You’ve Got a Friend

Track 2 on Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon

Producer

“You’ve Got a Friend” was originally written by Carole King and featured on her album Tapestry. Both Carole and James' versions of the song were recorded in 1971. At the… Read More

Apr. 19711 viewer73.7K views

You’ve Got a Friend Lyrics

When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, oh, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh, yeah, baby
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer, or fall
All you got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind
Should begin to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud now
Soon I be knocking
Upon your door

You just call out my name
And you know where ever I am
I'll come running, oh, yes I will
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer, or fall yeah
All you got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah

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Hey, ain't it good to know
That you've got a friend?
People can be so cold
They'll hurt you
And desert you
Well, they'll take your soul
If you let them
Oh yeah, but don't you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running
To see you again, oh baby, don't you know about
Winter, spring, summer, or fall
Ain't now all you got to do is call
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will
You've got a friend

You've got a friend, yes
Ain't it good to know
You've got a friend
Ain't it good to know
You've got a friend
Oh yeah yeah
You've got a friend

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About

“You’ve Got a Friend” was originally written by Carole King and featured on her album Tapestry.

Both Carole and James' versions of the song were recorded in 1971. At the time, Carole’s album was recorded in an overlap with James' album.

In an interview in 1972, Carole said 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.”

During the song’s recording, James offered the song to his then-Apple Records labelmate Mary Hopkin a chance to record “You’ve Got a Friend,” but she turned it down & later said she strongly regretted it.

James' version of “You’ve Got a Friend” became a hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening chart for a week in July of 1971.