Written by Brian & Brenda Russell

 

This week we go back to David Foster’s first steps into the music biz as co-founder and driving force of the pop/rock band, Skylark. Skylark released two interesting albums in the first half of the seventies that introduced Foster’s blooming talents to the music world. Skylark included Foster’s first wife, singer/songwriter B. J. Cook, and the wonderful soul singer Donny Gerrard (1946-2022) who was remembered for the 1973 hit ballad, “Wildflower.” That song was a top ten hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 and the Canadian Top Singles charts. “Wildflower” was a huge adult contemporary hit. Since the rise on the charts, “Wildflower” has became an evergreen with multiple recorded versions.

As a previous pick on this page, the “Wildflower” review can be found in the archives section. This time around the choice is “You Remind Me Of A Friend.”

The opening number on Skylark’s 1974 sophomore release, Skylark 2, was “You Remind Me Of A Friend”. That song was co-written by two friends and co-patriots of Foster’s, singer/songwriter Brenda Russell and her then-hubby Brian Russell. “You Remind Me Of A Friend” was a catchy pop composition with a strong soul/R&B flavor that sported a creative arrangement by Foster. The Hitman showcased his superior keyboard playing throughout the song, inspired by the progressive music of those years. The lead vocals were perfectly handled by Gerrard who had a great performance and crafted some beautiful back-up vocal harmonies with Cook. Foster, as you can read below, wasn’t very happy with his work on this track although it does sound appealing and quite on target. This song with the slightly different title of “Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)” was released in 1974 by Rufus & Chaka Khan on their album, Rufusized. Their cover sound, quite inevitably, was more soulful. Chaka’s trademark vocals were beautiful. “Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)” ended up being released as a single.

Brian and Brenda Russell recorded their own version of “Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)” for their 1976 album, World Called Love. Their version was arranged by none other than David Foster who crafted a more radio friendly, catchy arrangement for them compared to the more complex one that he did for his own band.

The Hitman sent us a brief note about this song:

“Honestly, I have very few memories of this recording. I do remember that I really liked the song, but I didn’t really like what we did with it. I have always loved Brenda and Brian Russell and their songwriting. Years later, I co-wrote “It’s Something” with Brenda, a song that (fusion group) Snarky Puppy covered a few years ago with the amazing Lalah Hathaway. Brenda is also well-known for her own hit, “Piano In The Dark” and co-wrote the successful musical, The Color Purple.”

• Lead & Background Vocals: Donny Gerrard
• Background Vocals: B.J. Cook
• Piano, Electric Piano, Moog & Pipe Organ: David Foster
• Bass: Steve Puglsey
• Drums: Brian Hilton & Duris Maxwell
• Guitar:  Alan Mix
• Gabriel Delorme: Acoustic Guitar
• Percussion & Background Vocals: Carl Graves
• Backing Vocals: Bobby Taylor

• Arrangements & Production Coordination: David Foster
• Vocals Arrangements by Donny Gerrard
• Produced by Eirik The Norvegian

Lyrics

Please pardon me, but I’m longing to speak
I hope you don’t mind my staring
I don’t mind
‘Cause your face looks so kind
Seldom you’ll find someone so daring
You remind me of a friend of mine
Ooh, I’ve lost the time, yeah

Every time I see your face
Remind me of that someone
In fact, it’s true, it’s you
Runnin’ right into you, yeah

Hope you don’t mind
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you find
A face that’s so kind

Hope you don’t mind
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you find
A face that’s so kind

Please pardon me, but I’m all into spirit
I hope you don’t mind my starin’
I don’t mind
‘Cause your face looks so kind
And it’s seldom you’ll find someone so daring
You remind me of a friend of mine
I’ve to stare, yeah yeah

Every time I see your face
You remind me of that someone
In fact, it was you
Ooh, it’s true
The moment I ran to you

I hope you don’t mind
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you’ll find a face that’s so kind
Hope you don’t mine
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you’ll find a face that’s so kind
Hope you don’t mine
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you’ll find a face that’s so kind

Hope you
You look like a friend of mine
And it’s seldom you’ll find a face that’s so kind

This week the spotlight is on “Wildflower,” the 1973 hit by David Foster’s early band, Skylark. That sumptuous ballad was the Hitman’s first bite of success on Billboard’s Hot 100.

“Wildflower” was co-written by Skylark’s guitarist, the late, Doug Edwards who passed away just a few days ago, with David Richardson, a friend of Foster’s who wrote a poem that married to Edwards’ inspired music and eventually became the lyrics of that evergreen.

