The Rembrandts reveal Friends theme song ‘ruined’ their career

"I'll Be There For You" exploded in popularity thanks to being the Friends theme song.

It may have made them enough money to put their children through college, but the band behind the iconic Friends theme song has revealed the show’s popularity “ruined” their career.

US rock duo The Rembrandts, who were building popularity in the alternative space, reluctantly agreed to record I’ll Be There For You for the sitcom’s theme when it debuted in 1994, which was co-written by the show’s executive producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman.

Singers Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, who say they were a “pretty hip band” at the time, stipulated they didn’t want to be named in the credits, with Wilde, now 66, telling The Guardian, “We didn’t want anyone to know we’d sold out.”

He added, “But the song stuck, the show stuck and it snowballed. The record company rushed us into the studio to cut a full version. We shot a video on the SNL set, with the cast goofing around on our instruments.”

The song did indeed stick, and to this day its sound triggers deep nostalgia solely associated with the global phenomenon TV series, which starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc.

After initially recording a condensed version for Friends, The Rembrandts went on to make an extended version of the song in 1995, which reached the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland and the UK.

It had even greater success in Canada, where it was number one for five weeks and was the most successful single of 1995. In the US, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for eight weeks.

But Wilde said the band’s popularity didn’t explode on a similar trajectory as the song, and they went from playing “cool clubs” to being asked to do matinee shows with children in attendance.

The Rembrandts in 2019. Photo / Getty Images

“The song became an albatross round our necks and broke up the band for a few years,” Wilde candidly said.

“My bandmate Phil Solem had pretty much had it, so we took a two-year vacation from each other.”

Eventually, the duo reunited and are still making music and playing gigs. While it hurt them at the time, Wilde said he can see the bright side now.

“Friends is on 24 hours a day somewhere. Every time it gets played, there’s a little ker-ching. It’s only a nickel or whatever, but they add up,” he said.

“It put my kids through college and got me a beautiful home. I’m not rich but I’m comfortable.

“We were snobby about it early on and it messed with our heads. But what a gift it’s been. I might be living on the streets if it wasn’t for that song.”

Friends aired from 1994 until its finale in 2004, and thanks to streaming, retains immense success through a new generation.