One of the most likeable and vocally cohesive singing groups of the late 60… Read Full Bio ↴One of the most likeable and vocally cohesive singing groups of the late 60s and early 70s, the Friends of Distinction are too often forgotten in retrospectives of that era, but their music has continued to live on. Formed by Harry Elston, Floyd Butler, Jessica Cleaves and Barbara Love in 1968, the group had a relatively short life in its original incarnation, but made some of the most memorable pop/soul music of all time.
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.
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.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Dying To Live
The Friends of Distinction Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Dying To Live' by these artists:
2 Pac & Notorious B.I.G And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
2 Pac ft. Notorious B.I.G. And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
2Pac & Notorious B.I.G And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
2Pac ft. Notorious B.I.G And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
Ashbreather On a glowing field of ashes and embers Through the mist…
Betraying the Martyrs I hear a voice that calls my name over the…
Biggie & 2Pac And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
Brokencyde And in my dreams I can see you now For what…
C.O.K.E All this pain (Yeah yeah yeah) All this struggle (Yeah yeah…
Cassidy Haley We work hard Yeah Like fingers to the bone It's alright …
Cat Stevens / Yusuf You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion By…
Cat Stevens; Yusuf You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion By…
Chastity Existing Is Exhausting Already, but Now It's Killing, With…
Cromok Let it be known to all We have to spread it…
E.L.I. You see all these killers that's standing round with me You…
Edgar Winter Mmm You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion…
Edgar Winter's White Trash Mmm You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortio…
Exciter He's the evil in the angel The black inside the light The…
Glasvegas I don't know what the answer is But I know there…
Hi-Rez How they say that there is humor in misfortune? No, I…
Invocator A thousand questions strap a Leash around your neck Restrict…
Jdotds Yeah, yeah, yeah It's JDS, dollar sign Aww, yeah I need a br…
Joel Piper Listen now... Can you hear my heart? Can you read my…
Jonah33 Come on, come on, let's rise from the ashes Let's forget…
Jonny Lang Mmm You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion…
Kailee Morgue What's there to address? I've been looking like a mess Could…
lil Darius Lil Darius – Dying to Live [Explicit Lyrics] [Hook]…
Masterplan Only time keeps me hangin' on And just this once I…
My Terrible Friend We don't always see eye to eye We see how the…
O.A.T.H. Shining bright in the darkest night Never learnt to fight, s…
Ozito You know that i want you You just feel like you…
Poet's of the fall Tell me this, would you miss it, trying on another…
Reckless Love The city`s sweating on his hot summer night The sidewalk ste…
Rhody Dying to Live (hook) I be dying to live Trip or B.I.T.I.P o…
Rich Aucoin We're all dying to live We're all dying to live We're all…
ringo starr and his all-starr band You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion. By…
Ronnie Day I've got a sickness, Something bad slowly eating me, And…
Scott Stapp Pull back the curtain come on in. Through the stain glass…
Stapp Scott Pull back the curtain come on in. Through the stain glass…
Steven Curtis Chapman Another case of I wish I wouldn't have; Another promise not…
The Edgar Winter Group You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion. B…
The Grafenberg Disciples You can use a feather as an anchor You can send…
Trevor Morgan All this vanity says the preacher Preach on I know how…
Tupac and Biggie And I wonder if they'll laugh when I'm dead? Why am…
Vaquero All of my time, wasted What came before, all gone What I…
Voodoo Hill You have been suffocated Still you come back for more You're…
Xzibit VERSE 1: Break the bank, make my heart rate escalate I can'…
Yaung I walk down this district of make believe Where buildings of…
Yumeoi Kakeru いつか見た夢の続きを知りたくて 僕は明日が来ることを拒んだ 通り過ぎていく同じ色の日々に 生きる意味を見い出せなくて ど…
Yusuf You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion By…
Yusuf Islam You know I've heard it said there's beauty in distortion By…
▼Poets of the Fall▼ Tell me this, would you miss it, trying on another…
夢追翔 いつか見た夢の続きを知りたくて 僕は明日が来ることを拒んだ 通り過ぎていく同じ色の日々に 生きる意味を見い出せなくて ど…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Friends of Distinction:
And I Love Him Never, never doubt Never, never doubt I give him all my …
Crazy Mary They call me crazy, Crazy Mary Because I still love him Thou…
Eli's Comin' Eli's comin' Eli's comin' Whoa you better hide your heart Yo…
Goin In Circles I'm an ever rollin' wheel, without a destination real I'm an…
Grazing In The Grass It sure is mellow grazin' in the grass (Grazin' in…
Great Day (spoken) It's kind of a nice day isn't it? I don't know …
I Need You My imagination starts working over time when you come near O…
It Don't Matter To Me It don't matter to me If you really feel that You need…
Let Yourself Go Hey you You say you got a problem If you don't mind I'd…
Lonesome Mood Oh yes you gone now What is there for me to…
Love Me Or Let Me Be Lonely Love me let me be lonely, Part time love I can…
This Generation Inspiration flows (from river to river) And grows (by leaps …
Time Waits For No One Time waits for no one And nobody gets away There's no except…
When A Little Love Began To Die Ay, this for you, baby, you know who I'm talkin'…
Why Did I Lose You? Why did I lose you, Baby What did I do wrong Just…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos