Let's talk about Bill Withers.

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Because only passing mention has been made of him, in all these many years of ILM. The occasion is the reissue of two of his best records, Still Bill and Menagerie.

I've always loved Withers's backporch, almost DIY take on '70s soul. The combination of his folksy burr and soaring Gamble-Huff-esque strings is very effective. Also he wrote some deathless songs. I hope he's relaxing somewhere right now, awash in royalty statements.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:07 (10 years ago) Permalink

There was a recentish comp that Legacy released I picked up a while back -- interview with Withers in it, apparently he's gotten into the construction business a bit or something (or maybe is just a carpenter), does some charity work, still keeps himself busy. The basic mood was that he was a very happy guy who had done what he wanted to do and had other interests now. I liked it, you got the sense he was growing old gracefully and not letting himself be defined by his public fame.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:10 (10 years ago) Permalink

His new liner notes to Still Bill were really entertaining and endearing. They ended with

Do you still love me? I am 64.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:13 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Lean on Me" is beautiful esp. the part where his voice cracks on "swallow your pride" and those little ta-ta-ta drum fills that follow the piano line in the verses. "Use Me" is funky beyond my comprehension really, it's no wonder Scott Walker's cover fails so spectacularly.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:14 (10 years ago) Permalink

Mick Jagger's cover failed pretty spectacularly too. Between all the covers and I think "Lovely Day" being used in a commercial i'd bet he's probably doing all right. "Kissing My Love" is my favorite from Still Bill. Killer drum sound.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Kissing My Love" is great but so is everything on that record. I like the part in "I Don't Know" when he grunts softly before the "...old as father time" line, like he's just happy beyond words to be singing over something so lovely.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:24 (10 years ago) Permalink

I only know a couple hits, I think, but I like them.

Amateurist, can you give me a more comprehensive S/D for Bill Withers?

― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 18 April 2003 21:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

Search: CD reissues of Still Bill and Menagerie--and the LPs Just As I Am and 'Justments

Or alternately, I'll burn you a CD in trade for some Arabic music stuff.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 21:52 (10 years ago) Permalink

i love him, too. they say that the double live lp from the 70ies should be great, anyone know if this is true? you know how annoying live albums sometimes are ...

― Jay K (Jay K), Friday, 18 April 2003 22:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

a loveley daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 18 April 2003 22:45 (10 years ago) Permalink

brilliant, can't say enough about the man.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Friday, 18 April 2003 22:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

I always wanted to hear a version of "Use Me" sung by a woman... would change the implications of the song considerably, I think.

Also always loved "Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)," esp. Gladys Knight's spine-chilling version...

― Douglas (Douglas), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

douglas, you of all people should have recognized when holly golightly covered "use me"! it's on "god don't like it".

― mosurock (mosurock), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:12 (10 years ago) Permalink

I see the crystal raindrops fall
And the beauty of it all
when the sun comes shining through
To make those rainbows in my mind
When I think of you some time
And I want to spend some time with you
Just the two of us
We can make it if we try
Just the two of us
Just the two of us
Building castles in the sky
Just the two of us
You and I
We look for love, no time for tears
Wasted waters's all that is
And it don't make no flowers grow
Good things might come to those who wait
Not to those who wait to late
We got to go for all we know
Just the two of us
We can make it if we try
Just the two of us
Just the two of us
Building castles in the sky
Just the two of us
You and I
I hear the crystal raindrops fall
On the window down the hall
And it becomes the morning dew
Darling, when the morning comes
And I see the morning sun
I want to be the one with you
Just the two of us
We can make it if we try
Just the two of us
Just the two of us
Building big castles way on high
Just the two of us
You and I

Just the two of us
Let's get together, baby
Just the two of us
We can make it
Just the two of us
We can make it
Just the two of us
Just the two of us we can make it

Such a classic, classic song, made even better with the saxophonic (that even a word?) presence of Grover Washington, Jr. Interesting thing: I actually saw the ep of "American Bandstand" where they used this song as a "spotlight dance" song, and that was just about the classiest moment they'd ever had. Even the lighting was understated.

― Dee the Lurker (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:36 (10 years ago) Permalink

The odd thing I never knew this was him until I got that compilation -- this was one of those songs I knew backwards and forwards because it was a big hit when I was nine and really first starting to listen to the radio, but that was about it. So when I heard it I was all, "Ah, that's it...nice."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:38 (10 years ago) Permalink

Scott Walker's cover of Use Me is the pits. Really the pits.

