Everyone has their karaoke go-to and Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend” is mine. It’s got the perfect blend of a sing-along chorus, nostalgic sweetness with just the right amount of “Man, why didn’t I pick that song?” that usually gets a room really engaged.
I’ve been singing this song for close to 20 years and only just now thought to look up and listen to the original song the chorus is based on. Let’s start with Freddie Scott’s “(You) Got What I Need” from 1968.
Some great lyrics in there…
In a world of salty tears
So afraid and so full of fears
So glad you saved me, dear
(Saved me dear)
You’re the sunshine to my life
Things were wrong, you made them right
How did you do it dear
I’m thankful every day that you came my way
And I hope and pray that you’ll never ever go away
And then of course there’s the famous piano riff in the chorus that lifted Biz Markie into the stratosphere.
Without that piano riff, I wonder where Biz Markie would be today? He’s honestly one of the most likeable guys out there – dubbed the Clown Prince Of Hip Hop, he’s exactly the kind of guy I would want to hang out with playing video games, eating pizza and talking trash. I can’t get enough of Biz’s Beat Of The Day on Yo Gabba Gabba; when I fall down that YouTube rabbit hole it’s at least 20-30 minutes before I crawl back out.
But for all his likability, he still remains classified as a one-hit wonder – and justifiably so. Without Google, name one other song of his?
Aside from the catchy hook, I love the story in “Just A Friend”… the song came out in 1989 but the theme is timeless. For every boy-meets-girl story in existence there are multiple versions of boy-who-didn’t-get-the-girl. Biz passing along his advice in such a situation makes him a sympathetic character and one we also can’t help but laugh with as he clearly doesn’t take the situation too seriously.
Mozart? Yo-Mama jokes? A servant who for no reason dances in and out carrying a fruit platter? It’s irreverent and hilarious.
Enjoy this trip down one-hit wonder memory lane and next time you’re looking for a karaoke song, keep this one in your back pocket.
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Further Listening
As far as covers go, I also play the song which makes for a bit of fun to hear it on acoustic guitar. I’m nowhere near as good as this version though…