Just a Friend (song)
Encyclopedia
"Just a Friend" is a 1989 comedic
hip hop
song
by rapper
Biz Markie
, in which he alternates between rap and singing. It is Markie's most successful Pop single, reaching the #9 position on the Billboard
charts.
The song interpolates the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" (1968) by the late singer/songwriter Freddie Scott
, whose basic chord and melody provided the base for the song's chorus and made it famous. Due to the widespread popularity of the song and its influence on Pop culture, Biz was classified by VH1
as a one-hit wonder
, and "Just A Friend" was ranked 81st on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders in 2000, and later as number 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop in 2008. Karma, a staff record producer
for Cold Chillin' Records
, told Vibe magazine in 2005 that he produced the single, but never received credit.
, directed by Lionel C. Martin, chronicles the rapper/singer's woman problems. At the climax of the video, Biz Markie's character stumbles upon his girlfriend kissing another man she had previously referred to as "just a friend". It also includes a memorable scene of Biz Markie singing the chorus dressed as Mozart in 18th-century clothing with a powdered wig
in a candlelit room while playing the piano. This scene was likely inspired by the video for the 1986 hit "Rock Me Amadeus
" which was in turn inspired by the 1984 film Amadeus
.
A clip of the music video was played in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head
, with Butt-head
imitating the singing of the refrain.
, Jimmy Fallon
, and Biz Markie
sang the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
, and were backed up by Jimmy's house band, The Roots
. The episode aired on Thursday, November 11, 2010, Veteran's Day.
It was later interpolated by Mario as "Just a Friend 2002
", whose video Biz Markie made a cameo in as well as appearing on the alternate version (remix). Mario's version is quite different, as the story is changed from a man who discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him, to a story about unrequited love.
"Just A Friend" was also covered by Kidz Bop
, by progressive-jam band Umphrey's McGee
, and by Tally Hall
who play "Just a Friend" at nearly all of their concerts.
The Malay hip hop duo Too Phat
used the chorus and the piano in the their song "Just a Friend" found on their 2001 album Plan B.
50 Cent
's song "Best Friend
" contains re-sung quotes from "Just a Friend".
A cover of the song appears on the October 2009 re-release of Lissy Trullie
's EP Self-Taught Learner
, recorded with Adam Green
.
Big B
covered "Just a Friend" on the Subnoize Souljaz
2009 album Blast From the Past
.
Futuristic Sex Robotz covered "Just a Friend" in the song "Checking Out" on their debut album Hotel Coral Essex.
Pharrell of The Neptunes
and N.E.R.D. samples the line 'let me tell you a story of my situation' (which appears in the first verse of "Just a Friend"), at the end of his song 'You Can Do It To' on his album In My Mind
.
Ghost Mall uses the chorus as an interlude in their song, "Balloon Ideas" which was produced by DJ Teenwolf of Ninjasonik.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
made use of the song in the episode "Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare".
It is the walk-up music for Boston Red Sox
first baseman, Kevin Youkilis
.http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fan_forum/player_songs.jsp?partnerId=ed-3489624-136516546 Occasionally, in the Fenway Park
bleachers fans will break out singing the chorus over and over again, inserting "Youuuuuuuk" for the "You", in "You've got what I need." A television advertisement for Herb Chambers Companies
, an auto dealership group in the Boston area, features Biz Markie (in his Mozart attire from the original music video) performing the song with Youkilis and Herb Chambers
.
Reema Major
sampled the song on her mixtape, 15 Going On 25.
Justin Timberlake
and Jimmy Fallon
incorporated the song into a rap duet. .
Markie came up with a Facebook
-themed rendition of the song for Jimmy Kimmel Live
.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
, in which he alternates between rap and singing. It is Markie's most successful Pop single, reaching the #9 position on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts.
The song interpolates the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" (1968) by the late singer/songwriter Freddie Scott
Freddie Scott
Freddie Scott was an American soul singer and songwriter. His biggest hits were "Hey, Girl", a top ten US pop hit in 1963, and "Are You Lonely For Me", a no.1 hit on the R&B chart in early 1967.-Life and career:...
, whose basic chord and melody provided the base for the song's chorus and made it famous. Due to the widespread popularity of the song and its influence on Pop culture, Biz was classified by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
, and "Just A Friend" was ranked 81st on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders in 2000, and later as number 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop in 2008. Karma, a staff record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some important music in the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some...
, told Vibe magazine in 2005 that he produced the single, but never received credit.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Lionel C. Martin, chronicles the rapper/singer's woman problems. At the climax of the video, Biz Markie's character stumbles upon his girlfriend kissing another man she had previously referred to as "just a friend". It also includes a memorable scene of Biz Markie singing the chorus dressed as Mozart in 18th-century clothing with a powdered wig
Wig
A wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first...
in a candlelit room while playing the piano. This scene was likely inspired by the video for the 1986 hit "Rock Me Amadeus
Rock Me Amadeus
"Rock Me Amadeus" is a 1985 song by Austrian pop musician Falco from his album Falco 3. It topped the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Falco's only number one hit in either the United States or the United Kingdom, despite his popularity in Germany, his native Austria, and much...
" which was in turn inspired by the 1984 film Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
.
A clip of the music video was played in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, with Butt-head
Butt-head
Butt-head is a fictional character from the MTV animated series Beavis and Butt-head. He was voiced by the show's creator, Mike Judge.Mike Judge got the name Butt-head from his university days, when he knew a couple of kids who had the nicknames 'Iron Butt' and 'Butt-head'...
imitating the singing of the refrain.
