My Best Friend

This Air Supply song began as a B-side on an album that sought to turn their fortunes around. Recorded in 1980 for *Lost in Love*, it has that kind of melody that sticks in your memory without warning: a warm feel, intertwining vocals, and a rhythm that flows as if there were no rush. At just two and a half minutes long, “My Best Friend” doesn’t set out to be epic, but it achieves something even harder: it gets stuck in your head after just one listen. What makes it special is how the lead vocals sway between the intimate and the expansive, as if the singer were sharing a secret with someone he’s known his whole life.

The track was recorded in Melbourne, where Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell—the band’s two mainstays—had already tried their hand at theater before turning to pop. The song was arranged by them alongside Robie Porter, who also produced it, while the mixing was handled by Linda Corbin and Jim Hilton. There are no reports of epic sessions or creative conflicts; simply a direct recording that ended up sounding like pure friendship. In the United States and Canada, where the group did not yet have strong roots, the album *Lost in Love* opened doors for them: the album sold well enough to be certified double platinum in 1991, and this song in particular helped the band transition from being just an Australian act to becoming a phenomenon beyond its borders.