The Friends of Mr Cairo

The Friends of Mr Cairo
Cover of second release
Studio album by Jon and Vangelis
Released	July 1981
Studio	Davout Studios, Paris, and Nemo Studios, London
Genre	Electronic, progressive rock
Length	45:42
Label	Polydor
Producer	Vangelis
Jon and Vangelis chronology
Short Stories (1980) The Friends of Mr Cairo (1981) Private Collection (1983)
Alternative cover
Artwork on 1981 Polydor LP release
Singles from The Friends of Mr Cairo
""The Friends of Mr Cairo"" Released: 1981 ""State of Independence"" Released: 1981 ""I'll Find My Way Home"" Released: 1981 (second edition)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The Friends of Mr Cairo is the second album by Jon and Vangelis, released in 1981. There are two editions of this album, with different sleeves. Both versions were released in 1981 within a few weeks of each other. The title track, "The Friends of Mr Cairo", peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian singles chart in late 1981, though this track was not a hit elsewhere. The second edition of the album includes the single "I'll Find My Way Home", which stayed for 14 weeks in the Swiss charts and peaked at No. 1 on 7 March 1982. It also peaked at No. 6 in the UK.^[2] The album was #2 in Canada for 3 weeks, and was #15 in the Best of 1981.^[3] "State of Independence" was later a hit single for Donna Summer, and a decade later for Moodswings with Chrissie Hynde on vocal. Anderson also later re-recorded that song on his solo album Change We Must, released in 1994.

The title track and its accompanying music video serve as an ode to classic Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s, including references to the classic film noir The Maltese Falcon. The track incorporates sound effects and voice impressions of the stars of the era, most notably Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Jimmy Stewart.

Joel Cairo (Mr Cairo) is the name of the character played by Peter Lorre in The Maltese Falcon.

Track listing[]

First edition[]

Side A

1. "The Friends of Mr Cairo" – 12:04
2. "Back to School" – 5:06
3. "Outside of This (Inside of That)" – 5:00

Side B

4. "State of Independence" – 7:53
5. "Beside" – 4:08
6. "The Mayflower" – 6:35

Second edition[]

Side A

1. "I'll Find My Way Home" – 4:29
2. "State of Independence" – 7:53
3. "Beside" – 4:08
4. "The Mayflower" – 6:35

Side B

5. "The Friends of Mr Cairo" – 12:04
6. "Back to School" – 5:06
7. "Outside of This (Inside of That)" – 5:00

CD[]

1. "I'll Find My Way Home" – 4:29
2. "State of Independence" – 7:53
3. "Beside" – 4:08
4. "The Mayflower" – 6:35
5. "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" – 12:04
6. "Back to School" – 5:06
7. "Outside of This (Inside of That)" – 5:00

Personnel[]

• Jon Anderson – vocals, composer
• Vangelis – composer, producer, arranger, performer
• Dick Morrissey – saxophone, flute
• David Coker – voices
• Sally Grace – voices (5)
• Dennis Clarke - saxophone
• Claire Hamill – backing vocals (6)
• Carol Kenyon – backing vocals

Technical

• Roger Roche – engineer
• Raine Shine – engineer
• Alwyn Clayden – sleeve
• Veronique Skawinska – photography

Charts[]

Chart	Position[4]
Australia Albums Chart[5]	9
Austria Albums Chart	8
Canada Albums Chart	2
Germany Albums Chart	13
Netherlands Albums Chart	3
Sweden Albums Chart	35
UK Albums Chart	6
Billboard Pop Albums	64

Certifications[]

Album

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6]	Platinum	100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[7]	Gold	100,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Singles

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6]	Gold	50,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

External links[]

• Review on Vangelis Movements
• Review on allmusic.com
• The Friends of Mr Cairo at Discogs (list of releases)