You've Got a Friend is a 1971 song written by Carole King and first recorded by her for the album Tapestry. It was written during January 1971 recording sessions when James Taylor was also making Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, and the two versions were recorded at the same time with some shared musicians. The Carole King version is soft rock and runs 5:09, while James Taylor's version on Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon runs 4:29 and features backing vocals by Joni Mitchell. Taylor's single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four in the UK, and King’s version became a major hit as well. The song won Grammys in 1972 for Song of the Year (King) and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (Taylor). In 2001 and 2002, Taylor’s and King’s versions were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The lyrics express a universal, unconditional friendship and the song has been covered by many artists over the years.
