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Feeling alone and seeking help?
It’s not wrong to be independent and stand on your own two feet, but sometimes we need help from others, particularly when loneliness sets in.
Life can be rough at times, and needing someone to love and care for you is not an indication of weakness. You can ask for help and still be strong.
In this article, we share with you 31 of the best songs about needing help and asking for it. Some of the songs offer help, too.
Let’s check them out.
1. Here for You, Kygo ft. Ella Henderson
“We'll be dancing in the dusk 'cause a way coming through. Whenever you need me, I'm behind. I promise to take you off to the height.”
This song from Kygo needs no explanation. Listen to the lyrics, feel them, and internalize them. The song is literally a friend rooting for another friend, saying that they will never leave. No matter what the circumstances may be, they will always be there for him.
2. Hey Brother, Avicii
“What if I'm far from home? Oh, brother, I will hear you call. Oh, if the sky comes falling down for you, there's nothing in this world I wouldn't do.”
The inspiration for this song was the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? It took a while before Avicii landed on Dan Tyminski as the singer. He thought that the song was “cool and melodic,” so he picked his singer carefully.
3. Umbrella, Rihanna ft. Jay-Z
“When the sun shines, we'll shine together. Told you I'll be here forever. Said I'll always be your friend. Took an oath, I'ma stick it out 'til the end.”
It might not be obvious upon the first listen, but this is actually a support song. Rihanna sings to her lover and tells him she will always be there, through the good and bad times. The “umbrella” is a metaphor for her love, support, and care.
4. Count on Me, Bruno Mars
“You can count on me like one, two, three. I'll be there. And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two. And you'll be there.”
“Count on Me” is as simple as it gets—a friend being there, whenever you need him. What makes this song outstanding, however, is its commercial use in the media. It has become an anthem for supporting foundations.
5. You’ve Got a Friend, James Taylor
“You just call out my name and you know, wherever I am, I'll come runnin', runnin', yeah, yeah. To see you again.”
This song speaks to the genuine nature of a true friendship. It tells how a true friend is reliable, no matter the circumstances. This is one of James Taylor’s most popular songs, but it was originally written by Carole King.
6. You’ll Never Walk Alone, Josh Groban
“Walk on, through the wind. Walk on, through the rain. Though your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart.”
The message of this song is as clear—it literally tells us that whatever we do in life, we will never be alone because we have friends and family members to support us.
7. I Won’t Let Go, Rascal Flatts
“When you've done all you can do and you can't cope, I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight, I will hold you tight, and I won't let you fall.”
According to the band, this song can mean a lot of things to different people. It can be a friend talking to a friend, a message from God, or a person reassuring their partner about their love.
Whoever you might is speaking, the song’s purpose remains the same—to lift someone up and help them in times of need.
8. Stand By You, Rachel Platten
“Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you. Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you. Love, you're not alone 'cause I'm gonna stand by you.”
It has been said that Rachel Platten actually dedicated this song to her fellow artists. She wrote it with a few other musicians, and it is the opening track on her Wildfire album.
The reason she loves it is because she wants to be a source of strength to her fellow artists who are struggling.
9. Somebody’s Daughter, Tenille Townes
“Now this light'll turn green and I'll hand her a couple dollars. And I'll wonder if she got lost or they forgot her. She's somebody's daughter.”
“Somebody’s Daughter” is a song that shows compassion to homeless people. Townes wrote it while remembering a homeless woman she saw once. She believes that each of us has different stories to tell and we can always help one another if we choose to.
10. Try a Little Kindness, Glen Campbell
“Just shine your light for everyone to see. And if you try a little kindness, then you'll overlook the blindness of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.”
Kindness is where nearly all the good in the world starts. Glen Campbell reminds us that we should try to be kinder, and never second guess our decision to treat others well.
Our purpose in life is to extend a helping hand to whoever needs it. The world would be a lot better place if only more people realized that.
11. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
“'Cause baby, there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, baby.”
The song was originally sung by Diana Ross, but the Gaye and Terrell version is equally as good. Nick Ashford wrote the lyrics while walking down the streets of Manhattan.
Upon seeing the best of New York, he thought up the lyrics “ain’t no mountain high enough.” The song now serves as support for many people.
12. Fix You, Coldplay
“Tears stream down your face, and I… Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.”
“Fix You” is the song you sing if you wish to console someone who just lost a loved one. The song was written by Chris Martin for his his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow upon the death of her father.
13. Everybody Hurts, R.E.M.
“When your day is long and the night, the night is yours alone. When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.”
R.E.M. is very blunt about the meaning of this song. They dedicate it to anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts. In particular, they offer it to young people.
They want to convey the message that nobody in this world is alone. Everybody is hurting and your painful feelings will always be valid.
14. Anytime You Need a Friend, Mariah Carey
“Anytime you need a friend, I will be here. You'll never be alone again, so don't you fear. Even if you're miles away, I'm by your side.”
Mariah wrote this song during her divorce with ex-husband Tommy Mottola, when she felt like she was trapped and could turn to no one. She surrendered herself to God and thanked him through this song for never leaving her side.
15. I’m Gonna Love You Through It, Martina McBride
“When you're weak, I'll be strong. When you let go, I'll hold on. When you need to cry, I swear that I'll be there to dry your eyes.”
This is a powerful song that was originally written for cancer patients. McBride sings about a husband who provides his wife with emotional support upon learning that she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
16. With a Little Help from My Friends, The Beatles
“How do I feel by the end of the day? Are you sad because you're on your own? No, I get by with a little help from my friends.”
Many of us know what happened between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and that is why this song is more heartbreaking than heartwarming.
It is one of the last songs they wrote together, and it talked about their friendship with George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
17. I’ll Stand By You, The Pretenders
“I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you. I'll stand by you, take me in, into your darkest hour, and I'll never desert you.”
