JUST GOOD FRIENDS

'Just Good Friends' originally appeared on the album Patience (1983). Two years later it was included on Love Songs, where Hammill revisited those of his songs from his solo discography - one scarcely finds such songs in Van Der Graaf Generator's output - that can be labelled as love songs. Yes, there is one ('Again') even from the very dark In Camera (1974)! I haven't listened to that compilation but I have enough songs from it on another CD to presume it's not very good. The production is hollow and synth-heavy in the early/mid-eighties style. And frankly, who needs a compilation of ballads by an artist of such wide pallette of expression? It's like eating only sausage from a luxurious meal.

OK, about this song. It's slow and atmospheric. It deals with a forbidden erotic affair and the mood reflects that nicely. The new arrangement is more succesful than on some other remakes. "This new, wide-screen version set me on the trail of revisiting other, older songs which eventually led to the release of 'The Love Songs', from which this is taken. The tense is present... the song remains the same?" says Peter Hammill on the rear cover.

The flipside has the same song as an instrumental version. I'd say this single is only for collectors.