View source for Just a Friend

{{Infobox song
 |title = Just A Friend
 |albumart = Th_justafriend_art.jpg
 |writer = [[Biz Markie]], [[Tally Hall]] (Cover version)
 |singer = [[Rob Cantor]], [[Zubin Sedghi]]
 |album = [[The Pingry EP]], Download code with 2008 [[Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (Album)|Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum]], [[Admittedly Incomplete Demos]], [[Just a Friend (EP)|Just a Friend EP]]
 |language = English
 |genre = Rap/Hip-hop
 |externalLinks = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n28QLgCbM7Q Youtube]<br>[https://open.spotify.com/track/1ZoBx2HJYtzc975zT9n16n?si=243146818a2248bb Spotify]<br>[https://needlejuice.bandcamp.com/track/just-a-friend Bandcamp]<br>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4VwZ2owqeM The Pingry EP (Youtube)]
}} 
'''Just a Friend''' is a song by 1980's hip-hop artist '''[[Biz Markie]]''', and covered by [[Tally Hall]] many times both live and in-studio. This cover is sung by [[Rob Cantor]] during the verses and [[Zubin Sedghi]] during the chorus. It is one of Tally Hall's most well known covers, as they closed out nearly every show with it for years.

== Studio Recording ==
[[File:JustAFriend-vinyl.jpg|right|thumb|Mockup of the 2021 vinyl release from Needlejuice Records]]
In 2006, Tally Hall recorded a studio version of '''Just A Friend''' at Studio A Recording in Dearborn Heights, Michigan with producer Eric Morgeson.<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/release/20520802-Tally-Hall-Just-A-Friend Tally Hall - Just A Friend. Discogs.]</ref> However, the band decided not to release the recording because they weren't happy with it and were likely tired of the song in general after playing it live nearly hundreds of times. When asked about it in 2007, they had stated that they didn't believe it was very good in hindsight.  

Through a change of heart, they fixed some things they weren't happy with and decided to release it as a bonus download code for those who bought the 2008 [[Atlantic Records]] re-release of [[Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (Album)|Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum]].

In December 2015 Tally Hall's cover version was released as part of the bandcamp exclusive release: [[Admittedly Incomplete Demos]]<ref name=justafriend>[https://tallyhall.bandcamp.com/track/just-a-friend Just a Friend on Bandcamp]</ref>

On August 23rd 2019, after years of inactivity, the band came together to distribute Just a Friend on all popular streaming platforms for ''the first time.''<ref>[https://open.spotify.com/album/6G7N8GyO4OOQMwxeQohrE3?si=yJVHBCMRRJ-4bTYFMaJEpA Just A Friend on Spotify]</ref> It is believed that this was done in response to a strong and growing monthly listenership on Spotify (nearly 350k at the time of the release) despite the band's hiatus since 2011.

With the 2021 [[Needlejuice Records]] reissue of [[Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (Album)|Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum]], [[Just a Friend (EP)|a 7" single]] containing Just A Friend, [[Mucka Blucka]], and [[Dream]] was released<ref>[https://needlejuicerecords.com/product/justafriend/ Tally Hall – Just A Friend 7″]</ref> and all three bonus tracks were included on the standard CD and cassette releases.<ref>[https://needlejuicerecords.com/product/marvinsmarvelousmechanicalmuseum/ Tally Hall – Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum]</ref>

==Live Performances==
Just a Friend was played many times at Tally Hall concerts, mostly at the end/encore of a concert. It soon became popular with their audience. The band however soon got a bit tired of it and didn't want to be known solely by this cover, so they decided to retire it around 2005-6 from their live sets. However, due to popular demand, it was put back into the set not long after, which arguably makes this song one of the reasons that helped the band stand out amongst its peers in the early days and led to sold out shows at places like [[The Blind Pig]] in Ann Arbor.

Some of these live performances included Rob Cantor going into the audience with a megaphone to sing the last verse of the song.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsnjY0MX-cM Tally Hall - Just A Friend (Intersection Grand Rapids)]</ref> Later performances would include the band switching instruments (i.e. Zubin on guitar, Joe on drums, [[Bora]] on bass, [[Ross]] on keyboard).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQSLsHcjx-s Just A Friend at Toquet Hall 2011]</ref> A performance at Sin-é in June of 2006, the band decided to play the last verse twice as fast up to "Oh snap".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avt9batgqc8 Just a Friend June 2006 Sin-é performance]</ref>

In the last chorus after the "you got what I need, 'do wah'" [[Joe Hawley]] was known to say a random four syllable word to fill in the musical gap during live performances. (i.e Barbecue Sauce, Chicken Nugget, Dr. Pepper, Michael Jackson, Play Nintendo, Stegosaurus, etc...)<ref name=th2009>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up0A5u7XAGA Tally Hall - Just a Friend. 2009. Live at the Loft in Atlanta]</ref>

== Trivia ==
* The studio recording was first heard at the end of the MTV's "You Hear It First" which was filmed in 2006.<ref name=yhif>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oNUyzfQDr0 Tally Hall on MTV's You Hear It First, 2006]</ref> 
* The final chorus is sung (from lowest to highest) by [[Joe Hawley]], Zubin Sedghi, and Rob Cantor
* An easy way to spot photos of them performing Just a Friend is if Rob is holding the microphone while singing, this only happens in live performances of the song.

