"Just When I Needed You Most" is the title of a 1979 hit single by the American singer-songwriter Randy VanWarmer.
Randy VanWarmer wrote this mellow favorite when he was just 18. It's a heartbreaker, inspired by a girl who dumped him when he was at his most vulnerable.
Breaking up is indeed one of the hardest parts to deal with. Perhaps, it is where most of us undergo our greatest downfall. The time when we outpour all of our whole beings into someone we thought would do the same, but everything just breaks into pieces. We expect someone would hold us no matter what, in laughter and pain but you ended up hurting yourself. It is exactly what the song “Just When I Needed You Most” denotes.
“Just When I Needed You Most” is certainly a painful song. The straightforward words mended with an eye-watering melody that can pierce you. Yes, it can tear your hearts and souls. It can even bring back the pain. It is simply because the song is universal. It talks about an instance wherein everyone can experience. But there is one thing behind the song we tend to forget, the lesson. The lesson that there is a life worthwhile beyond the pain, it may linger and hurt you for a while, but it will pass. Remember, every misery, trouble, and anxiety will not stay forever. It will pass, and you will learn to stand again. Above all, the song, on the other side, is a reminder to love yourself.
VanWarmer was living in England when he wrote this song. About five years later, he landed a record and publishing deal with Albert Grossman's Bearsville Records and moved to Woodstock, New York, where the label was located, to record his first album. The first song he recorded there was "Your Light," with "Just When I Needed You Most" as the B-side. Bearsville saw a lot more hit potential in "Just When I Needed You Most," so they made that the A-side. It was a good choice.
Recording in Woodstock had some perks, as many top musicians lived in the area. One of them was John Sebastian, who played the autoharp on the instrumental passage about two minutes in. This section was originally a synthesizer. Dolly Parton recorded this song with Alison Krauss for Parton's 1996 album Treasures. Dan Tyminski supplied harmony vocals and John Sebastian, as he did on the original, played the autoharp.
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