― Sean (Sean), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:38 (10 years ago) Permalink

i forgot how much i loved 'Still Bill'. stole it from my moms a long time ago. it's an amazing funky folk record.

if you're in to this you should definitely check out Eugene McDaniels' AMAZING "Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse". by far one of my favorite albums of all time. funk, folk, soul. one of two albums i own in two formats (record and cd). the other being kinda similar too - Shuggie Otis "Inspiration Information"

― JasonD (JasonD), Saturday, 19 April 2003 00:41 (10 years ago) Permalink

Jay, yes, the ca. '73 live double (_Live at Carnegie Hall_) is great. Legacy reissued it in '98, so it should be findable.

Bit of a tangent here, but does anyone know of any other West Virginia natives who (a) had a career comparable (quality- and/or longeivity-wise) to Withers and (b) weren't working in folk, C&W, or bluegrass? This WV native is curious. . .

― Jeff Wright, Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:04 (10 years ago) Permalink

singing 'lovely daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay' c/d?

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

Funny, I was just thinking about him earlier, as I was remembering some track that samples "Ain't No Sunshine." Couldn't recall for the life of me what it was, though. Anyone know?

― Chris A. (Chris A.), Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

A Basehead track throws in a notable sample of it on their first album, but not as the core hook.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

how do you turn a duck into a soul singer?

put it in a microwave until its bill withers.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:51 (10 years ago) Permalink

er, DMX' godawful cover thing? (which just goes to prove the "deathless" part)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 19 April 2003 02:52 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Borrowing" great records from your parents = classic.

It's really gratifying to see the Bill Withers love here. Good question about West Virginia; what's the black population there, percentage-wise?

The drumming on Still Bill is sort of a miracle; the backing band is basically the Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band, whose own records I haven't heard (recommendations?)--all kinds of crazy 16th notes on the hi-hat and stuff.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Saturday, 19 April 2003 06:21 (10 years ago) Permalink

how about Joe Simon instead. Ever heard his version of 'To Get To You'? Or 'Glad You Came My Way' (producer: Porter Wagoner--believe it) Put your hair in curlers, son

― rumpelstiltskin, Saturday, 19 April 2003 07:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

"instead"? how about both son?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Saturday, 19 April 2003 16:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

Blackstreet of course sampled 'Grandma's Hands' for 'No Diggity', but 'Ain't No Sunshine'??? Some chill out group did a pretty decenyt cover az year back or so... anyone remember THEIR name???

― Jay K (Jay K), Saturday, 19 April 2003 17:14 (10 years ago) Permalink

best version of Aint No Sunshine = Rahsaan Roland Kirk's

― autovac (autovac), Saturday, 19 April 2003 19:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

Bill Withers is classic beyond question for 'Lovely Day' and 'Lean on Me' alone.

And 'borrowing' records from your parents = k-classic.

― Cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 19 April 2003 19:24 (10 years ago) Permalink

Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band, whose own records I haven't heard (recommendations?)

i just picked up the record (25$) of Charles Wright and the 103rd st Rhythm Band's "Express Yourself" for a friend. it has the song made most famous by NWA on (duh) "Express Yourself." the album's cool but i don't think it's worth 25$. if it's available on used cd i'd look for it.

and i didn't realize they were the backing band on Still Bill. that's cool to know.

― JasonD (JasonD), Saturday, 19 April 2003 19:31 (10 years ago) Permalink

Just the Two of Us is so classic, I've heard a lot of great versions...listening to Rebirth Brass Band's right now in fact.

― Jordan (Jordan), Saturday, 19 April 2003 20:12 (10 years ago) Permalink

yes classic. will try and get those two recs you mention amateurist.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 20 April 2003 19:42 (10 years ago) Permalink

Still Bill is one of my favorites - he's just brilliant

― luna (luna.c), Sunday, 20 April 2003 19:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

i think DMX covered "Ain't No Sunshine" for the sdtrk. to "Exit Wounds".

