QuaranTune #23: "You've Got a Friend" from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

A show tune a day keeps the quarantine blues at bay...

Today's #QuaranTune is one of the most 'Beautiful' pop tunes ever to be written. Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" could be described as the cornerstone of the 2014 Broadway tuner Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, but it was written way back in 1971 and recorded as part of King's iconic "Tapestry" album.

The tune took home the Grammy Award for "Song of the Year" and was also released as a single (performed by James Taylor), reaching the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical staged its world premiere at San Francisco's Curran Theatre in October 2013 ahead of a Broadway premiere at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, officially opening on January 12, 2014. The cast was led, of course, by Broadway favorite Jessie Mueller, who won the Tony Award for 'Best Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role In A Musical' for her portrayal of the titular character. After almost six years on the Great White Way, the hit bio-musical played its final performance on October 27, 2019.

Check out this beautiful version of "You've Got a Friend" performed by the worldwide casts of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, including original Broadway star Jessie Mueller, alongside Abby Mueller, Chilina Kennedy, Kara Lindsay, and many more...

And here's the moment, Carole King herself surprised the Broadway cast during a curtain call at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre with an impromptu rendition of "You've Got a Friend"...

When you're down and troubled, and you need some love and care, and nothing, nothing is going right. Close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there, to brighten up even your darkest night.
(Carole King, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical)

^{(Photo by Joan Marcus)}