Francis and the Lights: Friends ft. Bon Iver and Kanye West

Francis and the Lights is a band from New York City, led by Francis Farewell Starlite. The term “and the Lights” refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen. New York City-based Francis & the Lights are a progressive alternative rock band that mixes electronic music with a blue-eyed soul aesthetic. Centered around vocalist Francis Farewell Starlight, Francis & the Lights formed while the members were attending Wesleyan University. Following a pair of EP releases and a production credit on Drake’s Thank Me Later (“Karaoke”), the band released its debut full-length album, It’ll Be Better, on Cantora Records in 2010.

Francis and the Lights: Friends ft. Bon Iver and Kanye West

Francis and the Light has emerged as a go-to collaborator for Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Chance the rapper. The New York singer-producer contributed to Chance’s Coloring Book tracks “All We Got” and Summer Friends”, and also introduced Kanye and Frank to the prismizer sound featured on both musicians’ new albums. Now, Francis has called on several of his A-list friends for a new solo single appropriately dubbed, “Friends”. Kanye and Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon sing on the track and also appear in its heavily choreographed video.

Francis and the Lights: Friends ft. Bon Iver and Kanye West

Francis and the Lights: Friends ft. Bon Iver and Kanye West Lyrics:
[Verse 1: Bon Iver]
Could be lookin’ at you
From a freeway trailer
If you’d handled what I’d taken
Separate loans, separate codes
No fine line, don’t have to be dead right
Cause dead right can go wrong

[Hook: Francis and the Lights]
We could be friends
We could be friends
Put your head on my shoulders
[Verse 2: Francis and the Lights]
I’m Francis
Still dreamin’ of a glory
Of somethin’ new
I can’t remember what it’s like
To never wanna let go
It’s all good though

[Hook: Francis and the Lights + Kanye West]
We could be friends
We could be friends
Just put your head on my shoulders
I will straighten out, for you
Don’t wanna know if you made mistakes
I’m still waiting on your sunshine

[Verse 3: Francis and the Lights]
Ooh, LA
I guess you gotta chase that ghost
Heard you bought some land in Mexico
And I said, “Way to go, man”
Cause wherever you may roam
Remember who you know
There’s a station playin’ rock and roll
So stay tuned in mi amor
Stay tuned in

[Hook: Justin Vernon + Francis and the Lights]
I will turn around for you
I will straighten up for your girl
Just put your hand on my shoulder
We could be friends, for you
We could be friends, for you
I will make this promise to you
After all these promises
I’m looking at you now
Still looking for you, still waiting for you
I told you, I’m sorry… I was waiting on a different story
Still waiting on your sunshine
What I tell you
Still waiting on your sunshine