The result of their work was enhanced by a killer arrangement by Foster. “Wildflower” climbed the charts in North America to the Top Ten, selling over a million copies. This gorgeous love song was the reason Foster, his then-wife B.J. Cook and Skylark went to Los Angeles by scoring a contract with Capitol Records. The rest, as they say, was history. Oddly enough, Foster didn’t play a single keyboard note on the song. “Wildflower” was the only track on the whole Skylark album without Foster’s masterful touch on the ivories. He was quoted saying the mood felt better without keyboards on it. The song was based on Edward’s gorgeous guitar wisely blended with a harp, a dramatic orchestral backup and exquisite vocals by Donny Gerrard. Sonically, the final result can be considered a forerunner of those hit power ballads that Foster scored throughout the eighties and the nineties. Foster, remembering Edwards, said that “there was no instrument he couldn’t play, no chord he couldn’t access with ease, no musician he couldn’t make immediately comfortable and sound better than they were, no musical situation around the globe that he didn’t belong in – a true world-class talent before we even knew what that meant.” Foster also said about “Wildflower:” “I don’t know where my career would be today if I couldn’t have hung my hat on that first hit that I was associated with because of Doug, Dave Richardson and B.J. Cook, who got us our record deal. It certainly sped up the process of where I was trying to get to.”

“Wildflower” was covered many times by artists including Johnny Mathis, The O’Jays, Marlena Shaw and Hank Crawford. In 1993, Foster even produced a cover of the song for R&B group Color Me Badd for their Time and Chance cd. You can listen and read about that interesting cover by clicking here.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Wildflower-Skylark-HD.mp3|titles=Wildflower|artists=Donny Gerrard]

Lead Vocals: Donny Gerrard
Backing Vocals: B.J. Cook
Electric Guitars: Doug Edwards
Bass: Steve Pugsley
Drums: Duris Maxwell

Strings Arrangement by David Foster
Produced by Eirik Wangberg
Production Assistant: David Foster

Lyrics

She’s faced the hardest times
you could imagine
and many times her eyes
fought back the tears
and when her youthful world
was about to fall in
each time her slender shoulders
bore the weight of all her fears
and a sorrow no one hears
still rings in midnight silence
in her ears

Chorus:
Let her cry
for she’s a lady
let her dream
for she’s a child
let the rain fall down upon her
she’s a free and gentle flower
growing wild

And if by chance that I
should hold her
let me hold her
for a time
that if allowed but one possession
I would pick her from the garden
to be mine

Be careful how you touch her
for she’ll awaken
and sleep’s the only freedom
that she knows
and when you walk into her eyes
you won’t believe
the way she’s always paying
for a debt she never owes
and a silent wind still blows
that only she can hear
and so she goes

Chorus (repeat)

In 1972, the Canadian pop/rock group Skylark introduced David Foster’s talents to the world. After the massive success of their 1973 hit “Wildflower,” Skylark went back into the studio to work on their sophomore release. Produced again by Eirik Wangberg, the new recording saw the group down to only three members – Foster, his then-wife Bonnie Jean (B.J.) Cook and singer Donny Gerrard. “Skylark 2” was released in 1974 and oddly enough, the new album again included their “Wildflower” hit ballad, maybe to cash in some more on its huge potential. “Skylark 2” was a good soft/rock collection with touches of soul, country and Latin rock.

It incorporated interesting material like the Brenda Russell song “You Remind Me Of A Friend” which later became a hit for Rufus & Chaka Khan under the title “Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend).” That song showcased the vocal talents of Cook and Gerrard, but it also showed Foster’s blooming talent as an instrumentalist and arranger. Other good moments of the album are the rocking mid-tempo “It’s A Wonder” and Foster’s instrumental tour-de-force “Foster Frees.” This song was eventually reworked with Foster’s second band Attitudes on their second album “Good News.” Co-written by Roger Nichols and John Bettis, “Love’s River Flowing” was a love song that follows in the footsteps of “Wildflower” and anticipates what Foster will become famous for – crafting romantic music. “Skylark 2” brought another minor hit on the charts, the mellow r&b tune, “If That’s The Way You Want It” that reached #55 on the 1974 R&B charts.

