James Taylor — You've Got A Friend
Album: Mud Slide Slim and the Blue HorizonAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1001
Length: 4:26
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When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, oh, nothing is going right,
Just close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night
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've 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 now
And call my name out loud now
Soon I'll be knocking upon your door
You just call out my name
And, you know, wherever I am
I'll come running (Oh, yes I will)
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you've got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah yes
Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They'll hurt you and desert you
Well, they take your soul if you let them
Oh, 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 'bout)
Winter, spring, summer or fall
(Hey Now) All you've got to do is call
I'll be there, yes
You've got a friend
You've got a friend
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, oh, nothing is going right,
Just close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night
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've 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 now
And call my name out loud now
Soon I'll be knocking upon your door
You just call out my name
And, you know, wherever I am
I'll come running (Oh, yes I will)
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you've got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah yes
Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They'll hurt you and desert you
Well, they take your soul if you let them
Oh, 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 'bout)
Winter, spring, summer or fall
(Hey Now) All you've got to do is call
I'll be there, yes
You've got a friend
You've got a friend
Comments (22)add comment
I am not a real JT fan, but this version is excellent. It is a great song and well-executed.
Cynaera wrote:
Wow. I was expecting several pages of comments... So, okay. I was lying in bed, listening to the local A.M. radio station at 9:20 p.m., and the song was this one. For some reason, there was no music, just the vocal (I assume the lack of background music was because it's an AM station, so if there's stuff in one speaker and not in another, the one speaker gets less volume - but I could be wrong...)
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
This song only works when your radio is really cheap.
Leland Sklar's bass playing is so great on this and many other James Taylor tracks (among the 100s of artists he's played for)
Haven't heard this for a long long while and makes me realize once again what a wonderful tune this is......
Sounds sooo cheesy to my ears.
One of my favorite LPs from my early teen years. Thanks for playing something from it but why not Machine gun kelly or Close Your Eyes? Anything that wasn't played to death on the radio. The entire LP is great.
S M A C K .
radiotoe wrote:
And this album in particular. Gorgeous. And I'm not even a Tarheel (just a mere carpetbagger in the Triangle for a couple years...).
JT holds a special place in this aging Tarheel's heart. 
And this album in particular. Gorgeous. And I'm not even a Tarheel (just a mere carpetbagger in the Triangle for a couple years...).
JT holds a special place in this aging Tarheel's heart.
Thank you, Carole! What a great song! James...you did pretty nice justice.
Got to be one of the funniest sketches they ever did on Saturday Night Live.
This song, always, makes me happy.
And, as has been noted, there are many many covers. My favorite is Vincent Price on the Muppet Show.
And, as has been noted, there are many many covers. My favorite is Vincent Price on the Muppet Show.
One of the most beautiful song ever wrote... Special feeling when i hear it !
Tangential remark, does the beginning remind anyone else of "In My Life"?
He is SUCH a friend and such a great artist!
Probably can't claim it anymore but there was a time I knew every single word of every single JT song from Flying Machine all the way through New Moon Shine. Yes, even the ones from One Man Dog.
Cynaera wrote:
Well then, Ann, that CERTAINLY beats anything I had to say about this song. And even 40+ years later, this gem of a "soft rock" song can make folks FEEL (better/something/anything?) like they're loved. I'm at a 9 on this old classic. Long Live RP and keep bumping the Cynaera posts, folks!!
Wow. I was expecting several pages of comments... So, okay. I was lying in bed, listening to the local A.M. radio station at 9:20 p.m., and the song was this one. For some reason, there was no music, just the vocal (I assume the lack of background music was because it's an AM station, so if there's stuff in one speaker and not in another, the one speaker gets less volume - but I could be wrong...)
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
Well then, Ann, that CERTAINLY beats anything I had to say about this song. And even 40+ years later, this gem of a "soft rock" song can make folks FEEL (better/something/anything?) like they're loved. I'm at a 9 on this old classic. Long Live RP and keep bumping the Cynaera posts, folks!!
"Listen, Aldrin, I'm not as laidback as people think. So here's the deal: I'm gonna play and you're gonna float there and like it"
https://youtu.be/w9vRy6Zi3sw?t=28s
https://youtu.be/w9vRy6Zi3sw?t=28s
dingusbother wrote:
Plus 1
Why not more James on Radio Paradise? Seems like a no-brainer.
One of the few Godlikes ...
One of the few Godlikes ...
Plus 1
Cynaera wrote:
Wow. I was expecting several pages of comments... So, okay. I was lying in bed, listening to the local A.M. radio station at 9:20 p.m., and the song was this one. For some reason, there was no music, just the vocal (I assume the lack of background music was because it's an AM station, so if there's stuff in one speaker and not in another, the one speaker gets less volume - but I could be wrong...)
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
Thanks Cynaera!Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
Why not more James on Radio Paradise? Seems like a no-brainer.
One of the few Godlikes ...
One of the few Godlikes ...
Wow. I was expecting several pages of comments... So, okay. I was lying in bed, listening to the local A.M. radio station at 9:20 p.m., and the song was this one. For some reason, there was no music, just the vocal (I assume the lack of background music was because it's an AM station, so if there's stuff in one speaker and not in another, the one speaker gets less volume - but I could be wrong...)
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.
Anyway, I just had a meatgrinder of a day, and I was hoping to sink into slumber with some innocuous AM radio tunes, and this song played on a cheap radio with one speaker lacking. And all I was able to hear was the vocal, and it was still so beautiful and evocative that any background music was unnecessary.
I've heard the song in various forms, by various artists. I've played it on the guitar, back in the day... But tonight, this night, it was special and poignant for me. Maybe because of the venue (a cheap AM-FM radio), or maybe because of the way it came through for me after all the other ways I've heard it. Whatever the explanation, I had to get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe, log on to my computer, and type this because James Taylor singing "You've Got A Friend" without any music whatsoever is still enough to make me get out of bed, wrap myself in a warm robe...
Well, you get it. And if you don't get it, it doesn't matter.