That's What Friends Are For
Dionne & Friends
1986
Annual listening-list association, not an original-release-date field. Original release year reconciled with reviewed recording-specific Artist Essentials evidence in v3.6.
Genre
Not classifiedTheme
Not classifiedRelease: 1985
Release: 1985Source checked | Recent carryover
V3.6 reconciles the original release year with the reviewed Artist Essentials entry for this exact retained recording ID. Year precision is used; an album-first release is not silently replaced by a later single, reissue or annual-list year. The original recording is documented in the 1985 release history of Friends. Only year precision is assigned; later singles, charts, remasters and live versions do not establish its first release.
The large badge identifies this listening list, not a newly issued recording. Later reissues and renewed chart popularity do not replace an original release date. How years are assigned.
Owner-supplied release annotations
Reported dates in 1986.html. Not independently established; neighboring dates can reflect album/single or regional differences.
Friends - original 1985 quartet credit
The original program explicitly credits That's What Friends Are For with Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder; its 1985 single field precedes the album within the same year. The full quartet is retained instead of treating Dionne & Friends as an unrelated artist.
Inspiration and background
Supplied note - not independently verified
This note came with the supplied collection and has not been independently verified.
Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, this song was originally recorded by Rod Stewart in 1982. The 1985 version was released as a charity single for AIDS research and prevention.
Evidence scope: Source-provided note, not an established account of the songwriter's intent
Sources for this information
Owner-supplied 1986.html, song-list position 1
Supplied annotation reproduced with attribution; underlying historical claims have NOT been independently verified.
Other appearances and versions
catalog version unspecified
Textual identity reconciliation, not audio-fingerprint or exact-pressing verification. Version labels are catalog safeguards.
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Source-backed annual association (secondary source; not a complete discographic review)
Not classified - no adequate editorial basis in this pass
Billboard year-end 1986 table (Wikipedia transcription)
Secondary chart transcription reviewed for title, artist and annual association. Not proof of release date, genre or inspiration.
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