James Taylor's Only No. 1 Hit Is A 1971 Cover With A Whole Lot Of Heart

Insightful 1970s singer-songwriter James Taylor went to No. 1 on the pop chart just once in his career, and it was with his sweet and earnest take on an emerging classic about friendship written by a real-life friend. 

In July 1971, Taylor topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week with "You've Got a Friend," which had been recently composed and originated by Carole King. A song that's blunt, generous, and revelatory with its emotional heft, "You've Got a Friend" is a song from 1971 that nails the meaning of life. It's a love song of a different kind, swearing undying, unconditional support and devotion from a non-romantic entity. "When you're down and troubled / And you need a helping hand," Taylor promises (channeling King), "Close your eyes and think of me / And soon I will be there / To brighten up even your darkest nights."

It's a remarkably raw and honest tune, and the innate sentiment and Taylor's gentle execution connected with millions of listeners. Here's the warm and friendly story of the rise of "You've Got a Friend," a song for friends that's also by friends.

The tragic real-life story of James Taylor also included a lot of enduring and affecting guitar ballads. But one of Taylor's few career standouts that he didn't write is the only song of his to ever go to No. 1 on the pop chart: "You've Got a Friend." Taylor's relationship with Carole King was one of deep friendship and mutual professional respect. Both dominated the folky singer-songwriter scene of the early 1970s, and Taylor was enchanted and moved by "You've Got a Friend" when he experienced King perform her composition at Los Angeles's famed Troubadour. "As soon as I heard it I said, 'Man that's just it. That's a great, great song,'" Taylor recalled in a 2021 interview with CNN. Lucking into some extra studio time while making his 1971 LP "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon," James asked and received permission from King to record "You've Got a Friend."

King was also preparing "You've Got a Friend" for release. It appeared on her 1971 album "Tapestry," which hit stores two months before "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon." Taylor's was the one released as a single, and it reached No. 1 in a form that King characterized as "perfect." King's version wasn't a hit on its own, but both recordings of "You've Got a Friend" contributed to the songwriter taking home the song of the year prize at the Grammy Awards.