Everybody Needs a Friend
Mark & Almond Lyrics


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Old man sittin′ in the park
Trying to while away the hours
And every day he feeds the birds
In sunshine and in shower
Old man were you once like me?
Always wondering what was 'round the bend
I see you feed the birds, I guess everyone needs a friend
There she sits in her favorite bar
And its only lunchtime
Divorcee gay and forty-four
Wondering how he could be so unkind?
All the years she gave to him
They′re gone and never to be again
I see her drink her wine
I guess everyone needs a friend

Everyone needs a friend
To make it all worthwhile
It makes it all worthwhile

Young girl in the record store
And she's still there at closing
Substituting father's love
For rock and roll stars and supposing
In her dreams of movie screens
That never seem to end
I hear the records play
I guess everyone needs a friend

Everyone needs a friend
To make it all worthwhile
It makes it all worthwhile

There he stands on the stage
The band around him playing
Nervous fingers ′round the mike
He hears himself singing
Thank you folks, the show is through
They applaud him to the end...





Everyone needs a friend

Overall Meaning

The song "Everybody Needs a Friend" by Mark & Almond highlights the universal human need for connection and companionship. The verses of the song tell the stories of individuals from different walks of life, all seeking some form of solace or comfort, and ultimately recognizing that everyone needs a friend. The opening verse paints a picture of an old man in the park, spending his days feeding birds and perhaps contemplating the twists and turns of his life. The singer empathizes with him, wondering if he too will one day spend his days sitting and wondering. The second verse tells the story of a middle-aged divorcee, who is dealing with the loss of a relationship and the realization that time has passed her by. In the third verse, the singer describes a young girl who finds solace in music, perhaps because she is lacking a positive father figure in her life. Finally, the song concludes with a scene of a musician on stage, basking in the applause of the audience, but recognizing that without the connections he's made along the way, his success would ring hollow.


The lyrics of "Everybody Needs a Friend" remind us that despite our differences, we all share a desire for connection and companionship. Whether we're old or young, male or female, rich or poor, we all need someone who will be there for us, someone who will listen, someone who will offer support and encouragement, someone who will be our friend. The song also recognizes that sometimes, the most unlikely things can bring people together. For the old man, it's the birds in the park. For the middle-aged woman, it's a glass of wine at the bar. For the young girl, it's the music she hears in the record store. And for the musician, it's the people who have supported him along the way. Ultimately, "Everybody Needs a Friend" is a reminder that no matter who we are or what our circumstances, we can find comfort and connection in the people around us.


Line by Line Meaning

Old man sittin' in the park
An elderly man is enjoying some quiet time in the park


Trying to while away the hours
He is attempting to pass the time in a leisurely manner


And every day he feeds the birds
He has a daily routine of feeding the birds in the park


In sunshine and in shower
He does this regardless of the weather conditions


Old man were you once like me?
The artist wonders if the old man was once young and questioning like him


Always wondering what was 'round the bend
The singer wonders what the future holds


I see you feed the birds, I guess everyone needs a friend
The singer observes the old man's kindness and realizes that everyone needs companionship


There she sits in her favorite bar
A woman is sitting in her preferred watering hole


And its only lunchtime
The time of day is early afternoon


Divorcee gay and forty-four
The woman is a 44-year-old divorced person who seems happy


Wondering how he could be so unkind?
The woman is pondering how her former spouse could have treated her poorly


All the years she gave to him
She dedicated many years of her life to her former spouse


They're gone and never to be again
Those years are gone and she cannot get them back


I see her drink her wine
The singer sees the woman drinking a glass of wine


I guess everyone needs a friend
The singer believes that everyone desires companionship


Young girl in the record store
A young woman is browsing in a record store


And she's still there at closing
She remains in the store until it closes


Substituting father's love
The young woman uses music as a substitute for the love of her absent father


For rock and roll stars and supposing
She idolizes rock stars and imagines different scenarios revolving around them


In her dreams of movie screens
She fantasizes about movie stars as well


That never seem to end
Her dreams never seem to truly come to fruition


I hear the records play
The artist hears the music playing in the background


I guess everyone needs a friend
The singer believes that everybody requires companionship


There he stands on the stage
A performer is standing on the stage


The band around him playing
The musician's band is playing music behind him


Nervous fingers 'round the mike
The musician is nervous and fidgeting with the microphone


He hears himself singing
The musician hears his own voice as he is singing


Thank you folks, the show is through
The performer thanks his audience and announces the end of the show


They applaud him to the end...
The crowd applauds the performer until the very end of the show


Everyone needs a friend
The song's repeated theme that every single individual requires some form of companionship




Contributed by Violet S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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