| Friend or Foe | |
| Cover: | Friendfoenormal.JPG |
| Caption: | US and UK Cover |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | t.A.T.u. |
| Album: | Dangerous and Moving |
| A-Side: | "Not Gonna Get Us" (European CD) |
| Released: | 2005 |
| Recorded: | March 2005 |
| Genre: | Pop rock, alternative rock, dance-pop |
| Length: | 3:08 |
| Label: | Interscope |
| Producer: | Martin Kierszenbaum, Robert Orton |
| Prev Title: | All About Us |
| Prev Year: | 2005 |
| Next Title: | Lyudi Invalidy |
| Next Year: | 2005 |
"Friend or Foe" is a song by Russian recording duo t.A.T.u., taken from the group's second English language studio album Dangerous and Moving (2005). The song was written by Dave Stewart and Martin Kierszenbaum, while production was handled by Kierszenbaum and Robert Orton. The song was released by Interscope in 2005 as the album's second single. Musically, the song is a pop rock and electropop inspired song, with dance music influences. The song features ambiguous lyrics; it is unclear who exactly the words are directed at.
The song received generally positive reviews from critics, with many identifying it as the album's best song along with its praised for its dance nature and lyrical content. The song did not perform successfully like the group's previous single "All About Us", chart just under the top forty in most countries it charted in. An accompanying music video was issued, where it featured the group singing in a cave to fans.
The song was written by Dave Stewart and Martin Kierszenbaum, while production was handled by Kierszenbaum and Robert Orton. The song was released by Interscope in 2005 as the album's second single. For the production and promotion of the single, it was handled by some big names from the rock music industry. These included Sting, who played bass on the track and Bryan Adams, who shot the cover sleeve.[1] The song was the group's last single to be released in the United Kingdom and United States, due to the lack of success.
The song was released in multiple formats. The CD single was released in 2005 featuring the song with remixes, a music video and an "All About Us" remix.[2] In December 2005, Interscope issued a remix EP featuring remixes that were released in Europe and the United Kingdom.[3] A Part 2 CD single was issued in France as a maxi-single.[4] The same month, Interscope Records announced that they would issue a 12-inch vinyl CD in the United States, only containing remixes of the single.[5] The song was issued physically in the UK on 6 February 2006.[6]
"Friend or Foe" received positive remarks from most music critics. Michael Boyles from The Pitt News gave it a positive review, saying that alone with "Loves Me Not"; " stand out as the most sexually ambiguous of this type and are two of the best tracks on the album [...]"[7] Michael Freedburg from The Boston Phoenix said along with "Perfect Enemy", "Dangerous and Moving" and "All About Us"; "shoot straight to the gut – and to the heart."[8] Betty Clarke from The Guardian described the song as "vapid" and "epic synth-rock".[9] Dom Passantino from Stylus Magazine compared the lyrical content to the group's previous record "Not Gonna Get Us" by explaining "which is effectively a straight-up rewrite of previous album single 'Not Gonna Get Us.'"[10]
"Friend or Foe" generally received mixed reception surrounding chart positions. The song managed to make the top three in Hungary, peaking at number three. The song then managed to peak inside the top forty in countries including the Czech Republic, Italy and the Wallonia region of Belgium. In the United Kingdom, the song spent a sole week on the UK singles chart at forty-eight. It was the group's last single to chart in the United Kingdom.
The song did not offer better success in various European countries, peaking at number three on the Flanders Ultratip extension chart in Belgium, seventy-five on the Swiss Singles Chart and eighty-nine on the Mega Single Top 100 in the Netherlands.
From 16 October 2005 to 17 October 2005, t.A.T.u. shot their video in the Los Angeles suburbs, directed by James Cox and produced by Billy Parks. The video was released on 8 November 2005.
The video was shot at Bronson Caves (where the original Batman TV series was filmed) in Hollywood by 1171 Production Group. The group previously worked on such t.A.T.u videos as "All About Us" and "Lyudi Invalidy" and has experience in making videos for Eminem and Celine Dion. Bronson Caves are famous for being the set location of Western movies and Batman series. The video was retired on Poland's TRL after spending 50 days on the countdown. The video did have more airplay in the U.S. than "All About Us" but it was still not played much.
In the video, Lena and Yulia both immaculately dressed in black, drive to the caves in a Chevrolet Chevelle. Yulia snaps her fingers and music begins to play as the girls perform in front of a mosh pit for a crowd of fans, who all dance and move to the song. Toward the middle, Yulia heads off stage, by the crowd and to a piano, where she begins to play. When she is done, she and Lena return to singing the rest of song.
A "Making Of" video for this music video was released on the DVD of The Best.
The song "Friend or Foe" was also featured on MTV's 3rd season of Laguna Beach.
UK Maxi-CD single
Released 6 February 2006
France Maxi-CD single
Released 6 February 2006
Europe Maxi-CD single
Released 10 March 2006
The Remixes
| Russia Airplay (TopHit)[11] | 13 | |
| Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[12] | 95 |
| Chart (2006) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS (TopHit)[13] | 37 | |
| Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[14] | 70 | |
| Russia Airplay (TopHit)[15] | 48 |