A Friend In Need

A collection of cuts that celebrate friendship.

Whip out the scrapbooks and the photo albums this summer because Columbia Records has compiled a collection of over seventeen songs that celebrate friendship and solidarity. Other than a couple of loosely strung sentiments, none of the songs bear any real likeness to one another and cover a wide array of artists from The Byrds to Gloria Estefan.

This one (not surprisingly) begins with "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts; a song that owes its nascent popularity to the Emmy award-winning series "Friends". Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" lurks about simultaneously as a macabre remnant of the music score from "Up Close And Personal".

The classic pop connoisseur would also find himself at peace amidst artists like Simon and Garfunkel, Ben E. King and Gladys Knight. Other tracks like George Michael and Elton John's "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" also contribute towards the feel and dimension of the album as a whole.

This article was first published on09 May 2001.