This is one of the greatest songs by The Pretenders, along with Night in My Veins. It was written by Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly, and Chrissie Hynde.
The group thought the song was too generic to be a hit, but it turned out to be one of the most popular “lean on me” songs ever.
18. I’ll Be There, The Jackson 5
“Whenever you need me, I'll be there. I'll be there to protect you, with unselfish love. I respect you. Just call my name and I'll be there.”
This is a song for a former lover, letting them know that the speaker would still be there for them, even if they are not together anymore. But if you look deeply into the lyrics, you know that it can also be dedicated to a friend who needs help. All kinds of love should be unconditional.
19. One More Light, Linkin Park
“Should've stayed, were there signs, I ignored? Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore? We saw brilliance, when the world, was asleep. There are things that we can have, but can't keep.”
Mike Shinoda wrote this song with Eg White, inspired by the tragic death of one of the band’s friends.
The song took on a deeper meaning after the death of the band’s lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, in 2017. It became a hit due to the band’s emotions and the fans' incredible support for them while they were mourning.
20. Carry You, Ruelle ft. Fleurie
“Is anybody out there? Can you lead me to the light? Is anybody out there? Tell me it'll all be alright. You are not alone. I've been here the whole time singing you a song. I will carry you.”
According to Ruelle, she wrote this song because she wanted to create light in the world. She wanted people to know that no matter the circumstances in life, they are never alone. There will always be others who are more than willing to lend a hand.
21. One Call Away, Charlie Puth
“I'll be there to save the day. Superman got nothing on me. I'm only one call away. Come along with me and don't be scared.”
This song is for those who are in long-distance relationships with their partners. Charlie Puth wrote it for his friend who was in that situation.
Upon its release, however, it also became an anthem for those who want to let their loved ones know that they are ready to lend a helping hand if needed.
22. I’ll Be There for You, The Moffats
“I'll be there for you when you need somebody. I'll be there for you when you want someone who cares. When you're down and feelin' blue, I'll be there.”
As we see in the original music video, this song can be dedicated to anyone—a friend, a lover, a dog, anyone. It was released in 1998, yet it remains popular and relevant today.
23. Keep Holding On, Avril Lavigne
“You're not alone, together we stand. I'll be by your side, you know, I'll take your hand. When it gets cold and it feels like the end, there's no place to go, you know, I won't give in.”
It’s actually interesting that “Keep Holding On” is the only single on The Best Damn Thing album that is not upbeat and heavy. It is a song about friendship. It tells us that no matter what happens, real friends will always stay by your side.
24. Song for a Friend, Jason Mraz
“And I got you, you know we'll get a lot to go around. I'll be your friend, your other brother. Another love to come and comfort you.”
Jason Mraz wrote this song for his roommate. He considers him to be one of his best friends, since he was literally there when Mraz was just starting out in the music industry. Mraz describes him as “selfless and doesn’t want repayment.” He wrote this song and dedicated it to him to show his love and gratitude.
25. Never Gonna Be Alone, Nickelback
“You're never gonna be alone from this moment on. If you ever feel like letting go, I won't let you fall. You're never gonna be alone. I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone.”
Judging by the music video, this song seems to be about a past lover saying that no matter how much time may pass, they will still be there. Even after all the pain and suffering, he will be by her side.
26. You’ve Got a Friend in Me
“You got troubles, I've got 'em too. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. We stick together and see it through 'cause you've got a friend in me.”
There are two reasons why we love this song so much. First, it has beautiful and heartwarming lyrics. Second, it is the theme song of Andy and the whole Toy Story gang.
Randy Newman says that it is about a special, higher form of friendship—one with a bond no one can break.
27. How to Save a Life, The Fray
“Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.”
“How to Save a Life” is dedicated to all the kids and teenagers out there with adult-like problems. Isaac Slade wrote it for a boy he met at the youth camp. He wanted to help the boy get over his trauma.
28. Where is the Love?, Black Eyed Peas
“Father, Father, Father, help us. Send some guidance from above. ‘Cause people got me, got me questioning. Where's the love?”
This song is actually Black Eyed Peas’ response to the 9/11 terror attacks. If you take a good look at it, you will find a lot of social issues are tackled, such as terrorism, war, racism, and LGBTQ discrimination.
29. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, Bryan Adams
“Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for. You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for. You know it's true. Everything I do, I do it for you.”
This is obviously a love song, but that doesn’t mean it can only be dedicated to a lover. Bryan Adams wants us to feel that, no matter what happens, there is always someone out there who is willing to do anything for us.
30. I’ll Be There For You, The Rembrandts
“No one could ever know me. No one could ever see me. Seems you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me.”
Calling all our “F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” fanatics out there! You know exactly what it means to be there for someone if you have watched this series…and if you have listened to this song more than a million times.
This is a song of reassurance that you will always be there for your friend, even if the world crumbles down.
31. Lean on Me, Bill Withers
“Lean on me when you're not strong. And I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on.”
Bill Withers reminds us in this song that nothing is permanent in this world—even the pain and sorrow you feel will fade away in time. He also reminds us that offering and accepting support is part of the human experience.
Final Thoughts on Songs About Needing & Asking for Help
Whenever you feel down or weary, return to this list and raise your spirits by playing a few tracks.
There is nothing embarrassing about asking for help. We all need a friend when things get tough—and even when things are going great!
We hope we were able to help you find the best songs about needing help, asking for it, and giving it. Trust your friends and the people who care for you. You deserve all the love in the world.
And if you're looking for more resources on songs, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 35 Best Songs about Moving On & Letting Go of the Past
- 21 Best Gratitude & Thank You Songs
- 35 Best Songs About What It’s Like to Have Anxiety
