‘Whenever I Call You 'Friend'’ is a song written by Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester, which Loggins recorded for his 1978 album Nightwatch. Issued as a single, ‘Whenever I Call You 'Friend'’ reached #5 in the autumn of 1978. He wanted to sing it with Manchester, but they were under different contracts. Loggins had the good fortune of being Fleetwood Mac's opening act for about a year and a half while they were touring behind their Rumours album, and this gave Kenny a lot of exposure. It's also how he got to know Stevie Nicks, who didn't get official credit on the song until the album was reissued.
Melissa Manchester would say of her one-off songwriting collaboration with Kenny Loggins: "It came out of the oddity of the times - he and I kept running into each other at televised award shows, which were fairly new...We were frequently paired up to present awards together. We would meet and chat in the Green Room, and finally he asked if we could get together and write something. He came to my house one night and we polished off that song."
The song is a duet with Stevie Nicks, who, though credited on the album track, is not credited on the single, making ‘Whenever I Call You 'Friend'’, in effect, Loggins's first major solo hit. Loggins said the intro was inspired by his love of Beach Boys harmonies. He said: "I always loved that challenge of trying to create intricate counterpoint melodies, vocal things."
Label – ColumbiaSongwriters – Kenny Loggins, Melissa Manchester
Producer – Bob James
SONG LYRICS
[Intro](Scatting)
[Verse 1: Kenny Loggins]
Whenever I call you "friend"
I begin to think I understand
Anywhere we are
You and I have always been
Ever and ever
[Verse 2: Both]
I see myself within your eyes
And that's all I need to show me why
Everything I do always takes me home to you
Ever and ever
[Pre-Chorus: Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks]
Now I know my life has given me more than memories
Day by day
We can see
In every moment there's a reason to carry on
[Chorus: Both]
Sweet love's showing us a heavenly light
I've never seen such a beautiful sight
See love glowing on us every night
I know forever we'll be doing it
[Chorus: Kenny Loggins, Both]
Sweet love's showing us a heavenly light
I've never seen such a beautiful sight
See love glowing on us every night
I know forever we'll be doing it right
[Verse 3: Stevie Nicks]
Whenever I call you "friend"
I believe I've come to understand
Everywhere we are
You and I were meant to be
Forever and ever
[Verse 4: Kenny Loggins, Both]
I think about the times to come
Knowing I will be the lucky one
And ever our love will last
I always want to call you friend
[Chorus: Kenny Loggins, Both]
Sweet love's showing us a heavenly light
Never seen such a beautiful sight
See love glowing on us every night
I know forever we'll be doing it
[Saxophone breakdown]
[Pre-Chorus: Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks]
Now I know my life has given me more than memories
Day by day
We can see
In every moment there's a reason to carry on
[Chorus: Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks, Both]
Sweet love's showing us a heavenly light
Never seen such a beautiful sight
See love glowing on us every night
I know forever we'll be doing it, doing it
Sweet love's showing us a heavenly light
I've never seen such a beautiful sight
See love glowing on us every night
I know forever we'll be doing it, doing it, doing it
[Outro: Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks]
Sweet love
Sweet love, yea
You're the glowing light in my life (sweet love)
Source of pride in my life (sweet love)
Everything I do takes me back to you
Whenever I call you "friend"