{{Lyrics:Just A Friend}}

==Tabs/Chords==
Nothing here, yet!

==References==
<references/>

<div class="randomPage"><span class="randomPageHeading">ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ[[The Pingry EP]]</span>[[File:PingryEP.jpg|194px|left]]<br><br><br>[[The Bidding]] · [[Taken For A Ride]] (acoustic) · [[Be Born]] (acoustic) · [[The Whole World And You]] (acoustic) · [[All Of My Friends]] (acoustic) · [[Good Day (Song)|Good Day]] (Mitch Albom excerpt) · [[Yearbook]] (demo) · [[Just a Friend]] (live) · [[Cell Phone Call]] (hidden track)<br><br><br><br></div>

<div class="randomPage"><span class="randomPageHeading">[[Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (Album)|Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum]]</span>[[File:MMMM08.jpg|194px|left]]<br><br>[[Good Day (Song)|Good Day]] · [[Greener]] · [[Welcome To Tally Hall (Song)|Welcome To Tally Hall]] · [[Taken For A Ride]] · [[The Bidding]] · [[Be Born]] · [[Banana Man]] · [[Just Apathy]] · [[Spring And A Storm]] · [[Two Wuv]] · [[Haiku]] · [[The Whole World And You]] · [[13]] · [[Ruler Of Everything]] · [[Hidden In The Sand (Song)|Hidden In The Sand]] (hidden track) · [[Mucka Blucka]]* (bonus track) · [[Dream]]* (bonus track) · [[Just a Friend]]** (bonus track) · [[Good Day (Song)#Simlish Lyrics|Good Day (Simlish)]]** (pre-gap bonus track)<br><br><br><small>* indicates tracks only available with a digital download code or with the 2021 CD and tape rerelease | ** indicates tracks only available on the 2021 CD rerelease</small></div>

<div class="randomPage"><span class="randomPageHeading">[[Admittedly Incomplete Demos]]</span>[[File:Admittedly_incomplete_demos_cover.jpg|194px|left]]<br>[[Another Minute (Live at the Frieze Basement, December 2002)]] · [[Mobile Phone Premonition (Live at the Frieze Basement, December 2002)]] · [[Welcome To Tally Hall (Song)|Welcome to Tally Hall (Acoustic Demo)]] ⋅ [[Marvin's SFX - Bohemian Rhapsody (Sample)]] ⋅ [[Banana Man (Lounge Version)]] ⋅ [[Blind Pig Introduction (January 2008)]] ⋅ [[Spring and a Storm (Original Demo feat. Ryan Scott)]] ⋅ [[Two Wuv (Alternate Bridges)]] ⋅ [[The Whole World And You|The Whole World and You (Punk Rehearsal)]] ⋅ [[Just a Friend]] ⋅ [[Songy Song]] ⋅ [[Keep Up The Good Work! Theme]] ⋅ [[Sea Cucumber (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Tally Hall's Internet Show Theme]] ⋅ [[Spiced Rum Commercial (Demo)]] ⋅ [[You & Me (Zubin Lead Vocal Rehearsal)]] ⋅ [[Cannibal (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Who You Are (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Sacred Beast (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Hymn For A Scarecrow (Demo)]]*  ⋅ [[A Lady (Demo)]] ⋅ [[The Trap (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Turn the Lights Off (Alternate Bridge)]] ⋅ [[Out in the Twilight (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Fate of the Stars (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Light & Night (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Love Track (Rehearsal)]] ⋅ [[Go (Demo)]] ⋅ [[Color Be Gone (Demo)]] ⋅ [[The Minstrel Boy]] ⋅ [[Welcome To Tally Hall (Song)|Welcome To Tally Hall (Reprise) (Demo)]]*<br><small>* indicates tracks added on April 15th, 2022</small></div>

<div class="randomPage"><span class="randomPageHeading">Singles</span>[[File:Th_justafriend_art.jpg|192px|left]]<br><br><br><br>[[Banana Man|Banana Man (Demo)]] · [[Ruler Of Everything|Ruler Of Everything (Demo)]] · [[Good Day]] · [[Welcome To Tally Hall (Song)|Welcome To Tally Hall]] · [[Light & Night]] · [[You & Me]] · [[&]] · [[Nathan Naimark]] · [[Club Can't Handle Me]] (featuring [[Casey Shea]]) · [[Just a Friend|Just A Friend]] · [[Turn The Lights Off]] (b-side: [[Light & Night]])<br><br><br><br></div>
[[Category:Singles]]
[[Category:Covers]]