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Neil Sedaka
My Friend
Polydor Records
831235-2
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1. You Gotta Make Your Own Sunshine* 3:25
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
2. Bad Blood* 3:07
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
3. Letting Go* 4:33
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
4. The Hungry Years* 4:06
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
5. Lonely Night (Angel Face)** 3:15
(Neil Sedaka)
6. Laughter In The Rain** 2:51
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
7. That's When The Music Takes Me** 3:35
(Neil Sedaka)
8. The Immigrant** 4:25
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
9. You're So Good For Me* 4:19
(Neil Sedaka/Dara Sedaka)
10. My Friend* 4:48
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
11. Love In The Shadows* 3:22
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
12. Should've Never Let You Go* 4:18
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
13. Solitaire** 5:02
(Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
14. #1 With A Heartache** 3:48
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
15. Love Will Keep Us Together** 3:35
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
16. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do** 3:16
(Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield)
(P) 1986 Neil Sedaka Music
* Produced by Neil Sedaka in association with Robert Appere
** Produced by Neil Sedaka in association with 10CC
Production Assistant: Sharon Jochimsen
Mastered by: Jack Skinner at Sterling Sound, New York
A&R Coordination: Bill Levenson
Photography: Harry Benson
Art Direction: Bill Levy
Design: Studio B Graphics Corporation
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I started writing songs with Howard Greenfield on October 11, 1952. I was a thirteen-year old piano student at the Julliard School, and Howie was a sixteen-year old poet. We both lived in the same building in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn. His mother, Ella Greenfield, heard me playing the piano and urged Howie to ask me to write songs with him. He knocked at my door one day soon after and coaxed me to write our first song together. I was a bit reluctant, being a serious piano student and not having the slightest knowledge of how to write a pop song. But Howie finally convinced me. Little did I realize that this song would be the first of about five hundred songs and a career that would take me from classical music to writing, recording an performing pop songs for almost four decades. This was probably the longest collaboration in pop music history: nearly thirty-four years.
Howie Greenfield was a craftsman. Each phrase was carefully put together and polished to perfection. There was never a wasted word. His great talent was writing lyrics that were a perfect marriage to my melodies. His words were like novelettes, weaving a story from beginning to end, wrapped in a perfect three and a half minute package (and if you think that’s an easy thing to do, try it sometime). Just listen to his magnificent HUNGRY YEARS, MY FRIEND, #1 WITH A HEARTACHE, YOU GOTTA MAKE YOUR OWN SUNSHINE, LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER, and BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO. Howie’s idol was always Lorenz Hart, and there is no doubt that he was, indeed, the Lorenz Hart of the pop generation. He had the ability to reach people in every walk of life. Not only did I enjoy singing his lyrics for my recordings, but so did hundreds of other artists who continually covered our songs. I regularly hear Greenfield/Sedaka songs on radio, TV and in nightclubs, and it’s always a great thrill to realize that we wrote timeless pop standards. I also cherish the fact that we remained great friends through our collaboration.
On March 4, 1986, two weeks before his fiftieth birthday, Howard Greenfield died. His death was a tragedy and a shock to all of us who knew him and loved him. Although he has passed away, his spirit will live one through his wonderful lyrics, which have given, and will continue to give, great joy to millions all over the world.
This album is dedicated to Howie Greenfield, my friend.
Neil Sedaka
October, 1986
To Tory, our friend, we love you.
