Outside of a Small Circle of Friends
Encyclopedia
"Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" is a song by Phil Ochs
, a U.S.
protest singer
from the 1960s. "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", which was originally released on Ochs' 1967 album Pleasures of the Harbor
, became one of Ochs' most popular songs.
Ochs was inspired to write "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" by the case of Kitty Genovese
, who was stabbed to death outside her home in Queens
, New York
, while dozens of her neighbors reportedly ignored her cries for help. The song's refrain, and its title, came from a conversation Ochs had with an acquaintance:
The lyrics of "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" condemn social apathy
by relating different situations that should demand action on the part of the narrator, but in each case the narrator evades responsibility by giving a mundane excuse, and invariably concludes that "I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody outside of a small circle of friends". The five scenarios include a woman who's being stabbed outside the window, an automobile accident that has left a car hanging on a cliff, the terrible living conditions in the city's ghetto
, a magazine publisher who's been fined for publishing pornography
, and a friend who's been arrested for smoking marijuana
.
The song's arrangement
provides a sharp contrast to its lyrics. For ironic effect Ochs wanted an upbeat arrangement. Producer
Larry Marks and pianist Lincoln Mayorga
produced an arrangement that is almost as memorable as the lyrics of the song. A decade after the song was recorded, Marks said:
In 2001, an author remarked that the recording "pitted a disturbing lyric about murder and social irresponsibility against a backing of insanely cheerful banjo and a honky-tonk piano".
released "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" as a single
in 1967. Reviews were generally positive. Billboard
wrote that the record "should put folkster Ochs high on the Hot 100" and the Cleveland Press
said that if radio stations "give it a chance, this will be a giant record". Rolling Stone
gave the single a mixed review.
The single got a good deal of airplay, especially on FM radio
. Sales were fairly good. In Los Angeles, the song reached No. 20. It was No. 119 on Billboards national "Hot Prospect" listing.
As the song's popularity grew, some radio station managers began to object to the lyrics of the fifth verse of "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", which said that "smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer". Without considering the irony of the lyrics, managers began to complain to A&M.
A&M responded by releasing two alternate versions of the single. One version included the lyrics "smoking [four instrumental notes remain here] is more fun than drinking beer". Another removed the controversial verse altogether. Still, the damage had been done. Record sales suffered and the single lost its momentum. It never advanced further up the charts
.
by several performers, including Eugene Chadbourne
, Dave Van Ronk
and Kind Of Like Spitting
.
Phil Ochs
Philip David Ochs was an American protest singer and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice...
, a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
protest singer
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
from the 1960s. "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", which was originally released on Ochs' 1967 album Pleasures of the Harbor
Pleasures of the Harbor
Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs' fourth full-length album and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967. It is one of Ochs's most somber albums...
, became one of Ochs' most popular songs.
Ochs was inspired to write "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" by the case of Kitty Genovese
Kitty Genovese
Catherine Susan "Kitty" Genovese , was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death near her home in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York on March 13, 1964....
, who was stabbed to death outside her home in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, while dozens of her neighbors reportedly ignored her cries for help. The song's refrain, and its title, came from a conversation Ochs had with an acquaintance:
[It] came out of a chance remark, late at night at a coffeehouse. I was talking to a Canadian guy, and he said, "Oh, I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody outside of a small circle of friends." I said, "What'd you say?" and I picked up a guitar and ZOOM, the chords came right away.
The lyrics of "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" condemn social apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
by relating different situations that should demand action on the part of the narrator, but in each case the narrator evades responsibility by giving a mundane excuse, and invariably concludes that "I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody outside of a small circle of friends". The five scenarios include a woman who's being stabbed outside the window, an automobile accident that has left a car hanging on a cliff, the terrible living conditions in the city's ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
, a magazine publisher who's been fined for publishing pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, and a friend who's been arrested for smoking marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
.
The song's arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
provides a sharp contrast to its lyrics. For ironic effect Ochs wanted an upbeat arrangement. 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...
Larry Marks and pianist Lincoln Mayorga
Lincoln Mayorga
Lincoln Mayorga is an American pianist, arranger, conductor and composer who has worked in rock and roll, pop, jazz and classical music.-Pop music in the 1950s and 60s:...
produced an arrangement that is almost as memorable as the lyrics of the song. A decade after the song was recorded, Marks said:
The arrangement added to the irony of the whole song. Tacky piano played by Lincoln and a banjo and small rhythm section, nothing more. It's almost like a saloon song you shouldn't pay any attention to, and the lyric means practically everything in the world.
In 2001, an author remarked that the recording "pitted a disturbing lyric about murder and social irresponsibility against a backing of insanely cheerful banjo and a honky-tonk piano".
Single versions
A&M RecordsA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
released "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1967. Reviews were generally positive. 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...
wrote that the record "should put folkster Ochs high on the Hot 100" and the Cleveland Press
Cleveland Press
The Cleveland Press was a daily American newspaper published in Cleveland, Ohio from November 2, 1878, through June 17, 1982. From 1928 to 1966, the paper's editor was Louis Seltzer....
said that if radio stations "give it a chance, this will be a giant record". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the single a mixed review.
The single got a good deal of airplay, especially on FM radio
FM broadcasting in the USA
FM broadcasting in the United States began in the 1930s at engineer and inventor Edwin Howard Armstrong's experimental station, W2XMN. The use of FM radio has been associated with higher sound quality in music radio.-History of FM radio in the U.S.:...
. Sales were fairly good. In Los Angeles, the song reached No. 20. It was No. 119 on Billboards national "Hot Prospect" listing.
As the song's popularity grew, some radio station managers began to object to the lyrics of the fifth verse of "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", which said that "smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer". Without considering the irony of the lyrics, managers began to complain to A&M.
A&M responded by releasing two alternate versions of the single. One version included the lyrics "smoking [four instrumental notes remain here] is more fun than drinking beer". Another removed the controversial verse altogether. Still, the damage had been done. Record sales suffered and the single lost its momentum. It never advanced further up the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
Cover versions
"Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" has been coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by several performers, including Eugene Chadbourne
Eugene Chadbourne
Eugene Chadbourne is an American improvisor, guitarist and banjoist. Highly eclectic and unconventional, Chadbourne's most formative influence is free jazz. He has also been a reviewer for Allmusic and a contributor to Maximum RocknRoll.Chadbourne started out playing rock and roll guitar, but...
, Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk was an American folk singer, born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York, and was eventually nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street" ....
and Kind Of Like Spitting
Kind of Like Spitting
Kind of Like Spitting was an American indie rock band. They formed in 1996 in Portland, Oregon. The band was led by prolific singer-songwriter Ben Barnett, who work has drawn comparisons to Elliott Smith, Mark Eitzel, Billy Bragg, and Robert Pollard....
.