Elston had been singing with the Hi-Fi's in the mid-60s, warming up for Ray Charles in tours across the country. When that group split in 1966, members Marilyn McCoo and Lamont McLemore went on to co-found the enormously successful Fifth Dimension and Elston started the Friends, whose sound was similar to, and often confused with, the Fifth Dimension -- both included tightly harmonizing men and women dressed in late 60s "hip" clothing -- though the Friends' music was generally more soulful.
The newly formed Friends of Distinction was managed by football great Jim Brown and signed with RCA Records. Hitting the popular music scene when Motown and Stax were dominating, the Friends arrived with a breezy California pop/soul sound. Great harmonies and crossover arrangements backed the individually strong lead vocals of the group members. Combined with top notch material (both originals and covers), the group, like the Fifth Dimension, sounded like a breath of fresh air on Pop radio in 1969.
Their first single, "Grazin' In the Grass," was a Elston-sung vocal remake of a Hugh Masekela instrumental cut, and hit the top 5 on both Pop and Soul charts in 1969. The group's follow-up, "Going In Circles," was a brilliant ballad that also charted high. Love took some time off to have a baby, and Charlene Gibson stepped in and sang lead on the group's third big hit, "Love or Let Me Be Lonely." She also sang on the wonderful album cut, "Crazy Mary."
The Friends were quite prolific from 1969-71, releasing 5 albums (a sixth appeared in 1973). They also released a number of great singles, including "Check It Out" (later remade by Tavares) and a terrific cover of Neil Sedaka's "Time Waits for No One." Their best cuts are excellently compiled in The Best of the Friends of Distinction, which was released in 1996.
As popular music changed in the mid-70s, the Friends' fortunes declined. Jessica Cleaves was featured with Earth Wind and Fire,first appearance on the"Last Days and Time" release. A grueling touring schedule and the lack of a hit for several years led the group to call it quits in 1975. Elston and Butler continued to write and perform for a few years, then ultimately went their separate ways, taking jobs outside of music.
Over the next two decades, there was a rediscovery of the great music that the Friends had made together, and their biggest hits were remade by several artists, with "Going In Circles" charting for the Gap Band and Luther Vandross and "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" for pop artist Paul Davis. Most recently, "Grazin In the Grass" was released by Disney star Raven.
In 1990, Elston and Butler decided to bring the Friends back together. Tragically, Butler died (at Elston's side) before the group reunion could be realized. After Butler's death, Elston spent several years forming a new Friends group, ultimately bringing together Geno Henderson, Wendy Bruné and Berlando Drake to sing with Elston. That lineup currently tours and continues to entertain audiences nearly 40 years after the world first heard the Friends of Distinction.
Love or Let Me Be Lonely
The Friends of Distinction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Part time love I can find any day.
So don't you defy mother nature's way, please
make it mine, a love for to stay
I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
I, I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
Do ooh. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo doo doo doo.
Either you will or either you won't now.
It's up to you I've had my say.
So truly love, do love me completely.
Hey come on, come on come my way.
I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
I, I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
Do ooh. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo doo doo doo,
Doo, doo, doo doo.
Ooh, yeah. My baby. Ooh ooh ooh yea,
ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma,
ma, ma, ma, ma, ma baby!
I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
I, I can live without love,
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
Do ooh. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo doo doo doo,
Doo, doo, doo doo.
Love or let me be lonely.
Love, or let me be lonely.
(with ad lib to fade)
Love or let me be lonely
Love, or let me be loney
The Friends of Distinction's Love or Let Me Be Lonely is a classic soul and pop song that speaks of a love dispute. The song's protagonist is asking his partner to choose between loving him or leaving him alone to be sad and gloomy. He emphasizes that he can live without love; however, he prefers to have it and is hoping that his partner will wash away his gloom.
The song's message is quite clear and straightforward, but the lyrics, tone, and harmonies make it a classic that has endured over time. The emotive nature of the song and the soulful delivery of the singers make it easy to connect with anyone who has ever been in a similar situation, especially in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Love me let me be lonely,
I want love, but I’m also willing to be alone if that’s what I need to do.
Part time love I can find any day.
I can find someone to love me anytime I want, but I want a lasting love.
So don't you defy mother nature's way, please
make it mine, a love for to stay
Just let things flow naturally and allow us to fall in love for real.
I can live without love,
Yes, I can survive without love.
If I wanted to in this lonely room.
I could live in isolation.
But I don't want to so I leave it up to you
To wash away my gloom.
But I don’t want to, so I leave it up to you to help me overcome my loneliness.
Either you will or either you won't now.
It's up to you I've had my say.
You have to decide if you want to be with me or not.
So truly love, do love me completely.
If you do choose to love me, love me with all your heart.
Hey come on, come on come my way.
Come to me if you decide that you want to love me.
Ooh, yeah. My baby. Ooh ooh ooh yea,
ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma,
ma, ma, ma, ma, ma baby!
Expressing joy and excitement at the thought of being loved.
Love or let me be lonely.
Either love me with all your heart or let me live my life without you.
Love, or let me be lonely.
Love me wholeheartedly or let me be by myself.
(with ad lib to fade)
The song ends with the singer expressing himself through improvised singing and fading out.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind