Randy Vanwarmer - Just When I Need You Most (1979) HQ

"Just When I Needed You Most" is the title of a 1979 hit single by the American singer-songwriter Randy VanWarmer.

VanWarmer was inspired to write "Just When I Needed You Most" after his old car that he loved and used for years broke down on the way to work in Denver, Colorado and by a "devastating" breakup with a girlfriend: he wrote the song six months after that breakup co-writing it with Tony Wilson of the group Hot Chocolate two years before it became a hit.

Released as a single in February 1979, VanWarmer's "Just When I Needed You Most" spent two weeks atop the US Billboard adult contemporary chart in May of that year and in June 1979 reached its peak position of #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart accruing an overall Top 40 tenure of 14 weeks and earning RIAA Gold record status. In addition, the track reached #71 on the Billboard country music chart and in September 1979 made the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #8.

VanWarmer attributed his single's success to empathy for its heartbreak scenario: "It's happened to everyone. That emotion is universal...I always hoped the record wasn't wallowing in self-pity and it had some redeeming value, and I guess it does." VanWarmer also attributed his single's success to the autoharp instrumental break between the second and third verses, performed by John Sebastian.