Album: Flying Color
Year: 1985
Outside of the various local bands and inside jokes that I’m going to write about, this power-pop gem is a definite contender for the most obscure Certain Song.
For one thing, while this single showed up in the KFSR studios as a 7″ single in 1985, I don’t remember the actual album — which didn’t come out until 1987 — ever making it our way. Such was the vagaries of the pipeline that serviced college radio with indie records: it was always hit-or-miss, even with a band from San Francisco.
Anyway, while “Dear Friend” comes right out of the box with stinging lead guitar, it isn’t until the chorus where it truly takes off as lead singer Dale Duncan anthemizes:
And if I could help in time
To ease your troubled mind
I would share my heart with you
I would share my heart with you
This is followed by a guitar lead that is reminiscent of the guitar lead in “A Million Miles Away” and after the second verse, a long solo that basically sets up the chorus one last time.
Like I said, some of you who listened to KFSR back in the day might recognize that chorus — I used to play this song a fair amount — and weirdly enough, there’a a pretty decent looking video I found on YouTube, as well.
Official video for “Dear Friend”
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