"What a Friend" is a song performed by Canadian
contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist
Matt Maher. The song was released as the second single from his 2017 album Echoes on September 15, 2017.[4] The song peaked at No. 10 on the US
Hot Christian Songs chart, becoming his seventh Top 10 single from that chart. It lasted 26 weeks on the overall chart.[5] The song is played in an
E major key, and 110
beats per minute.[6]
Background
"What a Friend" was released on September 15, 2017, as the second single from his fifth studio album Echoes.[7] The song samples the Christian
hymnWhat a Friend We Have in Jesus by Joseph M. Scriven, who wrote it in 1855 to comfort his mother in Iceland while he was living in Canada.[8] Maher shows God’s faithfulness even in the midst of personal sorrow and devastation. On the song, Maher sings about the joy of our friendship with the Saviour.[9]Aleteia described the song as "switching gears from quiet worship to bouncing folk-rock, with a country-pop hook, where the piece is infused with a jubilant energy, which is aided by a perfectly employed gospel-ish choir."[10]
Music video
A lyric video was released on February 23, 2018.[11] A live version of the song was released on June 15, 2018, featuring Christian music singer
Jason Crabb.[12][13]