Dee Clark (November 7, 1938 – December 7, 1990) was an American rhythm & bl… Read Full Bio ↴Dee Clark (November 7, 1938 – December 7, 1990) was an American rhythm & blues and soul singer best known for a string of R&B and pop hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the ballad "Raindrops," which became a million-seller in the United States in 1961.

He was born Delecta Clark in Blytheville, Arkansas, and moved to Chicago in 1941. His mother, Essie Mae Clark, was a gospel singer and encouraged her son to pursue his love of music. Clark made his first recording in 1952 as a member of the Hambone Kids, who enjoyed some success with a recording of "Hambone" on the OKeh label. In 1953, he joined an R&B group called the Goldentones, who later became the Kool Gents and were discovered by Chicago radio DJ Herb Kent upon winning a talent competition. Kent had the Kool Gents signed to Vee-Jay label's subsidiary Falcon/Abner. The group recorded for Falcon/Abner in 1956, and also recorded a novelty record as "The Delegates".
Clark embarked on a solo career in 1957, initially following the styles of Clyde McPhatter and Little Richard. When Little Richard temporarily abandoned his music career to study the Bible, Clark fulfilled Richard's remaining live dates and also recorded with his backing band, the Upsetters. Over the next four years he landed several moderate hits, two of which ("Just Keep It Up" and "Hey Little Girl") reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100). His records for Abner and Vee-Jay were orchestrated by Riley Hampton. His biggest single, "Raindrops," a power ballad augmented by heavy rain and thunder sound effects and Clark's swooping falsetto, was released in the spring of 1961 and became his biggest hit, soaring to number two on the pop chart and number three on the R&B charts. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "Raindrops" was also an international success, reaching number one in New Zealand and reaching the top ten in South Africa and Belgium, and selling well in Japan. "Raindrops" remains a staple on oldies and adult standards radio station playlists to this day, and has also been covered by several other artists in the years since, including David Cassidy, Tony Orlando and Dawn, and most notably Narvel Felts, who took the song to number 30 on the country chart in 1974. Clark himself recorded an updated version of "Raindrops" in 1973.
However, Clark's biggest hit was also his last. The follow-up to "Raindrops," "Don't Walk Away From Me," was a flop, and he made the pop charts in America only twice more, with "I'm Going Back to School" (1962) and "Crossfire Time" (1963). By the time "Crossfire Time" came out, Clark had moved from Vee-Jay to the Constellation label. Though he continued to record for Constellation through 1966, none of his records charted nationally. He had considerable local success in Chicago with such standout recordings as "Come Closer" (1964), the double-sided hit of "Warm Summer Breezes" and "Heartbreak" (1964), and "TCB" (1965). He later recorded for the Columbia, Wand, Liberty and Rocky labels, without success. Clark had a brief revival in 1975 when his song "Ride a Wild Horse" became a surprise Top 30 hit in the UK Singles Chart, becoming his first chart hit in the UK since "Just Keep It Up."
Afterwards, Clark performed mostly on the oldies circuit. By the late 1980s, he was in dire straits financially, living in a welfare hotel in Toccoa, Georgia. Despite suffering a stroke in 1987 that left him partially paralyzed and with a mild speech impediment, he continued to perform until his death on December 7, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia, from a heart attack at the age of 52. His last concert was with the Jimmy Gilstrap Band at the Portman Lounge in Anderson, South Carolina.

Your Friends
Dee Clark Lyrics

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Your friends
All of your friends (your friends)
All of your (your friends)
All of your friends (your friends)

You know when you
Get on your feet again
Ev'ryone'll wanna be your friend

When you (hoo)
Get on your feet again (see the friends)
Ev'ryone'll wanna be your friend

Ev'ryone'll will wanna shake your hand
Ev'ryone'll will wanna see you again
And they'll all pat you on your back
They'll all try to tell you
That they're glad you're back

When you (when you)
Get on your feet again (see the friends)
Ev'ryone'll wanna be your friend

Your friends
All of your friends
All of your (your friends)
All of your (your friends) friends

But when you are down an out
There's not a friend in this world
To help you out

But when you (when you)
Get on your feet again
Ev'ryone'll wanna be your friend

(They told you they would stand by you)
Stand by you
(And never let you down)
And never let you down
But when you started sinkin' low
There wasn't one of your friends to be found!
Help!

When your, your ship comes in
Surprise all of your so-called friends
Give them, give them, a helpin' hand
Show them all that you're a bigger man

When you (when you)
Get on your feet again
Ev'ryone'll wanna be your friends

Your friends (your friends)
Talkin' bout your friends (your friends)
Talkin' bout your friends (your friends)
Talkin' bout your friends (your friends)

Talkin' bout all of your (your friends)
All of your
All of your (your friends)
All of your friends (your friends)
All of your friends (your friends)
Ooo (your friends)
All, all, all (your friends)

FADES-

Woo (your friends)
All, all, wah-ooo!

Overall Meaning

The song "Your Friends" by Dee Clark speaks to the transient nature of friendships and the fickleness of people. The lyrics describe how when one is going through a tough time or experiencing a hardship, friends are nowhere to be found. However, as soon as things start looking up, people come out of the woodwork wanting to be friends again. The song suggests that when one is in a position of power or success, it is a good time to help those who were not there for them in their time of need. Dee Clark encourages listeners to be the bigger person and give their so-called friends a helping hand, to show them that they are not petty and can put their personal feelings aside.

The repetition of the phrase "All of your friends" emphasizes the message that while people may have many friends, only a few are truly dependable. The song's structure of a call and response chorus highlights the idea that with each repeating phrase, the singers are trying to remind themselves of the fickleness of the people who call themselves their friends. The song's emotional and musical tone is upbeat and lively, contrasting with its more introspective lyrics.

Your FriendsDee Clark Lyrics

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Your Friends
Dee Clark Lyrics