Friends (song)

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	To oppose or discuss a nomination, please go to CZ:Proposed for deletion and follow the instructions. For the monthly nomination lists, see Category:Articles for deletion. Friends Appears on Led Zeppelin III]] Published by Superhype Music Registration ASCAP 360103317 Release date 5 October 1970 Recorded May 1970 at Headley Grange, Hampshire. Mixed at Ardent Studios, Memphis. Genre Folk rock Language English Length 3 minutes 55 seconds Composer Jimmy Page]], Robert Plant]] Label Atlantic Records]] Producer Jimmy Page Engineer Andy Johns 'Friends' is the second track from the 1970 in music|1970]] album Led Zeppelin III]], the third studio album of England|English]] rock music|rock]] band Led Zeppelin]]. Jimmy Page]] and Robert Plant]] wrote the song in 1970 at Bron-Yr-Aur]], a small cottage in Wales]] where they stayed after completing a gruelling Led Zeppelin North American Tour Spring 1970|concert tour of the United States]]. Overview The song starts out with a little noodling and studio chatter. Peter Grant]]'s voice can be heard in the background, of the right channel, before the guitars of Jimmy Page kick in. The guitar tuning for the song is an open-C6 chord (C-A-C-G-C-E). The same tuning was used by Page on the track 'Bron-Yr-Aur (song)|Bron-Yr-Aur]]' (which was recorded during these same sessions), as well as the song 'Poor Tom]]'. Page used an Altair Tube Limiter to enhance the acoustic quality of his Harmony guitar, a device recommended to him by an acoustic guitarist named Dick Rosemenie. This same device was later used by Page on 'All My Love]]', which was included on Led Zeppelin's In Through the Out Door]] album. 'Friends' is one of a few Led Zeppelin songs that includes strings. Bass player John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] organized the string arrangement, which exhibits some distinctive Eastern world|Eastern]] influences. A Steinway grand piano]] can also be heard in the background mix. The outro to 'Friends' includes a link to the next track on the album, 'Celebration Day (song)|Celebration Day]]'. A Moog synthesizer]], with an EMS VCS3]] drones, with subtle filter sweeps. The EMS reverb]], an old spring-type reverb (also found in guitar]] amplifiers), is clearly audible between the two songs. Live performances The only known live performance of the song by Led Zeppelin was on 29 September 1971 in Osaka]], during the band's Led Zeppelin Japanese Tour 1971|Japanese concert tour]], as exhibited on a number of Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings]] of the show. If listened to closely, Page can be heard asking Plant if he wanted to perform the song when John Bonham]] had returned from unknown activities backstage. The song was re-recorded by Jimmy Page]] and Robert Plant]] with the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1972, during their trip to India]], along with another track, 'Four Sticks]]' from Led Zeppelin IV]]. This version featured tabla drums and sitars. The recordings have never been released officially and are only available on bootlegs. 'Friends' was also recorded by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant]] on their 1994 release No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded]], accompanied by a Middle-Eastern orchestra. Credits Personnel Musicians: Jimmy Page – acoustic guitar, producer, remastering, digital remastering Robert Plant – vocals John Paul Jones – bass guitar, Moog synthesizer, EMS VCS3, Steinway grand piano John Bonham - percussion Additional musicians: Peter Grant]] - background voice at intro [uncredited] Viram Jasani]] - tabla [uncredited] Production: Peter Grant – executive producer Andy Johns - engineer, mixing Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s) George Marino - remastered CD engineer (1990) References