Co-written by hit-makers Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter, it’s another highlight of the album that showcases smooth vocals and refined, Latin-tinged instrumental back-up that echoes Santana. “If That’s The Way You Wanted” was also covered by several r&b acts including Tavares, Hot and Chuck Jackson. After “Skylark 2,” the group disbanded and Gerrard would go on to a good singing career. Foster became an in-demand session player and was eventually one of the most successful music-makers in history. While still married to Foster, B.J. Cook co-wrote material with legends like Michael McDonald, Bill Champlin and Jay Graydon. One of her best compositions was “Let Me Go, Love,” a ballad she co-wrote with McDonald for Nicolette Larson. “Let Me Go, Love” became a Top 40 hit and was in the top ten on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/if_that_s_the_way_you_want_it.mp3|titles=If That’s The Way You Want It|artists=Donny Gerrard]

Lead Vocals: Donny Gerrard
Keyboards: David Foster
Percussion: Carl Graves
Guitar: Allan Mix
Bass: Steve Pugsley
Organ: Robbie King
Drums: Duris Maxwell & Brian Hilton
Congas: Bobby Torres
Background Vocals: Donny Gerrard, B.J. Cook, Bobby Taylor & Carl Graves

Background Vocals Arrangements by Donny Gerrard
Arrangements & Production Coordination by David Foster
Produced by Eirik Wangberg

Lyrics

No Lyrics

written by David Foster, Donny Gerrard & Linda Patterson

Skylark was a pop/rock group originally from Canada’s British Columbia. In the early seventies they got a record deal with Capitol Records and moved to California to work on their debut album.

Members of the band included guitar player Doug Edwards, bassist Steve Pugsley, David Foster on various keyboards plus two talented singers, B. J. Cook, who was Foster’s then-wife, and Donny Gerrard. Their self-titled record was released in 1972 and one of its three singles, a wonderful ballad entitled “Wildflower,” skyrocketed to the top of the charts in both Canada and the US . It went to #1 in their homeland while it reached the top ten on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was also a top 5 Adult Contemporary hit. “Wildflower” was co-written by band member Edwards with Dave Richardson, a policeman friend from Victoria. Through the years, “Wildflower” has been covered by a multitude of singers like Johnny Mathis, The O’Jays, Color Me Badd and Blake Shelton under Foster’s production.

“Skylark” is a nice collection of songs that touches many genres from the bluesy opener, “Brother Eddie” to the breezy up-tempo “What Would I Do Without You” that was the first single off the album. Both songs feature Gerrard’s and Cook’s powerful, intense voices. Cook’s vocals reminds the listener of Bonnie Raitt in style and delivery. There are also moments that echo The Carpenters’ hits of those years like the evocative, “I’ll Have To Go Away.” “The Writing’s On The Wall” is a solid R&B number while “Twenty-Six Years,” co-written by Foster and Gerrard with Linda Patterson, is an interesting pop/rock number with very good guitar and keyboard solos. Listening to the album, Foster’s talent as arranger and keyboardist is pretty evident. The orchestral instrumental “Suites For My Lady” and the progressive sounds of “Virgin Green” mark Foster’s exceptional talent. “Virgin Green” was originally a single’s b-side and was included in the CD reissue of “Skylark” as a bonus track.

Skylark will record another good album entitled “2” in 1974 before going their separate ways. Although it was the end of the band, it marked the beginning of the legendary career of David Foster as a music maker.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/twenty_six_years.mp3|titles=Twenty-Six Years|artists=Skylark]

Lead Vocals: Donny Gerrard
Background Vocals & Percussion: B. J. Cook
Piano, Elecric Piano, Harpsichord & Moog: David Foster
Drums & Percussion: Duris Maxwell
Electric & Acoustic Guitar: Doug Edwards
Bass: Steve Pugsley
Congas: Bobby Torres
Moog Programmer: Paul Beaver
Background Vocals: Patrice Holloway & Kitty Ditto
Arranged by David Foster

Produced by Eirik Wangberg assisted by David Foster

Lyrics

I thought I knew where my head was at
I figured that I had it all down pat
That’s just like thinking the world is flat
How could I have been so wrong

I Thought that I had it all worked out
Really thought I knew what life was about
That’s just like me, not a question, not a doubt
How could I have been so wrong so long

Oh I’ve made mistakes but mostly I’ve been right
I guess that’s what kept me from seeing the light
Pride and false values have been blocking my sight
But the sun doesn’t shine just for me

Parts of a song, that’s what I thought of changes
Isn’t it funny how life rearranges
Now I’ve become what I once thought was strange
And though I know it’s a better way to be
There is still lots of changes left in me

Twenty-six years on a roundtrip ticket around the sun
I’ve been that many times
I took the journey, tried to find my heaven
‘Cause last time out, I got left behind

The world’s been a very fine chariot
A chance for me to see
The world’s been a very fine chariot
A good old friend to me

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