"Newborn Friend" is a song by British singer-songwriter

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...

, released in October 1994 by

ZTT ZTT Records is a British record label founded in 1983 by the record producer Trevor Horn, the businesswoman Jill Sinclair and the ''NME'' journalist Paul Morley. They released music by acts including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Grace Jones, ...

and

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...

as the third single from his second studio album, ''Seal'' (also known as ''Seal II'') (1994). The song was written by Seal and produced by

Trevor Horn Trevor Charles Horn (born 15 July 1949) is an English record producer and musician. His influence on pop and electronic music in the 1980s was such that he has been called "the man who invented the eighties". Horn took up the bass guitar at an ...

. It peaked at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart, while reaching number two on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot Dance Club Play The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...

chart. The accompanying music video was directed by English musician and music video director

Lol Creme Laurence Neil "Lol" Creme ( ; born 19 September 1947) is an English musician and music video director, best known for his work in 10cc. He was later one half of the duo Godley & Creme, with 10cc drummer Kevin Godley. Creme has collaborated with ...

Critical reception

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the musi ...

from ''

'' magazine wrote, "From the opening line, ''I wash my faith in dirty water'', you know that this follow-up to the recent hit '

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' is not going to be a typical top 40 ditty. However, the assistance of producer

's savvy ear for lush instrumentation and groove, and Seal's knack for crafting tight and catchy hooks, keep the track from getting too dark and maudlin. In fact, the arrangement builds to a musical conclusion that is positively bright and toe-tapping." Another ''Billboard'' editor, Melinda Newman, noted, "With its strong rhythmic pulse, the escapist beat of 'Newborn Friend' belies the inner conflicts the lyrics portray."

Dele Fadele Ayodele Fadele (8 August 1962 – March 2018) was an English musician and music journalist who was active from the mid-1980s. He wrote for the ''NME'' in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was one of the first music critics to introduce then eme ...

from ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' commented, "'Newborn Friend' visits

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

' Spanish villa, with all manner of studio trickery by Trevor Horn. That is: a complex bundle of nothingness that is unlikely to gain airplay even on Virgin FM."

Track listing

* UK and Germany CD (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Radio Mix) – 3:54 #"Newborn Friend" (Brothers in Rhythm Club Mix) – 8:42 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (Mo-Mo's Bass Mix) – 6:00 #"Newborn Friend" (Friend for Life) – 9:02 * UK remixes CD (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix II) – 9:09 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub II) – 7:27 #"Newborn Friend" ((Tasty) Tom Elmhirst Mix) – 10:48 * UK CD promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" – 4:04 * UK 12" (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub) – 7:26 #"Newborn Friend" (Brothers in Rhythm Club Mix) – 8:42 #"Newborn Friend" (Friend for Life) – 9:02 * UK 12" (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub) – 7:26 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Radio Mix) – 3:54 #"Newborn Friend" (Mo-Mo's Bass Mix) – 6:00 * UK 12" promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Brothers in Rhythm Club Mix) – 8:42 #"Newborn Friend" (Ronin Remix) – #"Newborn Friend" (Friend for Life) – 9:02 #"Newborn Friend" – 4:04 * UK 12" promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix II) – 9:09 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub II) – 7:27 #"Newborn Friend" ((Tasty) Tom Elmhirst Mix) – 10:48 * US CD (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Blues In 'E'" – 3:43 * US CD (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"The Wind Cries Mary" – 3:54 #"Newborn Friend" (Brothers in Rhythm Club Mix) – 8:42 #"Newborn Friend" (Friend for Life) – 9:02 #"Blues In 'E'" – 3:43 #"Newborn Friend" (Mo-Mo's Bass Mix) – 6:00 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Radio Mix) – 3:54 * US CD promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Newborn Friend" – 4:04 * US CD promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Radio Mix) – 3:54 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Newborn Friend" – 4:04 * US 12" (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub) – 7:26 #"Newborn Friend" (Brothers in Rhythm Club Mix) – 8:42 #"Newborn Friend" (Friend for Life) – 9:02 * US 12" promo (1994) #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Radio Mix) – 3:54 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Club Mix) – 9:10 #"Newborn Friend" (Morales Dub) – 7:26 #"Newborn Friend" (The Silver Mix) – 4:06 #"Newborn Friend" – 4:04 #"Newborn Friend" (Mo-Mo's Bass Mix) – 6:00

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 1994 songs 1994 singles Seal (musician) songs Songs written by Seal (musician) Song recordings produced by Trevor Horn ZTT Records singles