One Hit Wonders: The Rembrandts

Today August 19 is Matthew Perry's birthday. He is the talented actor from Mr. Sunshine, 17 Again, Studio 90, and, of course, Friends. However, today is Music Monday here at Friends of Justice, so instead of spending time with Mr. Perry (Happy Birthday, by the way, you were always my favorite friend), I want to talk about the song most closely related to him and his cast-mates, the 1995 Super Hit, "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts.

The producers of the TV-show Friends wanted a theme that was similar to "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. They eventually met up with the duo known as The Rembrandts, Phil Solem and Danny Wilde. Together they threw together a one-minute tune that the producers were satisfied with, and they thought their job was done.

Flash forward a year later when Friends makes its debut and becomes a hit. A radio-station in Nashville loops the one minute "song" into a three minute gag and gets so many calls about it that eventually, Solem and Wilde were ordered back into the studio to record a full three minute version. That song hit the US airwaves in 1995, getting as high as #17on the Hot 100. The record company also commissioned a fun music video to go along with it, which I present to you here.