10 Best Songs About Friends

It is hard to limit the list of 10 best songs about friends to just ten songs. Countless friendship songs have been written through the years in every music genre. Everyone can relate to the friendship theme and everyone has a favorite song. Here are the ten best songs about friends that have stood the test of time.

1. James Taylor: "You’ve Got a Friend" (1971). Carole King wrote and recorded this song in 1971, but James Taylor’s cover version made it famous. Many musicians have covered this mellow tune through the years. "Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend?"
2. The Beatles: "With a Little Help From My Friends" (1967). Beatles drummer Ringo Starr sang this song for the Billy Shears alias on the "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. It is the most popular rock song about friends. Joe Cocker released a hit cover version in 1968.
3. The Rembrandts: "I’ll Be There For You" (1995). The Rembrandts released this friendship song in 1995 as the first single from their "LP" album. This power-pop tune is best known as the theme song for the TV series "Friends." It celebrates the humor in friendship.
4. Bill Withers: "Lean on Me" (1972). Soul legend Bill Withers introduced this song early in the 1970s and it soon became a standard. It is one of the most popular songs about friends. The song has a very broad appeal, as most people can relate to the lyrics. Club Nouveau released a hit dance version in 1987.
5. Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett: "You’ve Got a Friend in Me" (1995). The 1995 animated film "Toy Story" introduced one of the ten best songs about friends. Who doesn’t admire the friendship and loyalty shared between Buzz and Woody? The tenth anniversary DVD edition of the film features a music video with Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett.
6. Ben E. King: "Stand By Me" (1961). Soul legend Ben E. King wrote this song for the Drifters who passed on the chance to record it. King’s version was a Top Ten hit on the U.S. charts twice (once with its original release and then again in 1986 with its re-release). "Rolling Stone Magazine" listed this song as one of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
7. Queen: "You’re My Best Friend" (1976). Queen’s bass guitarist, John Deacon, wrote this song for his wife. Freddie Mercury provided the vocals. This song about friends was the follow-up single to "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the album "A Night at the Opera."
8. Tim McGraw: "My Best Friend" (1999). Country musician Tim McGraw released this single in 1999 from his album "A Place in the Sun." It describes his emotions toward his significant other, who is not only the love of his life, but his best friend.
9. Andrew Gold: "Thank You For Being a Friend" (1978). Songwriter and musician Andrew Gold introduced this pop song in the late 1970s. Cindy Fee’s version made the song well known as the theme for the "Golden Girls" TV series.
10. Bette Midler: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1989). This one rounds out the list of top 10 songs about friends. Roger Whittaker originally recorded this song in 1982. Gary Morris made it a country music hit in 1983. But Bette Midler’s cover for the "Beaches" soundtrack is the most popular version.