night Shift.“
Watch the movie (song featured in film)
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