“Famous Friends” by Chris Young & Kane Brown
Chris Young and Kane Brown’s “Famous Friends” is what we will classify as a shoutout song. That is to say that the vocalists use the opportunity primarily to give shoutouts to the people they grew up with, both male and female, as well as the ‘hood in general.
And to note, all of the individuals mentioned are apparently friends of Young as opposed to Kane Brown. But in the second chorus the lyrics were modified to acknowledge Hamilton Country, i.e. the part of Mississippi where Brown comes from.
But as for the Rutherford Country that precedes it, that’s actually the area of Tennessee where Chris Young originated (more specially a city called Murfreesboro). And the Davidson County that comes after is yet another part of the Volunteer State, i.e. where Nashville itself, the center of American country music, is located.
The “Famous” Friends
That noted, the friends whom the vocalists recognize are not literally “famous”, as in people you and I would be familiar with. Rather, they are what hip-hoppers would refer to as being ‘hood famous, i.e. individuals who are very-popular in their hometown.
For instance, the vocalist’s “buddy Brandon” possesses some type of touchdown record. This is presumably from his high school days, which would of course make him extremely well-known locally. Furthermore, ol’ Johnny is a true party person at heart, thus earning him a celebrity-like reception “everywhere he goes” within the vicinity of the ‘hood.
And as further revealed in the bridge, what this alludes to is the vocalists themselves having major connections back at home, as they even have “friends in high places”.
And as a side note, it should also be pointed out that Chris and Brown have truly developed a genuine friendship between themselves. That reality may not have any actual bearing on the narrative at hand. But based on the general theme of this tune, it gives the entire effort an increased viability.
In Conclusion
So conclusively, we’ll say that the vocalists really appreciate their friends back home, on top of appearing pretty well-established in the ‘hood in their own right. And in a roundabout way this song speaks to a fact of life, that the people who are most “famous” to us are personally not always so to the world at large.
Facts about “Famous Friends”
This is the title track from Chris Young’s eighth LP. The song itself was made public via RCA Nashville on 20 November 2020. The album eventually came out during early August of the following year.
Chris Young seemingly acknowledged this somewhat long wait by apologizing to fans in that regard. In addition to that, he added ‘a couple more songs than he normally does’ to the project to appease them.
Thus far, besides the title track, a couple of other singles, “Raised on Country” and “Drowning”, were issued from the project. Those came out back in 2019, the same year in which “Famous Friends” (the song) was first teased.
In fact Chris Young’s last album, “Losing Sleep”, was issued in 2017. This actually marks the longest he’s ever taken in-between projects, thus further explaining the sentiment expressed above.
More Facts
This marks the second time that Chris Young has collaborated with fellow country music star Kane Brown in a vocal capacity. The first was a 2017 track entitled “Setting the Night on Fire”. Also to note, Young is credited with co-writing some songs Brown dropped in 2016. They include “Comeback” and “There Goes My Everything”.
Chris Young also co-wrote “Famous Friends” (the song). In this case, he accomplished the said task alongside Cary Barlowe and the track’s producer, Corey Crowder.
The visual to this track, which was filmed in the Tennessee city of Gallatin, was directed by established filmographer Peter Zavadil. Zavadil is considered one of the finest country music video directors of his generation.
Did “Famous Friends” Chart?
Yes, it did. “Famous Friends” topped Billboard’s Country Airplay list as well as the Canada Country chart. And it also made it onto the top 10 on Australia’s Country Hot 50 ranking.
