Who wrote the song “You've Got a Friend in Me” for Toy Story?

Randy Newman wrote the song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” for Toy Story.

Newman wrote both the music and lyrics for the song, which serves as the main theme associated with Woody and Andy’s friendship. He also performed the original version heard in the 1995 film’s opening sequence, where Andy plays with Woody.

The song’s lyrics focus on loyalty and dependable friendship, making it a concise statement of the relationship at the center of Toy Story. Its melody returns in later films and became one of the most recognizable songs connected with Pixar.

Newman wrote additional songs and composed the scores for several Toy Story films. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song after the first film. Spanish-language versions were also recorded for different releases, but Randy Newman remains the song’s credited writer.