Forgotten Hits: John Michael Montgomery, “Friends”

Friends
John Michael Montgomery
#2
1996

Written by Jerry Holland

Every once in a while, I read something that sparks a post.  This week, it was The Boot’s countdown of the Ten Best Friend Songs in Country Music

As I scanned the list, I saw expected gems like Tim McGraw’s “My Old Friend”, along with curious selections such as Shania Twain’s “Come On Over.”  Even #2 on the list was questionable: Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” is as much about friendship as “The Dance” is about the Fox Trot.

Left off the list completely is the country song that I think best describes the nature of friendship.  John Michael Montgomery’s “Friends” may not have the scope and death of Plato’s Lysis, but it captures the essence of friendships as well as anything else I’ve seen this side of ancient Greek philosophy.

The framework of the song is that a woman has told Montgomery that she just wants to be friends, which he describes as “a newly sharpened blade” and “a dagger to the heart of the promises we made.”  Well-written stuff, to be sure, but not exactly ground that wasn’t already efficiently covered by Lobo.

It’s in the chorus, when he describes what he fears their relationship will dwindle down to, that friendship is perfectly defined:

Friends get scattered by the wind
Tossed upon the waves
Lost for years on end

Friends
Slowly drift apart
They give away their hearts
Maybe call you now and then
But you wanna be just friends

As much as the artificiality of today’s social networking may obscure it – You have 864 Friends! – all friendships have an ebb and flow that is directly impacted by time, distance, and common goals and interests. Even many marriages do not survive the life changes that occur as people grow older, so a relationship as tenuously constructed as “friends” is far less likely to survive such changes.

Montgomery’s best known for his wedding standards, but I’d argue that he made his most believable and long-lasting statement on an entirely different type of relationship.

Listen: John Michael Montgomery, “Friends”

9 Comments

  1. a good not great song. for the record, I also dont think of Shania’s or garth’s songs from “the boot” list as friend songs

  2. 16 years ago, I lost my only daughter to a blood disorder from her birth. She LOVED John Michael Montgomery and his music. I watched her endure so much and smile doing it while listening to John Michael singing……..I am so glad John Michael Montgomery is back and his music is just as great as ever………I wish I much success and great health. For all he did for my Beth, I will always love him and his music……….

  3. I know this is over a year old but… This song wasn’t truly written by who they claim… I know for a fact! The song was originally written by a prison inmate named Carlos Torres. and John Michael Montgomery’s people took the lyrics and sent Carlos (and his mother) a simple stupid certificate giving him recognition for creating the song (I saw with my own eyes)… maybe JMM was afraid of admitting his song was written by a Tejano prisoner. Just thought I’d throw the facts in there… Don’t start any internet drama, I’m just giving my brother some props for helping in the creation of a pretty song.

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