You've got a friend
| You've got a friend | |
|---|---|
| Carole King | |
| publication | January 30, 1971 |
| length | 5:09 |
| Genre (s) | Folk pop |
| Author (s) | Carole King |
| Publisher (s) | Ode |
| album | Tapestry |
| Cover version | |
| 1971 | James Taylor |
You've Got a Friend is a song by Carole King . The piece, written by King, was released on their 1971 album Tapestry . The song only became known through the James Taylor version, which was also released in 1971 on his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon . His version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK singles chart .
The song won two Grammy Awards . One received King in the "Song of the Year" category and the other Taylor in the "Best Male Vocal Performance of the Year - Pop" category. The piece was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .
Well-known cover versions
The piece has been included in their repertoire by numerous singers of different genres .
Dusty Springfield version
Even before Taylor, Dusty Springfield covered the song for their third album on Atlantic Records , but neither album nor single were released because of a dispute between Springfield and the record company. Finally, in 1999, shortly after Springfield's death, the single on a deluxe set of Springfield's 1968 album Dusty in Memphis was released as a bonus track on the Rhino Records label.
VH1 Divas version
On April 14, 1998, Celine Dion , Shania Twain , Gloria Estefan and Carole King sang the piece at the VH1 Divas Live concert at the Beacon Theater in New York City . On October 6, the version was released on CD and DVD, where Mariah Carey and Aretha Franklin could also be heard. Aretha Franklin covered the song one more time, but alone.
Live versions
There are also numerous live versions of the song that were released, such as by Donny Hathaway on his 1972 live album These Songs for You, Live! . Barry Manilow sang the song with Melissa Manchester on his album Duets . Japanese singer-songwriter Onitsuka Chihiro interpreted You've Got a Friend on their tour in 2008 and released their live version on the DVD Nine dirts and Snow White Flickers .
More cover versions
A selection of the cover recordings of You've Got a Friend :
- Country singer Lynn Anderson on her album How Can I Unlive You
- LaVern Baker on her album Woke Up This Mornin '
- Jazz clarinetist Acker Bilk on his album All the Hits Plus More
- Petula Clark on her album Live in London
- Reggae musician Jimmy Cliff on his Humanitarian album
- Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus on his album Home at Last
- Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald on her album Ella in London
- Roberta Flack on her albums Heavy Soul and Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
- Al Green on his Soul Survivor album
- Ofra Haza on her 1997 album Ofra Haza
- The Housemartins on their album Now That's What I Call Quite Good
- Michael Jackson on his album Got to Be There
- Tom Jones on his album … Sings the Ballads
- McFly on their album Wonderland
- Mantovani on his album Magical Moods of Mantovani
- Johnny Mathis on his album You've Got a Friend
- Mina sang the song in Italian on her album Cinquemilaquarantatre
- Lucio Dalla took an instrumental version for his album Lucio Dalla (Q Disc) on
- Anne Murray for her album Talk It Over in the Morning
- Vincent Price sang the piece on an episode of the Muppet Show
- Cliff Richard on his Wanted album
- Stanisław Sojka on his live album Do Not Cry
- Barbra Streisand on her album Barbra Joan Streisand
- Andy Williams on his album The Andy Williams Show / You've Got a Friend
- Bebi Dol on their album Bebi Dol
- Barry Manilow and Melissa Manchester on their album The Greatest Songs of the Seventies
- The Singers Unlimited , acappella version on the album Feelings
- Brand New Heavies on their album Shelter
- Stacey Kent on her album The Boy Next Door
- Chameleons Vocal Ensemble on the Church Tour 09 album
- Andrea Corr as a bonus track for the album Lifelines
- Prince didn't release a cover version, but named You've Got a Friend as one of 55 songs that inspired him musically.