Just Friends (2009 song)
Encyclopedia
"Just Friends" is a song written, produced and performed by American
rapper/producer
Danny!
. Originally a hidden track on the Japanese version of his 2007 Danny Is Dead EP
, Definitive Jux
Records released the live version of "Just Friends" as a single domestically on March 10, 2009 in anticipation for Where Is Danny?
, his debut album for the label. A studio version was originally going to appear on the upcoming album, but was later scrapped in lieu of Where Is Danny? 's new artistic direction.
The song is performed over an extended version of "Twilight Mist", which was originally released on Danny!'s 2006 instrumental album Dream, Interrupted
. A remix of "Wanderland" (from Danny!'s lauded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
) can be found on the album's B-side. The single was released to little fanfare in the United States
, barely cracking the Billboard Hot 100
in its first week at # 88, but managed to pick up steam overseas when it was shipped to the United Kingdom
two weeks later. "Just Friends" was later featured as a track on the Definitive Jux compilation album Time Travel, Vol. 1.
"Just Friends"'s cover art, designed by Danny!, pays homage to the cover art found on George Masso
and Ken Peplowski
's collaborative jazz
album, also titled Just Friends.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper/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...
Danny!
Danny!
Danny!, also known as D. Swain , is an American rap performer and record producer from Columbia, South Carolina, a former student of the Savannah College of Art & Design and, previously, a recording artist for Definitive Jux Records. L.A. Weekly has called Danny! "the best new artist that Def Jux...
. Originally a hidden track on the Japanese version of his 2007 Danny Is Dead EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux is an independent record label based in New York City, United States. It was co-founded in 1999 by Jaime Meline and Amaechi Uzoigwe. The label was initially known simply as Def Jux, but in 2001, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the name similarity...
Records released the live version of "Just Friends" as a single domestically on March 10, 2009 in anticipation for Where Is Danny?
Where Is Danny?
Danny!'s sixth studio album, previously known to the press as Project X and later changed to Where Is Danny?, is the successor to the rapper's heralded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack...
, his debut album for the label. A studio version was originally going to appear on the upcoming album, but was later scrapped in lieu of Where Is Danny? 's new artistic direction.
The song is performed over an extended version of "Twilight Mist", which was originally released on Danny!'s 2006 instrumental album Dream, Interrupted
Dream, Interrupted
Dream, Interrupted is an instrumental hip hop album by American rapper/producer Danny!, and the fourth release under Danny's personal 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint...
. A remix of "Wanderland" (from Danny!'s lauded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, also referred to as simply And I Love H.E.R., is MC/producer Danny!'s full-length follow-up to 2006's Charm. The record was released to universal acclaim, cited by ABC News and L.A. Weekly as one of the best releases of 2008...
) can be found on the album's B-side. The single was released to little fanfare in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, barely cracking the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in its first week at # 88, but managed to pick up steam overseas when it was shipped to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
two weeks later. "Just Friends" was later featured as a track on the Definitive Jux compilation album Time Travel, Vol. 1.
"Just Friends"'s cover art, designed by Danny!, pays homage to the cover art found on George Masso
George Masso
George Masso , born in Cranston, Rhode Island, is an American jazz trombonist, bandleader, vibraphonist and composer specializing in swing and Dixieland styles. Masso is most notable for his work from 1948-1950 in the Jimmy Dorsey band...
and Ken Peplowski
Ken Peplowski
Ken Peplowski is a jazz clarinetist born in Cleveland, Ohio, known primarily for playing in the swing music idiom. He is sometimes compared to Benny Goodman in terms of tone and virtuosity...
's collaborative jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
album, also titled Just Friends.
Side A
- "Just Friends (live)" 3:08
- "Just Friends (instrumental)" 3:18
Side B
- "Wanderland (D. Swain Remix)" 4:12
- "Wanderland (D. Swain Remix) (instrumental)" 4:12
- "Wanderland (acapella)" 4:13
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
March 10, 2009 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
March 24, 2009 |