Fake Friends

When Nova Scotia native Anne Murray attained the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart dated April 24, 1986, it marked the only time in her career that two noted Canadian producers, both from British Columbia, pitched in on the project.

David Foster (Kenny Rogers, Whitney Houston) guided just one cut on Murray’s 10-track Something To Talk About album, created from a melody he cowrote with Jim Vallance (Tina Turner, Glass Tiger), a frequent Bryan Adams cowriter. They mostly had just a topline and chords when they introduced it to Murray, who then called Nashville songwriter Randy Goodrum (Murray’s “You Needed Me,” Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie,” Toto’s “I’ll Be Over You”) to concoct some lyrics.