The Friends of Distinction, “Going in Circles” | Throwback Vibez

In the 113^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “Going in Circles” by The Friends of Distinction. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez ! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils ! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! In the 113^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “Going in Circles”, performed by The Friends of Distinction. 

Theme & Lyrics  

“I’m an ever-rollin’ wheel, without a destination real / I’m an ever-spinning top, whirling around till I drop.” Soul collective The Friends of Distinction ( Floyd Butler, Jessica Cleaves, Harry Elston, and Barbara Love), who were active in the late 1960s and disbanded in the 1970s, scored a hit with “Going in Circles”. “Going in Circles” appeared in the collective’s 1969 album, Grazin’. The single peaked at no. 15 on the pop charts, earning gold certification from the RIAA.  Notably, numerous musicians have covered the gem penned by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree including Isaac Hayes ( Black Moses, 1971), The Gap Band ( Gap Band VII, 1985), and Luther Vandross ( Songs, 1994).

As the excerpted lyrics suggest, The Friends are in a vicious circle.  In the second verse, the collective asserts, “I’m a faceless clock, with timeless hopes that never stop.” The effect of love is written all over this one, best summarized by the chorus: “You got me going in circles (oh round and round I go).” The poetic lyrics are high-flying vocals are utterly sublime.  Adding to the sheer excellence of  “Going in Circles” is the lush production work ( John Florez), which was idiomatic of late 1960s-70s soul sound.  The orchestration is absolutely incredible.

Final Thoughts

The Friends of Distinction may have been a short-lived soul collective, but the Los Angeles quartet ‘got it done’ releasing a couple of hits including “Going in Circles”.  Sure, it’s a fifty-plus year-old song that sounds nothing like the music of the 2020s. Honestly, that’s a beautiful, truly refreshing thing.

The Friends of Distinction • Grazin’ • Sony Music Entertainment • 1969

The Friends of Distinction, “Going in Circles”: Throwback Vibez No. 113 (2022) [: Brent Faulkner, Gerhard G., JL G via Pixabay,  Karl Hörnfeldt via Unsplash,  The Musical Hype, Sony Music Entertainment]