― mosurock (mosurock), Sunday, 20 April 2003 22:26 (10 years ago) Permalink

best version of Aint No Sunshine = Rahsaan Roland Kirk's

Wrong. Finest cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" is by Jack Natz's BLACKSNAKES.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 April 2003 23:57 (10 years ago) Permalink

dude alex yr totally violating the nabisco dictum.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 21 April 2003 00:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

*Shudders*

I just heard the sound of 20 ILx0rs being fired.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Monday, 21 April 2003 00:04 (10 years ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

how do you turn a duck into a soul singer?

put it in the microwave until its bill withers

― del a robbo, Saturday, 17 May 2003 16:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

" I can't Write Left Handed" is blowing me away. i've practically had it on repeat for the last 3 days. WOW. (This is only slghtly ruined by the fact that Rick Astley stole the harmonies for his actually pretty good soul pastiche "cry for help"). The version i have seems to be a live version - is this the most commonly available version? anything more along these lines from his catalogue i should look out for? if you haven't heard this you really must. You will thank me, i assure you.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

Jill Scott did a mean version of "Use Me" when I saw her live in Manchester a couple of years back- and it was the opening tune. "Harlem" is a bit of a belter too, more of a foot-stompin'-soul type Bill - he did a bit of presenting for BBC Radio 2 last year on a series of soul retospective programmes.

― neil tacus (tacit), Thursday, 5 August 2004 18:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

Twista & Anthony Hamilton made me want to buy lots of Bill Withers albums.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 August 2004 18:22 (8 years ago) Permalink

"I can't Write Left Handed" is blowing me away

yeah i was just going to bring this one up, too. i like the version on the live at carnegie hall album best. more/less relevant than ever?

― vahid (vahid), Thursday, 5 August 2004 19:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

what's Menagerie like then?

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 5 August 2004 19:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

I always wanted to hear a version of "Use Me" sung by a woman... would change the implications of the song considerably, I think.
Also always loved "Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)," esp. Gladys Knight's spine-chilling version...

-- Douglas (il...), April 19th, 2003.

I don't know where it came from, but I've got a version of it by Fiona Apple that's pretty true to the original.

― JC-L (JC-L), Thursday, 5 August 2004 19:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

i'm listening to ain't no sunshine right now. one of those songs that makes me want to put my head under a pillow.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 5 August 2004 19:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yep, he's fine. "Lonely Town, Lonely Street" is amazing. "Another Day to Run" too. I had only remembered him from his hits and then went out and bought the reissue of "Still Bill." He makes it sound so effortless.

Joe Simon I like too--he recorded for Sound Stage 7 in Nashville. A bit more of a conventionally "good" singer but great.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 5 August 2004 19:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

dude alex yr totally violating the nabisco dictum.

...and I'd do it again.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 5 August 2004 21:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

live at carneige hall is a fantastic live album. even bill's jokes come off well.

― splooge (thesplooge), Friday, 6 August 2004 07:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

wtf's the nabisco dictum?

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Friday, 6 August 2004 10:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

Bill was a frequent guest on teevee variety shows back in the day, always relaxed and great. Saw him on one of those reruns of the Flip Wilson Show recently, doing "Lean On Me" with a live vocal over a pre-taped backing track. Whatayacallit when they do that -- strum-synch? Makes the drummer look ridiculous.

It's always a cool breeze to the earholes when "Soul Shadows" comes on during the drive-time Quiet Storm show.

― briania (briania), Friday, 6 August 2004 11:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 107 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

thirded

― jed_, Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

fourthed

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

What they all said.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

sixthded.

― we can be gyros just for one day (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

I can't imagine anyone hearing that record and not loving it.

― jed_, Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

I'm surprised this isn't seen as being as canonical as, say, Live At Leeds or It's Too Late To Stop Now. This is beyond captivating from start to finish.

― we can be gyros just for one day (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 10 March 2012 21:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

even his chat between the songs is enough to make you fall in love with him.

― jed_, Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

just watched this documentary on the iPlayer and whoa, that part where he's talking to the children was proper inspiring. Brilliant.

― boxedjoy, Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Love Bill but find most live records disposable. How bad do I need to check this out?

― I Fucked Up (jer.fairall), Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

I find live records utterly disposable too. This is pretty much the only one that I fuck with.

― owenf, Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

Well, since looking back over this thread, like one out of every three posts is a rave about Carnegie Hall I'm tossing it on Spotify now, crossing fingers...

― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

just watched this documentary on the iPlayer and whoa, that part where he's talking to the children was proper inspiring. Brilliant.
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 10 March 2012 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm. Loved that bit.

― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 10 March 2012 23:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

i don't know if it's inspiring so much as that it shows the two sides of him so nakedly. like, he seems a bit uncomfortable with the performance they give for him and that he's worried that he's not responding appropriately but it flips over into empathy.

they show this interesting clip too where he's singing "just the two of us" and he looks totally dead inside.

― jed_, Saturday, 10 March 2012 23:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

I don't know, the part where he talks about having to be more forgiving than other people and how it makes for better character seemed like a really positive way to get children who might be victimised to see a way to turn their problems into a sign of strength, that whole part really got to me.

