Background on Cake and "Friend is a Four Letter Word" Personal Meaning
...lson and French, so they left the band. Bassist Victor Damiani and drummer Todd Roper replaced them. In 1995, college radio caught on to “Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle”, followed by “Ruby Sees All” and “Jolene”. Cake’s second album, Fashion Nugget, charted in the Billboard Top 40 and sold over a million copies. This was thanks to their hit single, “The Distance”. A somewhat controversial cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” was later released, though it did not gain much positive feedback. In 1997, Brown and Damiani left the band to pursue their careers in a separate band, Deathray. Continuing as an “alternative-pop” band, Cake released Prolonging The Magic in 1998. This particular album included hit singles such as “Never There”, “Sheep Go To Heaven”, and “Let Go”. Prolonging The Magic, as well as Fashion Nugget, went platinum. In 2001, Cake signed a contract with Columbia records. They released their fourth album, Comfort Eagle, with another single, “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”. This song even gained some MTV airplay as it became a hit on alternative rock radio stations. Pete McNeal has since then replaced drummer Todd Roper. Pressure Chief, released in 2004, has not gained the same credit among mainstream charts, though it is mentioned on Billboard’s Comprehensive Albums chart. “Friend Is A Four Letter Word” is from Cake’s 1996 album, Fashion Nugget. The song is basically about someone with whom the writer (in this case McCrea) does not consider a “friend” at all. It can be interpret...