4 Fabulous Songs About Friendship From Rock Legends

Compared to the number of songs written about romantic relationships, songs about friendship make up a relatively tiny portion of the overall pop music catalog. Nonetheless, there have been some gems about the topic over the years.

These four songs come from legendary rock artists. And they all capture friendship in all its complexity and warmth.

“Rockin’ Chair” by The Band

The Band approached their music at a slightly different angle than most of the rest of their peers in the late 60s. Many artists were singing about the counterculture cutting free of the older generation. But with “Rockin’ Chair”, songwriter Robbie Robertson takes a tender look at the autumn years. And in so doing, he also paints a lovely portrait of a friendship that had endured through the years. The narrator addresses his best friend Willie throughout the song. You get the sense that these two have had their share of adventures in the past. Now, as time ebbs, they want to enjoy some quieter times as well. And, of course, they would like to spend them together.

“Two Of Us” by The Beatles

On occasion, the performance of a song might overwhelm the meaning that the songwriter intended. Paul McCartney wrote “Two Of Us” as a tribute to his relationship with his wife Linda, who was always ready to take a getaway with him. That quality appealed to Paul as he dealt with friction within The Beatles. But when he took the song to the band, he structured it so that he and John Lennon would sing in close two-part harmony. Because of that, the lyrics transformed into a testament to two friends who can enjoy time spent doing nothing particularly exciting at all. The lines in the middle eight about the memories of the past outstretching future experiences are quite relevant to the Lennon/McCartney partnership.

“Waiting On A Friend” by The Rolling Stones

Mick Jagger has never been the overly sentimental type. As such, you won’t find too many instances of him talking up his friendship with Keith Richards. And Richards has certainly taken his share of potshots at Jagger over the years. But there must be some sort of bond that’s kept them joined at the musical hip for over 60 years. Maybe you can hear the evidence in “Waiting On A Friend”, the closing song on Tattoo You. Interestingly, that album’s reliance on old, unused music originated partly from the fact that The Glimmer Twins weren’t getting along all that well at the time. But the song makes you believe that the friendship between these two guys outweighs everything else.

“Bobby Jean” by Bruce Springsteen

Give credit to Bruce Springsteen for writing one of the most honest songs about friendship in “Bobby Jean”. We’ll even cut him some slack for obfuscating the song’s true meaning by choosing a female-sounding name for the titular character, leading some to believe it’s about romance. He was actually writing about his friendship with Steven Van Zandt. At the time, it was under duress due to Little Steven’s decision to leave the E Street Band during the making of Born In The U.S.A. Some of the hurt Springsteen was feeling about that turn of events is evident in the lyrics. But ultimately, the narrator chooses reconciliation, wishing his buddy well wherever he might be traveling on the cosmic highway.

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