Little Richard: “Lifetime Friend” (1986/2020) CD Review

After releasing a few albums on Reprise in the early 1970s, Little Richard took another of his breaks from rock and roll in order to focus on more spiritual matters. During that time, there was a gospel album and a few greatest hits compilations, but no new rock material. Not until 1986, when he staged another comeback with Lifetime Friend, an album that mixes the sounds of rock with some pious lyrics. That same year, he had a small but memorable role in Paul Mazursky’s film Down And Out In Beverly Hills (“Good god almighty, it took twenty minutes for the policeman to arrive, one little car, no dog, no chopper”). Oh yes, Little Richard was back! Now Lifetime Friend is being re-issued in an expanded edition, with two bonus tracks and new liner notes.

The album opens with “Great Gosh A’Mighty,” a song that was also included on the soundtrack to Down And Out In Beverly Hills (though a different version). It’s a fun rock and roll number, showing that Little Richard had lost none of his spunk, none of his energy in the intervening years. If you recall 1986, you might remember that it was a shitty year for popular music. A good rock and roll song like this was eagerly gobbled up by me and my friends at the time. This one comes on with a delicious and unbridled energy, and features some good backing vocals and some excellent work on guitar. “I’ve been seeking/I’ve been searching/I’ve been looking.” Little Richard co-wrote this one with Billy Preston. It’s followed by “Operator,” a song that has a bit more of a 1980s flavor as it begins. But then as it gets going, it takes on more of a classic sound, becoming a lively number, with the backing vocalists delivering some wonderful work. It also has a funky edge, and a horn section. Written by Jesse Boyce, this song was also released as a single.

“Somebody’s Comin’” is unmistakably a 1980s tune, quite a bit different from what we’d expect from Little Richard, his vocals being much more restrained. There is something cute about it, however, particularly in the chorus, which is kind of catchy. But it just doesn’t feel like Little Richard. This one was written by John David. The album’s title track, “Lifetime Friend,” is also a pop number, but this one has more energy and an optimistic bent in its gospel lyrics. “A lifetime friend, that’s what you are me/A lifetime friend, you gave your life to set me free.” It’s an uplifting number written by Travis Wammack and Jesse Boyce, and features the horn section. That’s followed by another song written by Travis Wammack and Jesse Boyce, “Destruction,” which moves well, and has a good energy (reminding me just a bit of what the Pointer Sisters were doing around that time). “Destruction/You’d better listen to what I say/Destruction/It can happen any day/Destruction/A lot of heartache, a lot of pain/You’d better quit driving in the fast lane.” This track features more good work by the backing vocalists, and some great stuff on keys, and it has tremendous appeal in these ruthless days of 2020.

“I Found My Way” begins with a good beat and takes off from there. Little Richard’s vocal performance here is wild at times, just the kind of thing we want from him. This one was written by Victor L. Brooks. It’s followed by “The World Can’t Do Me,” an uplifting and energetic rock number, with Little Richard taking charge. “Take my job and you break my heart/But you can’t keep me down.” Little Richard wrote this one with Jesse Boyce. “One Ray Of Sunshine” is a soulful tune, that wonderful work on organ setting the tone. Little Richard delivers a sweeter vocal performance here, and it works really well with the song’s gospel subject. “There once was a time when my life was like a fire out of control/Then you rescued me with your life-saving love, more precious than silver or gold.” This song, written by Travis Wammack and Darrell Smith, is a surprising highlight of the album. When “Someone Cares” opens, it at first seems to be following a similar line, with that pretty and mellow work on keys. But after a few seconds, it kicks in to become a pop song. I like the backing vocalists echoing “Somebody cares” (yeah, it’s interesting that the song is called “Someone Cares,” but Little Richard sings “Somebody cares”). This fun song was written by Little Richard. The original album concluded with “Big House Reunion,” the song chosen as the flip side for the “Operator” single. It opens with this line: “You’d better get ready for the destruction of the world.” Little Richard means it in some sort of weird, positive sense, with the deity getting ready to call an end to this earthly experiment. But of course these days we know that we ourselves are responsible for the planet’s devastation. “It’s full of sin and sickness/It’s like a bad dream/But when the day arrives/I’ll be the first in line.”  I love that jam as the song is reaching its conclusion, especially that work on keys and saxophone.

Bonus Tracks 

This expanded edition of Lifetime Friend contains two bonus tracks, both of which were previously released. Both are versions of “Operator,” the first being the single version, which is approximately a minute shorter than the album version. The second is the extended mix, which you’d expect to be considerably longer, but is actually the same length as the album version. I wish the other version of “Great Gosh A’Mighty” were also included, the one from Down And Out In Beverly Hills.

CD Track List

1. Great Gosh A’mighty
2. Operator
3. Somebody’s Comin’
4. Lifetime Friend
5. Destruction
6. I Found My Way
7. The World Can’t Do Me
8. One Ray Of Sunshine
9. Someone Cares
10. Big House Reunion
11. Operator (Single Edit)
12. Operator (Extended Mix)
    

This expanded edition of Lifetime Friend is scheduled to be released on October 23, 2020 through Omnivore Recordings. On that same date, an expanded edition of Little Richard’s The Second Coming is scheduled to be released.