YOU GOTTA HAVE FRIENDS

The NBC sitcom “Friends” has already spawned a hit record--the Rembrandts’ performance of the theme song, “I’ll Be There for You.” Now how about “Smelly Cat”?

The song, part of the repertoire on the show of the spacey, tonally challenged singer-songwriter Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow), has become a favorite of some viewers who, via letters and Internet discussions, have been asking for it to be made available on an album.

That’s exactly what Reprise Records’ Klein would like to do. He hopes to build an album of songs around “Smelly Cat” that would follow up the “Friends” album released by Reprise last year. Featuring the theme song plus contributions by Hootie & the Blowfish, Chrissie Hynde (who also made a guest appearance on a “Friends” episode) and Paul Westerberg, among others, that first album has sold more than a million copies.

Klein says there are duets of Kudrow with Hynde and with Chris Isaak (who also appeared in an episode) that could be used. Kudrow, though, hasn’t decided whether she wants to be part of the project.