It’s been more than 50 years since songwriter Bill Withers released a catchy tune called “Lean on Me.” That song, ranked among Billboard’s list of all-time bests, has been covered by several other artists since then and continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, and ads all these years later.
The secret of that song’s particular genius and popularity is not so secret: Everyone wants and needs someone to lean on—someone to cry with, someone who will listen, someone who will genuinely care—especially during tough times. If you were going through a rough patch, surely you would want someone to say (or sing) to you:
