Can We Still be Friends - wikipedia Can We Still be Friends `` Can We Still Be Friends '' Single by Todd Rundgren from the album Hermit of Mink Hollow B - side `` Out Of Control '' ( US ), `` Determination '' ( UK ) Released 1978 Recorded 1978 Genre Ballad Length 3 : 34 Label Bearsville Songwriter ( s ) Todd Rundgren Producer ( s ) Todd Rundgren Todd Rundgren singles chronology `` Good Vibrations '' ( 1976 ) `` Can We Still Be Friends '' ( 1978 ) `` Bang the Drum All Day '' ( 1983 ) `` Good Vibrations '' ( 1976 ) `` Can We Still Be Friends '' ( 1978 ) `` Bang the Drum All Day '' ( 1983 ) `` Can We Still Be Friends '' is a song written and originally performed by Todd Rundgren. Contents 1 Todd Rundgren version 2 Robert Palmer version 2.1 Chart performance 3 Other versions 4 References 5 External links Todd Rundgren version Todd Rundgren released his version on his 1978 album Hermit of Mink Hollow. This was the only hit single on the album, reaching # 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a hit single in Australia, where it went to # 8. The lyrics describe a relationship to which Rundgren and the woman to whom he is singing have given great effort to fix the relationship, but simply can not work. Rundgren explains this, but wishes to part amicably, asking several times if he and his partner can `` still be friends. '' The song is generally assumed to be about Rundgren 's breakup with long - time companion Bebe Buell in 1977. Rundgren played all the instruments and performed all the vocals on the track, as he did with the rest of the album. In 1994, this song made a prominent appearance in the movie Dumb and Dumber. It also appears on the soundtrack for the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, and the TV series Nip / Tuck. Robert Palmer version `` Can We Still Be Friends '' Single by Robert Palmer from the album Secrets B - side `` Too Good To Be True '' Released 1979 Genre Pop rock Label Island Songwriter ( s ) Todd Rundgren Producer ( s ) Robert Palmer Robert Palmer singles chronology `` Bad Case of Loving You ( Doctor, Doctor ) '' ( 1979 ) `` Can We Still Be Friends '' ( 1979 ) `` Johnny and Mary '' ( 1980 ) `` Bad Case of Loving You ( Doctor, Doctor ) '' ( 1979 ) `` Can We Still Be Friends '' ( 1979 ) `` Johnny and Mary '' ( 1980 ) In 1979, `` Can We Still Be Friends '' became a hit again when Robert Palmer recorded a version for his album Secrets. Chart performance Chart ( 1980 ) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 52 Dutch Top 40 32 Other versions Rod Stewart recorded this song as a track for his 1984 album Camouflage. This version is performed at a faster tempo than Rundgren 's and Palmer 's versions and features more prominent use of the synthesizer. Marc Jordan recorded the song as a track for his 1990 album COW In 2001, Vonda Shepard 's version appeared on a soundtrack for the television show Ally McBeal ; this is very first revived song of Shepard. Mandy Moore recorded it on her 2003 album Coverage, which is composed entirely of remakes. Kate Markowitz recorded it on her album Map of the World. Argentine rock musicians Charly García and Nito Mestre, founding members of the band Sui Generis, recorded a Spanish version entitled `` Yo soy su papá '' ( `` I am his father '' ), which appeared on their 2000 album Sinfonías para adolescentes ( Symphonies for Teenagers ). Colin Blunstone recorded a version on his 1979 album `` Late Nights in Soho '' Filipino singer Toni Gonzaga sang her own version as a soundtrack of a movie of the same title. References Jump up ^ `` Billboard Hot 100, Chart Listing For The Week Of sep 02 1978 ''. Retrieved November 19, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Hot 100, Chart Listing For The Week Of feb 16 1980 ''. Retrieved November 19, 2008. Jump up ^ `` De Nederlandse Top 40, week 1, 1980 ''. Retrieved November 19, 2008. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Todd Rundgren Studio albums Runt Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren Something / Anything ? A Wizard, a True Star Todd Initiation Faithful Hermit of Mink Hollow Healing The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect A Cappella Nearly Human 2nd Wind No World Order The Individualist With a Twist... Up Against It ! One Long Year Liars Arena ( re ) Production State Global White Knight with Utopia Todd Rundgren 's Utopia Another Live RA Oops ! Wrong Planet Adventures In Utopia Deface the Music Swing to the Right Utopia Oblivion P.O.V. Redux ' 92 : Live in Japan Live albums Another Live Back to the Bars Redux ' 92 : Live in Japan Singles `` We Gotta Get You a Woman '' `` I Saw the Light '' `` Hello It 's Me '' `` Good Vibrations '' `` Can We Still Be Friends '' `` Bang the Drum All Day '' Related articles Discography Nazz The New Cars Bat Out of Hell Bebe Buell Liv Tyler Steven Tyler Daryl Hall Robert Palmer Studio albums Sneakin ' Sally Through the Alley ( 1974 ) Pressure Drop ( 1975 ) Some People Can Do What They Like ( 1976 ) Double Fun ( 1978 ) Secrets ( 1979 ) Clues ( 1980 ) Pride ( 1983 ) Riptide ( 1985 ) Heavy Nova ( 1988 ) Do n't Explain ( 1990 ) Ridin ' High ( 1992 ) Honey ( 1994 ) Rhythm & Blues ( 1999 ) Drive ( 2003 ) Live albums Maybe It 's Live ( 1982 ) Live at the Apollo ( 2001 ) At the BBC ( 2010 ) Compilations Addictions : Volume 1 ( 1989 ) Addictions : Volume II ( 1992 ) Very Best of Robert Palmer ( 1995 ) Woke Up Laughing ( 1998 ) 20th Century Masters ( 1999 ) Singles `` Every Kinda People '' `` Best of Both Worlds '' `` Bad Case of Loving You ( Doctor, Doctor ) '' `` Can We Still Be Friends '' `` Johnny and Mary '' `` Some Guys Have All the Luck '' `` Discipline of Love '' `` Addicted to Love '' `` I Did n't Mean to Turn You On '' `` Sweet Lies '' `` Simply Irresistible '' `` Early in the Morning '' `` Tell Me I 'm Not Dreamin ' ( Too Good to Be True ) '' `` I 'll Be Your Baby Tonight '' `` You 're Amazing '' `` Mercy Mercy Me '' / `` I Want You '' `` Happiness '' `` Girl U Want '' `` Know by Now '' `` You Blow Me Away '' `` True Love '' Related articles Discography The Power Station Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Can_We_Still_Be_Friends&oldid=817736756 '' Categories : Todd Rundgren songs Robert Palmer ( singer ) songs Rod Stewart songs 1978 singles 1979 singles Songs written by Todd Rundgren Song recordings produced by Todd Rundgren 1978 songs Rock ballads Bearsville Records singles Island Records singles Songs about friendship Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Français Edit links This page was last edited on 30 December 2017, at 07 : 45. 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Question: who wrote the song can we still be friends
Answer: Todd Rundgren