When You Got a Good Friend explained

When You Got a Good Friend
Artist:Robert Johnson
Album:King of the Delta Blues Singers
Recorded:November 23, 1936
Studio:Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, Texas
Genre:Blues
Label:Columbia
Producer:Don Law

"When You Got a Good Friend" is a blues song recorded on November 23, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas, by Robert Johnson. The song was unissued until 1961, when it was included on the LP King of the Delta Blues Singers.

Johnson performed the song in the key of E, and recorded two takes, the second of which was used for the LP.[1] Both takes are included on the album The Complete Recordings.

The song uses the melody made popular by the hit record M & O Blues by Walter Davis. Johnson composed two songs to this melody - "Ramblin' On My Mind" and "When You Got A Good Friend" - with different musical approaches and different guitar tunings, although both were in the key of E.[2]

Eric Clapton recorded the song for the 2004 album Me and Mr. Johnson.

Notes and References

  1. Dixon, Robert M. W., John Godrich, & Howard Rye (1997) Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943 Fourth edition, Oxford University Press,
  2. Komara, Edward (2007). The Road to Robert Johnson, The genesis and evolution of blues in the Delta from the late 1800s through 1938. pp. 47-48. Hal Leonard.