<i>Three Friends</i>

Three Friends

<p><i><b>Three Friends</b></i> (1972) is the third album by <a href="/en/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom" class="wl">British</a> <a href="/en/Progressive_rock" title="Progressive rock" class="wl">progressive rock</a> band <a href="/en/Gentle_Giant" title="Gentle Giant" class="wl">Gentle Giant</a>. It was the band's first release to chart in America, peaking at #197 on the <a href="/en/Billboard_200" title="Billboard 200" class="wl"><i>Billboard</i> 200</a>. It is the only album by Gentle Giant to feature drummer <a href="/en/Malcolm_Mortimore" title="Malcolm Mortimore" class="wl">Malcolm Mortimore</a> following the departure of <a href="/en/Martin_Smith_(drummer)" title="Martin Smith (drummer)" class="wl">Martin Smith</a>.</p>

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<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt6">1972 studio album<span> </span>by Gentle Giant</div><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Three Friends, Studio album by Gentle Giant, ...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox vevent haudio mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above summary album notheme" style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightsteelblue; font-size: 125%;">Three Friends</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Threefriendscover.gif" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Threefriendscover.gif"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/93/Threefriendscover.gif/220px-Threefriendscover.gif" decoding="async" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" data-file-type="bitmap" height="220" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Threefriendscover.gif 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Threefriendscover.gif 2x" alt="Threefriendscover.gif"></a></span></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header description notheme" style="background-color: lightsteelblue"><a href="/en/Album" title="Album" class="wl">Studio album</a><span> </span>by <div class="contributor" style="display:inline"><a href="/en/Gentle_Giant" title="Gentle Giant" class="wl">Gentle Giant</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Released</th><td class="infobox-data published">14 April 1972</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Recorded</th><td class="infobox-data plainlist">December 1971</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Studio</th><td class="infobox-data plainlist"><a href="/en/Advision_Studios" title="Advision Studios" class="wl">Advision Studios</a>; Command Studios, London</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/en/Music_genre" title="Music genre" class="wl">Genre</a></th><td class="infobox-data category hlist"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/en/Progressive_rock" title="Progressive rock" class="wl">Progressive rock</a></li><li><a href="/en/Experimental_rock" title="Experimental rock" class="wl">experimental rock</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Length</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="duration"><span class="min">35</span>:<span class="s">24</span></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/en/Record_label" title="Record label" class="wl">Label</a></th><td class="infobox-data hlist"><a href="/en/Vertigo_Records" title="Vertigo Records" class="wl">Vertigo</a> (UK)<br><a href="/en/Columbia_Records" title="Columbia Records" class="wl">Columbia</a> (US/Canada)<br><span class="new">Malibu Record Productions, Inc.</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/en/Record_producer" title="Record producer" class="wl">Producer</a></th><td class="infobox-data hlist">Gentle Giant</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header description notheme" style="background-color: lightsteelblue"><a href="/en/Gentle_Giant" title="Gentle Giant" class="wl">Gentle Giant</a> chronology</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data">
<table style="background: transparent; width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; display: inline-table;" class="notheme">
<tbody><tr style="line-height: 1.4em;">
<td style="width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em .1em .2em 0"><i><a href="/en/Acquiring_the_Taste" title="Acquiring the Taste" class="wl">Acquiring the Taste</a></i><br>(1971)</td>
<td style="width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em .1em"><i><b>Three Friends</b></i><br>(1972)</td>
<td style="width: 33%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding: .2em 0 .2em .1em"><i><a href="/en/Octopus_(Gentle_Giant_album)" title="Octopus (Gentle Giant album)" class="wl">Octopus</a></i><br>(1972)</td></tr>
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<div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Table info: Review scores, Source, Rating...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="wikitable floatright mobile-collapse-element" style="float:right;clear:right;width:24.2em;font-size:88%;text-align:center;margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;padding:0;border-spacing:0"><caption style="font-size:115%">Professional ratings</caption><tbody><tr><th scope="col" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;background:#d1dbdf;font-size:100%" class="notheme">Review scores</th></tr><tr><th scope="col">Source</th><th scope="col">Rating</th></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle"><a href="/en/AllMusic" title="AllMusic" class="wl">AllMusic</a></td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle"><span role="img" style="white-space:nowrap"><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Star_half.svg/11px-Star_half.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" 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//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/22px-Star_full.svg.png 2x" alt="Star_full.svg"></span></span><span><span><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="108" data-file-height="110" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/17px-Star_full.svg.png 1.5x, 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<p>A concept album, <i>Three Friends</i> deals with three childhood friends whose lives take them very different places. However, each of the three friends are unsatisfied with their new lives. The closing song ends the story on a cliffhanger; whether or not the three friends ever reunite is never revealed. The album is predominantly instrumental, with most tracks having only brief vocal interludes.</p>



Three Friends is the third album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant. It was the band's first release to chart in America, peaking at #197 on the Billboard 200. It is the only album by Gentle Giant to feature drummer Malcolm Mortimore following the departure of Martin Smith. A concept album, Three Friends deals with three childhood friends whose lives take them very different places. However, each of the three friends are unsatisfied with their new lives. The closing song ends the story on a cliffhanger; whether or not the three friends ever reunite is never revealed. The album is predominantly instrumental, with most tracks having only brief vocal interludes. 