After the runaway success of biopics on Queen and Elton John, Rod Stewart is all for seeing his story come to life on the big screen. While promoting his new album, The Tears Of Hercules, Rod was asked about his story finally coming to the big screen, admitting to The Guardian, “Well, I’m praying someone will make a biopic. There’s been rumors, but nothing yet. My two sons could play the younger me. They haven’t got the hair, but nowadays the wigs look very normal. Look at Elton’s barnet!”
When pressed about any songs he had wished — or wished he hadn’t recorded — Rod revealed, “The only one I was a bit sad over was ‘That’s What Friends Are For,’ which was a big hit for Elton and Stevie Wonder (with Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight), ‘cos I did the original. The record company didn’t see it as a single, but then they got hold of it. No hard feelings or anything. Their version was good, but not as good as mine. That bloody Elton John again (laughs)!”
FAST FACTS
- “That’s What Friends Are For” was written by Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager.
- Rod Stewart first recorded it in 1982 for the soundtrack to the Ron Howard-directed film, Night Shift, which starred Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, and Shelley Long.
- In 1985 the song became a massive hit when covered by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder — and billed as Dionne & Friends.
- “That’s What Friends Are For” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a solid month and raised over $3 million for AIDS research and prevention.
- In the U.S., the track went on to become the Number One single of 1986 and snagged Grammy Awards for both Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Song Of The Year.
CHECK IT OUT: Rod Stewart’s original 1982 version of “That’s What Friends Are For”: