There are certain songs, sung by certain artists, which transcend time, that sound the same in this very moment as they did the first time we heard it on AM Radio. For me, Whenever I Call You Friend is one of those songs. The beautiful, honey-dripped blend of Stevie and Kenny’s voices is literally as delicious to the ear as home-cooked baklava is to the palate.Now, to be completely honest, I’m not sure if it was intended as a love ballad or an ode to that one perfect friend. Or maybe even both. But speaking as someone who deftly relies on the empathy and shoulder of his friends, this song is an anthem for me to all those who show me their unconditional support and love. Sad there’s no actual video to accompany this post, or to just enjoy with eyes as well as ears. I suppose it was never recorded live, and it was certainly recorded before the MTV era, but man would that be cool to see a seventies-garbed Stevie Nicks swaying behind a mic-stand in harmony with a similarly-coifed Kenny Loggins.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 13, 2016. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.