Charts
| Chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| End of year chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 94 |
Cover versions and use in samples
Jeff GoldblumJeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
, Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
, and Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
sang the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
, and were backed up by Jimmy's house band, The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
. The episode aired on Thursday, November 11, 2010, Veteran's Day.
It was later interpolated by Mario as "Just a Friend 2002
Just a Friend 2002
"Just a Friend 2002" is a R&B single by Mario. It is the first single from his first studio album Mario which was a cover of Biz Markie's hit, "Just a Friend". The single was released on May of 2002. The single was produced by Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell and written by Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell,...
", whose video Biz Markie made a cameo in as well as appearing on the alternate version (remix). Mario's version is quite different, as the story is changed from a man who discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him, to a story about unrequited love.
"Just A Friend" was also covered by Kidz Bop
Kidz Bop
Kidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring child session musicians performing contemporary music. The series was developed by Razor & Tie co-founders Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam in 2001...
, by progressive-jam band Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
, and by Tally Hall
Tally Hall (band)
Tally Hall is an American rock band formed in December 2002 based in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a relatively significant cult following. Once under the Atlantic Records recording label, Tally Hall is, again, signed to indie label Quack! Media who previously helped finance and nationally distribute...
who play "Just a Friend" at nearly all of their concerts.
The Malay hip hop duo Too Phat
Too Phat
Too Phat is a Malaysian hip-hop duo, consisting of Joe Flizzow and Malique Ibrahim .-Career:...
used the chorus and the piano in the their song "Just a Friend" found on their 2001 album Plan B.
50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
's song "Best Friend
Best Friend (50 Cent song)
"Best Friend" by 50 Cent is the third single released from the soundtrack of the film Get Rich or Die Tryin and the remix featuring Olivia is the third single from her album, Behind Closed Doors.-Background:...
" contains re-sung quotes from "Just a Friend".
A cover of the song appears on the October 2009 re-release of Lissy Trullie
Lissy Trullie
Elizabeth "Lizzy" McChesney, better known by the stage name Lissy Trullie, is an American singer-songwriter and former model. She released her debut EP, Self-Taught Learner, in February 2009, and as of 2009, performs with a band named Lissy Trullie...
's EP Self-Taught Learner
Self-Taught Learner
Self-Taught Learner is the debut EP from American Indie singer-songwriter Lissy Trullie, released on February 17, 2009. It was released on June 29, 2009 in the UK...
, recorded with Adam Green
Adam Green
Adam Green may refer to:*Adam Green , writer/director of Hatchet*Adam Green , staff cartoonist for the New Art Examiner, early 1990s...
.
Big B
Big B (rapper)
----Bryan Mahoney, real name and best known by his stage name Big B, is an American rapper currently signed with Suburban Noize Records as a solo artist. Along with John E. Necro, he performs vocals in the rap rock band OPM, which is also signed with Subnoize.-Early career:Big B was born, Bryan...
covered "Just a Friend" on the Subnoize Souljaz
Subnoize Souljaz
Subnoize Souljaz is an American hip hop super group consisting of many current Artists under the Suburban Noize Records record label.*Brother J*Chucky Styles*Daddy X*The Dirtball*D-Loc*Jared Gomes*John E...
2009 album Blast From the Past
Blast from the Past (SubNoize Souljaz album)
Blast from the Past is the third studio album by Subnoize Souljaz and was realesed on August 25, 2009.-Track listing:...
.
Futuristic Sex Robotz covered "Just a Friend" in the song "Checking Out" on their debut album Hotel Coral Essex.
Pharrell of The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
and N.E.R.D. samples the line 'let me tell you a story of my situation' (which appears in the first verse of "Just a Friend"), at the end of his song 'You Can Do It To' on his album In My Mind
In My Mind (Pharrell album)
-Notes:* A song titled "Mamacita", which featured Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee was leaked in early 2006 and was supposed to be the third single from the album, but it did not appear on the final track listing, nor was there a video for the song, but it is featured in the movie The Fast and the...
.
Ghost Mall uses the chorus as an interlude in their song, "Balloon Ideas" which was produced by DJ Teenwolf of Ninjasonik.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
made use of the song in the episode "Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare".
It is the walk-up music for Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
first baseman, Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
.http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fan_forum/player_songs.jsp?partnerId=ed-3489624-136516546 Occasionally, in the Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
bleachers fans will break out singing the chorus over and over again, inserting "Youuuuuuuk" for the "You", in "You've got what I need." A television advertisement for Herb Chambers Companies
Herb Chambers Companies
The Herb Chambers Companies is the 14th largest auto dealership group in the United States. The organization was founded by Herbert G. Chambers and is headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts adjacent to the Chambers Motorcars dealership on McGrath Highway....
, an auto dealership group in the Boston area, features Biz Markie (in his Mozart attire from the original music video) performing the song with Youkilis and Herb Chambers
Herb Chambers
Herb Chambers is owner and CEO of Herb Chambers Companies, a group of 46 car dealerships in the greater Boston MA area. A directory of Herb Chambers Car Dealerships lists their OEM brand portfolio in Massachusetts and New England....
.
Reema Major
Reema Major
Reema Major , is a Sudanese-Canadian rapper signed to a joint record label venture with G7 Records Inc./Universal Music Canada and Cherrytree Records/Interscope Records...
sampled the song on her mixtape, 15 Going On 25.
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
incorporated the song into a rap duet. .
Markie came up with a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
-themed rendition of the song for Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
.