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]