Twelve beautifully written songs about friendship that are truly uplifting and inspiring. Share any of your favorites if you think they are left out. Enjoy these with your friends.
1. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel 1970
It is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list. It won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, as well as for Best Engineered Recording, while its title track won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in the Grammy Awards of 1971. It has since sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
A soul song written by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, and Willie Hutch, which resulted in two U.S. #1 hit singles: the original 1970 recording by American vocal quintet The Jackson 5 and a 1992 live version by American R&B singers Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz. The Jackson 5 interpretation was recorded for Motown Records, and released as the first single from their Third Album in 1969. Produced by the songwriters, "I'll Be There" was The Jackson 5's fourth #1 hit in a row ("I Want You Back", "ABC", and "The Love You Save"), making them the first black male group to achieve four consecutive #1 pop hits. "I'll Be There" is also notable as the most successful single released by Motown during its "Detroit era" (1959–1972).
"With a Little Help from My Friends" (originally titled "A Little Help from My Friends") is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. The song was written for and sung by The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr as the character "Billy Shears"; it is ranked #304 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
4. “You've Got a Friend” by James Taylor – 1971
This is a song from 1971, originally written and performed by Carole King. It was included in her album Tapestry of 1971, but was made famous by James Taylor's cover version the same year. Taylor's rendition, released as a single from his own 1971 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The James Taylor version also spent one week at the top of the Easy Listening charts. "You've Got a Friend" won Grammy Awards both for Taylor (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and King (Song of the Year). Joni Mitchell sings harmony.
Song written and released by Bill Withers in 1972. It was his first and only number one on both the soul singles and the Billboard Hot 100. It is ranked number 205 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Numerous cover versions have been recorded, and it is one of only nine songs to have scored No. 1 with versions recorded by two different artists. Withers' childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia was the inspiration for "Lean on Me", which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown. He lived in a decrepit house in the poor section of town.
R&B group Club Nouveau covered the song and took it to number one for two weeks on the Billboard charts in 1987. It also scored number one on the dance charts, and won a Grammy award in 1987 for Bill Withers, as the writer, for Best R&B Song.
Written by Andrew Gold, who recorded it for his third album, All This and Heaven Too. The single version reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978.
7. “That's What Friends Are For” by Dionne Warwick and Friends – 1986
The song is far better known for its cover version by Dionne Warwick and Friends. A one-off collaboration featuring Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder released as a charity single in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1985, it was recorded as a benefit for American Foundation for AIDS Research, and raised over US$3 million for that cause. The tune peaked at number one for three weeks on the soul chart and for four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, interestingly becoming the final US number one for all in January 1986 and became Billboard's number one single of 1986. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 1/15/1986 by the R.I.A.A.
8. “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler – 1989
Sometimes titled "The Wind Beneath My Wings is written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad. Silbar and Henley then shopped the song to many artists, eventually resulting in Roger Whittaker becoming the first to release the song commercially. It appeared on his 1982 studio album, also titled Wind Beneath My Wings.
9. “I'll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts – 1995
Recorded by the American pop rock duo The Rembrandts. It is best known as the theme song to the American sitcom Friends, which premiered during 1994 and ended in 2004. The song was also released as the first single from the group's third studio album LP.
10. “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae – 2006
Song by English soul singer–songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae from her debut album, Corinne Bailey Rae (2006). Written by Rae, John Beck, and Steve Chrisanthou, it was released as the album's second single in February and early March 2006 throughout Europe and as the lead single in North America. Released as the album's second single, "Put Your Records On" was a commercial success. It topped the UK R&B Chart and Top 2 in UK Singles Chart. The song has since become a major worldwide hit, and along with Top 70 in the United States.
11. “Umbrella” by Rihanna – 2007
Recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. Written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and produced by Stewart for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). The song was originally written for recording artist Britney Spears, who rejected it. "Umbrella" is a contemporary R&B, hip hop, and dance-pop song and lyrically it refers to a romantic and platonic relationship and the strength of that relationship. It is generally considered Rihanna's signature song.
12. “STAND BY ME” by Ben E. King
Originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3. There have been over 400 recorded versions of "Stand by Me", including versions by John Lennon, Lady GaGa, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, U2, Usher, Elton John, Pennywise and Prince Royce.
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