You've Got a Friend

Image:You've Got a Friend JT CK 2010.jpg]]

Carole King wrote "You've Got a Friend" during the January 1971 recording sessions for her album Tapestry, when James Taylor was also recording his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. She has said that "the song was as close to pure inspiration as I've ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me." According to Taylor, King told him that the song was a response to a line in his earlier song "Fire and Rain" ("I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend").{{cite magazine |last1=Greene |first1=Andy |title=James Taylor: My Life in 15 Songs |url=https://www.jamestaylor.com/rollingstone-com-james-taylor-my-life-in-15-songs/ |access-date=August 23, 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=August 13, 2015 |via=James Taylor Official Site}}{{cite web|title=James Taylor Looks Back on His Classics|date=August 4, 2015|author=White, T.|url=http://www.easy931.com/james-taylor-looks-back-on-his-classics/|publisher=Easy 93.1 FM|access-date=August 10, 2015}} King said in a 1972 interview that she "didn't write it with James or anybody really specifically in mind. But when James heard it he really liked it and wanted to record it".{{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/troubadours-carole-king-james-taylor-the-rise-of-the-singer-songwriter/carole-king%E2%80%99s-monumental-tapestry-album/1776/ |title=Troubadours – Carole King's Monumental Tapestry Album | American Masters | PBS |first=Harvey |last=Kubernik |work=pbs.org |year=2008 |access-date=March 20, 2013}} Both King and Taylor recorded the song for their respective albums, and Taylor and Danny Kortchmar perform on both versions.

Taylor's version was released as a single and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (his only song to do so) and number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Taylor's version also spent a week atop the Easy Listening charts.{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=239}} Billboard ranked it as the No. 16 song for 1971.

Taylor's Apple Records labelmate Mary Hopkin has said that he gave her a chance to record the song, which she declined, a decision she later regretted.Interview with Mary Hopkin, Record Collector nr. 108, August 1988{{dubious|date=December 2016}}

Taylor and King performed "You've Got a Friend" together in 2010 during their Troubadour Reunion Tour. In 2015, Taylor performed an acoustic rendition of the song at Hôtel de Ville, Paris, at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo in tribute to the victims of the January 2015 Île-de-France attacks.{{cite magazine|first=Megan |last=Gibson |url=https://time.com/3671375/james-taylor-john-kerry-paris/ |title=Watch James Taylor Sings "You've Got a Friend" with John Kerry |magazine=Time |date=January 16, 2015 |access-date=July 20, 2016}} King performed the song at the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.{{cite magazine |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jennifer-hudson-natural-woman-carole-king-rock-hall-1250884/ |title=Jennifer Hudson Stuns With Virtuosic 'Natural Woman' During Carole King's Rock Hall Induction |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 30, 2021}}

According to author James D. Perone, the song's themes include an expression of "a universal, sisterly/brotherly, agape-type love of one human being for another, regardless of gender."{{cite book|title=The Words and Music of Carole King|author=Perone, J.D.|page=40|year=2006|publisher=Greenwood Publishing|isbn= 9780275990275}} The "reassuring" lyrics have long made the song popular with lonely people needing a boost of self-confidence.{{cite book|title=Long Ago and Far Away|author=White, T.|page=190|year=2009|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857120069}} The song's messages of friendship having no boundaries and a friend being there when you are in need have universal appeal.{{cite book|title=Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush|url=https://archive.org/details/rocknrollgoldrus00dean|url-access=limited|author=Dean, M.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rocknrollgoldrus00dean/page/n285 254]–255|year=2003|publisher=Algora|isbn=0875862071|author-link=Maury Dean}} The lyrics had particular resonance for Taylor due to the depression he had recovered from shortly before hearing King play the song.{{cite book|title=Fire and Rain: The James Taylor Story|author=Halperin, Ian|pages=128–129|year=2003|publisher=Citadel|isbn=978-0806523484|author-link=Halperin, Ian}} The music moves between a major and minor key, which according to music critic Maury Dean gives it a "sympathetic mood".

In his review of Tapestry, Rolling Stone critic Jon Landau called "You've Got a Friend" King's "most perfect new song".{{cite magazine|title=Tapestry|author=Landau, J.|date=April 29, 1971|access-date=November 28, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/tapestry-184476/|author-link=Jon Landau}} He particularly praised how the melody and lyrics support each other and the "gorgeous, righteous rock melody" of the ending lyrics. Mojo called the song probably "the core of Tapestry".{{cite book|title=The Mojo Collection|edition=4th|chapter=Tapestry|isbn=9781847676436|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&q=%22smackwater+jack%22&pg=PA229|date=November 2007|last1=Magazine |first1=Various Mojo |publisher=Canongate Books }} AllMusic critic Stewart Mason noted the "plainspoken intimacy" of King's performance,{{cite web|title=You've Got a Friend|author=Mason, S.|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/youve-got-a-friend-mt0014884086|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2014-04-22}} writing that the "shyness" of her voice gives her recording a sincerity that he finds Taylor's to lack. Mason also praises the "depth and shading" the string instruments provide on King's recording.

