“Friends“ also titled “You Got to Have Friends“ is a 1973 hit single by Bette Midler….which was written by Buzzy Linhart and Mark “Moogy” Klingman….when in the United States….the song reached # 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart….and reached # 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
A version of “Friends” was recorded by one of the song’s co-writers, Buzzy Linhart…..which was more of a rock sound than a pop sound….plus, Linhart’s version had the alternative title, “(You Got to Have) Friends”. Bette Midler was one of Linhart’s close friends during the early 1970’s….and while rehearsing for an audition for a Broadway show called Mirror Cracked that’s when Linhart sang to Midler a song that he and his songwriting partner “Moogy” had just written….and after hearing the song, Midler asked Linhart if she could sing the song during a show that she was performing in at the Continental Baths in New York….after agreeing, Moogy and Linhart attended the show….while being impressed with the performance….so, soon thereafter, Midler recorded the song on her debut album The Divine Miss M….which was a nickname she always wanted to be known as having personified.
We here at ImaSportsphile are quite sure that these renditions of both famous songs are the rarest of nature….due to the fact that a man is performing both songs as a female impersonator of the The Divine Miss M….rare indeed!
