Released unissued Label Vocalion | Genre Blues Writer(s) Robert Johnson | |
Recorded San Antonio, Texas
Monday, November 23, 1936 | ||
"When You Get A Good Friend" is a blues song recorded on November 23, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas by legendary bluesman 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. Both takes are included on the album The Complete Recordings. A cover of this song was also features on Eric Clapton's 2004 album Me and Mr. Johnson.
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.