In his review of Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, Rolling Stone critic Ben Gerson called "You've Got a Friend" an "affirmative song" but suggested that Taylor's version was too similar to King's to have been worth including on his album.{{cite magazine|title=Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon|author=Gerson, B.|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/mud-slide-slim-the-blue-horizon-106067/|date=June 24, 1971|access-date=November 28, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone}} Music critic Maury Dean called Taylor's performance style on the song minimalist and folkish and noted his "star-spangled sincerity." Cash Box praised the "tasty material and Taylor's stunning interpretation".{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=June 5, 1971|page=22|accessdate=December 10, 2021|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-06-05.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}} Record World said, "there's no way [Taylor] can miss with this gem."{{cite magazine|title=Picks of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=June 5, 1971|page=1|accessdate=April 22, 2023|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RW-1971-06-05.pdf}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Carole King|title=You've Got A Friend|award=Gold|relyear=1971|certyear=2024|access-date=March 7, 2024}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=James Taylor|title=You've Got a Friend|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=17117-1927-1|access-date=March 29, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=James Taylor|title=You've Got a Friend|award=Gold|relyear=1971|certyear=1971|access-date=March 29, 2021}}

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{{small|Source: {{cite web |url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/32a15869-6f9b-4709-b109-6f21dffa1219 |title="Tapestry – release by Carole King" |website=MusicBrainz |access-date=June 14, 2022}}}}

• Carole King – piano, vocals
• James Taylor – acoustic guitar
• Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar – congas
• Charles Larkey – string bass
• Barry Socher – violin
• David Campbell – viola
• Terry King – cello

• James Taylor – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Danny Kortchmar – acoustic guitar, congas
• Russ Kunkel – drums, congas, cabasa
• Leland Sklar – bass guitar
• Joni Mitchell – backing vocals{{cn|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox song

| name = You've Got a Friend

| cover = Brand_New_Heavies-You've_Got_a_Friend.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = the Brand New Heavies

| album = Shelter

| released = {{start date|1997|10|6}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-10-04.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=37|date=October 4, 1997|access-date=December 6, 2022}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

• Acid jazz
• house

| length = {{duration|m=3|s=27}}

| label = FFRR

| writer = Carole King

| producer = The Brand New Heavies

| prev_title = You Are the Universe

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Shelter

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|r-UAT0N4lo0|"You've Got a Friend"}}}}

}}

"You've Got a Friend" was covered by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies for their fourth album, Shelter (1997), and released as the third single from the album in October 1997. It reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and number 13 in Scotland in October 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/|title=Home Design ~ officialcharts|website=www.officialcharts.com}} The song also peaked within the top 10 in Hungary and was a top 30 hit on the Irish Singles Chart. The group performed the song on the music chart television program Top of the Pops.

Scottish Daily Record felt that here, "[the] London's soul funk band are back on form"."Chart Slot". Daily Record. October 24, 1997. A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, declaring it as "a soulful cover", that "should have their usual specialist impact as well as crossover success."{{cite magazine|first=|last=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-27.pdf|title=Reviews: Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=September 27, 1997|page=33|accessdate=September 13, 2022}} Alan Jones stated, "Recruiting Siedah Garrett has given the Brand New Heavies a new lease of life."{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-13.pdf|title=Talking Music|magazine=Music Week|date=September 13, 1997|page=14|accessdate=September 13, 2022}} Daisy & Havoc from the RM Dance Update named it "one of the best tracks on the recent BNH album (which either says something about their songwriting or our age), and now it appears with the compulsory remixes."{{cite magazine|author=Daisy & Havoc|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-20.pdf|title=Hot Vinyl|magazine=Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental Insert)|date=September 20, 1997|page=8|accessdate=September 13, 2022}}

• CD single, UK and Europe (1997)

1. "You've Got a Friend" (radio version)
2. "You Are the Universe" (recorded live at The Forum)
3. "Midnight at the Oasis" (recorded live at The Forum)
4. "Sometimes" (recorded live at The Forum)

• CD single, UK and Europe (1997)

1. "You've Got a Friend" (radio version) – 3:27
2. "You've Got a Friend" (Brooklyn Funk R&B mix) – 4:58
3. "You've Got a Friend" (Ballistic Brothers mix) – 5:00
4. "You've Got a Friend" (Brooklyn Funk club mix) – 4:54
5. "You've Got a Friend" (Tee's club mix) – 6:27
6. "You've Got a Friend" (original mix) – 3:48

{{Infobox song

| name = You've Got a Friend

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = McFly

| album = Wonderland

| A-side = All About You

| B-side = Room on the 3rd Floor

| released = {{start date|2005|3|7}}{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=23|date=March 5, 2005}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:38

| label =

• Island
• Universal

| writer = Carole King

| producer = Hugh Padgham

| prev_title = Room on the 3rd Floor

| prev_year = 2004

| title = All About You

| title2 = You've Got a Friend

| next_title = I'll Be OK

| next_year = 2005

}}

In 2005, English pop rock band McFly released their version of the song as a double A-side single along with their original song "All About You". The band's first double A-side single, it was released on March 7, 2005, as the lead single from their second studio album, Wonderland (2005). The single was the official Comic Relief charity single for 2005, with all royalties being donated to the charity. The single was also used to promote Make Poverty History.

