Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

There’s More To The Story Behind The Song “You’ve Got a Friend”

by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Written by Carole King, “You’ve Got a Friend” became the biggest and most popular hit for James Taylor, who was only twenty-three years old then. It was released as the first single off his 1971 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart – making it his only No. 1 in America. 

King has also recorded her own version that same year off her album Tapestry, which would eventually make her a colossal star. Interestingly, both artists won big during the 1971 Grammy Awards for the same song. Taylor snagged the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance while King took home Song of the Year. Over the years, several notable artists recorded “You’ve Got a Friend” – this includes Anne Murray, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, and Dusty Springfield.

The Story Behind The Song

According to James Taylor, Carole King told him that “You’ve Got a Friend” was a response to his 1970 breakout single “Fire and Rain.” On the chorus, Taylor sings, “I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend” – and the young singer wasn’t kidding at all. 

Taylor had plenty of struggles when he recorded that song, and what he went through were not the ones we often easily associate with folk singers. First of all, Taylor was suffering from depression so severe it sent him to the hospital. He’s also been battling with heroin addiction for quite some time. And during a motorcycle crash, Taylor had broken a whole lot of bones. All of that can be found in “Fire and Rain,” a pleasant song for such horrible times.

King heard that sad line about not finding a friend and responded in the most touching way. She wrote, “You’ve Got A Friend,” a sweet and simple song about total empathy. It’s about a friend making the promise to always be around and help out.

“You just call out my name. And you know wherever I am. I’ll come running to see you again. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call, and I’ll be there. You’ve got a friend,” the song goes.

Taylor heard “You’ve Got a Friend” for the first time in November 1970 while playing a week of shows at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. By this time, Taylor’s second studio album Sweet Baby James had taken off, helping him to draw such large crowds. Taylor then asked his good friend Carole King to be his opening act. Though King was hesitant in the beginning as she wasn’t used to playing her own songs live and easily gets very nervous, she still happily obliged!

While doing some soundchecks, King played “You’ve Got a Friend” and Taylor listened on the balcony.

Not long after, during Taylor’s recording session for his Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon album, Taylor recalled, “We had already cut two songs that day, but we still had studio time and a lot of energy. Peter [Asher] said, “Well, why don’t you play ‘You’ve Got a Friend’?” We did, and it sounded great.” 

The only problem was that Taylor and his team did not ask for King’s permission. “I sheepishly called her up and said, ‘We didn’t really mean to do it, but we’ve recorded ‘You’ve Got a Friend,” and she said, ‘Fine, go ahead, put it out,’ which was remarkably generous,” Taylor added.

Four decades later, during Taylor and King’s Troubadour Reunion Tour, the two talented singers performed “You’ve Got a Friend” together and had the crowd cheering on their feet at the end. Indeed, this is one of the most enduring songs in music history. You can listen to it in the video below.

 

Latest Stories

Allie Colleen performs on stage with a big smile and acoustic guitar, showing confidence and independence as she builds her music career on her own terms—far from her father Garth Brooks’ shadow.

Garth Brooks’ Daughter Says She Doesn’t Represent Him and Wants No Part of His Shadow

In a world where name-dropping can open every door in Nashville, Allie Colleen is out here trying to slam it shut. The 28-year-old country artist and youngest daughter of Garth ...

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert Moved On, But Did They Ever Make Amends?

Country music fans watched their fairytale unfold like a damn movie until the credits rolled too soon, and the lights came up on something way messier. Blake Shelton and Miranda ...

Gwen Stefani smiles at Blake Shelton on the red carpet of the Academy of Country Music Awards—despite new song lyrics fueling speculation about trouble in their marriage.

Gwen Stefani’s New Song Is Stirring Talk of Marriage Trouble With Blake Shelton and It’s Not Just the Lyrics

It doesn’t take much to set the rumor mill spinning, but Gwen Stefani just handed it a full tank of gas and a match. Her new single “Still Gonna Love ...

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban smile on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, showing off their unshakable bond—even if a professional collaboration isn’t on the table.

Nicole Kidman Reveals Disappointing News About Keith Urban and Why They Won’t Work Together

Hollywood’s favorite Aussie power couple just crushed a longtime fan dream with one word. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban may have the kind of private fairy tale that gives tabloid ...

Cody Johnson performs at an outdoor concert in front of an American flag, shown here during a previous show, before he paused his Tailgate N Tallboys set to address anti-Trump protests and lead the crowd in a "God Bless America" sing-along.

Cody Johnson Blasts Anti-Trump Protests and His Crowd Responds With a “God Bless America” Sing-Along

Cody Johnson doesn’t tiptoe. He stomps. During his June 14 stop at the Tailgate N Tallboys festival in Bloomington, Illinois, CoJo grabbed the mic, hit pause on the hits, and ...

HARDY performing live onstage in the U.S., shown here during a past show, ahead of canceling the European leg of his Jim Bob World Tour to prioritize family and crew.

HARDY Cancels European Leg of Jim Bob World Tour Ahead of First-Ever Headlining Dates

The long-awaited European run for HARDY’s Jim Bob World Tour just hit the brakes, and fans across the pond are understandably bummed. On the morning of June 16, HARDY dropped ...

Billy Ray Cyrus stands on the red carpet in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, unintentionally becoming the center of family drama after Trace Cyrus called him out online.

Trace Cyrus Blasts Billy Ray for Skipping Grandma’s Funeral to Chase Fame and It’s About as Ugly as It Gets

When your son calls you “the l𝐚mest man to ever walk planet earth,” it’s safe to say things have gone past the point of no return. Trace Cyrus is not ...

Holly Dunn performs passionately under soft stage lights with her guitar in hand, capturing the emotion behind her heartfelt classic “Daddy’s Hands.”

Holly Dunn Wrote “Daddy’s Hands” for Her Dad and Somehow Spoke for an Entire Generation

This is the kind of song that makes grown men stare out the truck window in silence and pretend it’s just the pollen getting to them. When Holly Dunn wrote ...

Oliver Anthony belts out raw heartbreak in a dimly lit studio session, his face scrunched in pain, strumming a resonator guitar with the kind of fury only divorce can fuel.

Oliver Anthony Poured His Divorce Hell Into “Scornful Woman” and It’s Flat-Out Devastating

You can smell the smoke coming off this one before the first note even hits. Oliver Anthony isn’t one for PR gloss or neatly packaged pain. He’s raw, gravel-throated, and ...

Brad Paisley strums his guitar under a spotlight—looking like he’s about to sing the song that breaks every stepdad’s heart wide open. Not the original performance, but you can feel the same lump in your throat.

Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be” Is the Ultimate Tribute to Men Who Chose to Be Dad

It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you, then hits like a freight train made of soft memories and old regrets. Before Brad Paisley was co-hosting the CMAs ...