‘My Friend’
On this acoustic track, Roy demonstrates his finger-picking style, along with the use of harmonics. The song was written for Jackson C. Frank: a ground-breaking New York singer/songwriter who had a tragic past. He suffered horrendous burns in a school fire when a number of his friends were killed, including his girlfriend. Many years later, in 1964, after receiving a financial settlement, Jackson came to England on the Queen Elizabeth, with a Native American girlfriend. He is reputed to have written a superb set of songs on the journey, including ‘Blues Run The Game’. But this is open to debate as many of the songs were possibly written previously.
Jackson rapidly assimilated into the Les Cousins folk scene, along with fellow American Paul Simon. Jackson’s songwriting style had a profound impact on other musicians. He recorded only one album – simply titled Jackson C. Frank. Paul Simon produced it, with Al Stewart on second guitar. The album was a milestone for other folk singers and is now a classic.
Jackson and Roy became friends. They would hang out, getting stoned, laughing and pondering the meaning of life into the early morning hours. But Jackson was profligate with money and soon found himself penniless. Suffering stage fright and writer’s block – and with his mental health deteriorating – he eventually returned to New York.
‘My Friend’ is a heartfelt farewell and reminiscence of Roy and Jackson’s close relationship. The gold and silver of the lyric are the opening words of Jackson’s ‘Milk And Honey’: a song about leaving.
Roy sings with a mellow sadness as he recounts the depth of their friendship and the laughter they shared. He embellishes his poetic lyrics, creating a melancholic, affectionate melody over a bed of intricate guitar notes.
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