The single peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart as well as in Ireland. Having sold over 536,000 copies in the UK, "All About You"/"You've Got a Friend" is McFly's best-selling single and received a platinum sales status certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales and streams exceeding 600,000 units.

The single debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, giving McFly their third UK number-one single, as well as their fifth top-five hit in less than a year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4345803.stm|title=Comic Relief song tops the chart|date=March 13, 2005|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|accessdate=August 30, 2015}} It debuted at number one, only to be knocked off the top spot the following week by the unofficial Comic Relief single "Is This the Way to Amarillo", by Tony Christie and (mimed by) Peter Kay.

The music video for "You've Got a Friend" was shot on location in Uganda. The band spent a week there in January 2005 for Comic Relief. The video sees McFly with the children of Uganda, playing with them, performing for them, and teaching them to sing. Towards the end of the video, McFly's vocals are removed for a chorus sung by the children.

UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=All About You / You've Got a Friend|year=2005|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records, Universal Records|id=MCSTD40409, 987 063-0}}

1. "All About You"
2. "You've Got a Friend"
3. "Room on the 3rd Floor"
4. "All About You" (orchestral version)
5. "All About You" (video)

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=McFly|title=All About You|award=Platinum|relyear=2005|certyear=2017|id=366-1409-1|salesamount=536,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/girlbands-vs-boybands-their-biggest-songs-of-the-century-revealed__16965/|title=Girlbands vs Boybands – their biggest songs of the century revealed|last=Myers|first=Justin|date=November 5, 2016|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=November 6, 2016}}}}

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Dusty Springfield recorded the song in early 1971 during the sessions for her third Atlantic Records album, Faithful. Her recording predates James Taylor's, but was shelved until 1999, when it was included as a bonus track on the 1999 Deluxe Edition of her first Atlantic album, Dusty in Memphis (which contains four Carole King compositions). Faithful went unreleased due to disputes between Springfield and Atlantic, but the sessions were issued as a standalone album in 2015.

The song (and two others from Tapestry: "Beautiful" and "Where You Lead") appear on Barbra Streisand's 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand.

The song was recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway for their 1972 album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway and was released as the album's first single. The single was released a year before the album and, coincidentally, on the same date as Taylor's single: May 29, 1971. The Flack and Hathaway version reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the R&B chart.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=206}}

Aretha Franklin recorded the song three times. The first and best-known was her 1972 live gospel performance Amazing Grace, as part of a medley with "Precious Lord, Take My Hand". She then recorded the song on Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King in 1995 alongside BeBe & CeCe Winans, and in 2010 as a duet with Ronald Isley on his album Mr. I.

In 1973 or 1974, the Cambodian singer Pou Vannary covered the song with the lyrics translated into Khmer.{{cite web |last1=Scheck |first1=Frank |title='Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll': Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/dont-think-ive-forgotten-cambodias-790752 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=July 31, 2018 |date=April 22, 2015}} Vannary's rendition is featured on the 2015 documentary film Don't Think I've Forgotten soundtrack.{{cite AV media|people=Pirozzi, John (director, producer), Andrew Pope (producer)|date=2015|medium=film|title=Don't Think I've Forgotten|publisher=Argot Pictures|language=en, km}}

King, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Gloria Estefan performed "You've Got a Friend" at the VH1 Divas Live concert at the Beacon Theatre, New York, in 1998. It was released as a promotional single in selected countries, reaching number 74 on the Belgian Flanders Airplay Chart on December 15, 1998.{{cite book | author=Jaspers, Sam| title=Ultratop 1995-2005 | publisher=Book & Media Publishing| year=2006 | isbn=90-5720-232-8}}

Lynn Anderson released a country version of the song on her 1971 studio album How Can I Unlove You.

{{reflist}}

{{James Taylor}}

{{Carole King}}

{{Celine Dion songs}}

{{Michael Jackson songs}}

{{Andy Williams}}

{{Donny Hathaway}}

{{Javine Hylton}}

{{The Brand New Heavies}}

{{McFly}}

{{Navboxes

|title = Awards for "You've Got a Friend"

|titlestyle = background: lightblue

|list1 =

{{Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1970s}}

{{Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance}}

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Category:1971 songs

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