― boxedjoy, Saturday, 10 March 2012 23:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

yes, so true.

― jed_, Saturday, 10 March 2012 23:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

― boxedjoy, Saturday, March 10, 2012 5:14 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, shit was profound. love this guy x1,000,000.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Sunday, 11 March 2012 02:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

withers is one of those rare dudes who can answer questions off the cuff in fully-turned, beautiful sentences that i would kill to be able to write. i know some people in my personal life who are like that, but the other famous guy who speaks like that is leonard cohen.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Sunday, 11 March 2012 03:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

Okay since Doctor Casino didn't post again I assume he found the Carnegie Hall album as captivating as the rest of us and is listening to it constantly to the point he can't do anything else.

The documentary is on Netflix Instant BTE.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 12 March 2012 13:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

The preamble to 'Grandma's Hands' reduces me to a blubbering fool EVERY time I hear it...'"I love that old lady...love that old lady"...and don't get me started on the documentary...

― The Pastiche Liberation Front (sonnyboy), Monday, 12 March 2012 14:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

the closing jam on harlem/shake 'em on down is so immense. could go on another hour and still be absolutely riveting.

― brokering (pimping) (stevie), Monday, 12 March 2012 15:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

I've always felt Withers was unfairly overlooked in comparison to the Marvin/Stevie/Al/Sly cannon. Ridiculous statements that most of his albums are disposable reinforce that notion. I wrote about that a few years back. I saved it at the end of a more recent piece on 70s soul - http://www.fastnbulbous.com/70s_soul.htm

At least his albums keep getting reissued.

― Fastnbulbous, Monday, 12 March 2012 16:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

Bill's albums disposable?! Have they heard Just As I Am??

― I Fucked Up (jer.fairall), Monday, 12 March 2012 16:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

Still Bill is fucking amazing!

― gospodin simmel, Monday, 12 March 2012 16:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

Okay since Doctor Casino didn't post again I assume he found the Carnegie Hall album as captivating as the rest of us and is listening to it constantly to the point he can't do anything else.

The documentary is on Netflix Instant BTE.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, March 12, 2012 9:37 AM Bookmark

haha, i got distracted, finally finished listening to it just now. It's great. I need to find a vinyl copy - my tinny computer speakers aren't really doing justice to the warmth and fullness of the sound. Not to mention that the Spotify ads kind of break the mood. But this is a great album.

― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 13 March 2012 02:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

Still Bill is perfect end to end. "I Don't Want You On My Mind" and "Take It All In..." are some kind mutant folk that haven't been duplicated.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 13 March 2012 03:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

documentary is totally incredible

i love this dude so much

― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Tuesday, 13 March 2012 03:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh yeah live at carnegie hall is my favorite bill withers record, and while i fuck with live records they're rarely my favorites, especially when the dude's adjacent studio work is just massive. alfred otm re: "mutant folk" as a descriptor

― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Tuesday, 13 March 2012 03:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

Just scored the live album on cd for $5 at Barnes & Noble. Listening now, lives up to the rep.

"...he only said eight words last year, and I think six of 'em were 'airport'".

― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 14 March 2012 01:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

Cornel West is pretty irritating in this doc

― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 21 March 2012 20:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

yes but he is maybe in it for all of a minute total

― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Wednesday, 21 March 2012 20:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

Yeah, the live album is great. I'm sorry that I avoided it all these years.

― I Fucked Up (jer.fairall), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

Grabbed a cheapie Greatest Hits today, and mannn, is it weird to hear these later numbers like "Steppin' Right Along" and "Whatever Happens." They're really kind of listless musically and the canned drums are a huge letdown after the 70s gold. I'm sure quiet storm devotees probably take to this material a little more than I do - the thing is there's still the amazing quality of his voice that almost carries it through. But it's definitely a dropoff.

― Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 20:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

i think withers himself would admit as much

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 20:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

there's that latter-day TV clip in the documentary still bill where he's lip-synching to one of his later minor hits and he just looks dead inside.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 20:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's not a late minor-hit it's him singing "just the two of us" and it's from the time it was released. it's used to underscore his deep cynicism re. the record industry at that time.

― jed_, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 20:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

listened to Just As I Am this morning. how many records end with the singer killing himself?

― Dominique, Thursday, 5 April 2012 15:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

Was talking to a drummer the other day and he was telling me James Gadson was his main man

― zing left unguarded, the j/k palace in flames (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 9 April 2012 03:33 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Still find it kind've mind-blowing that New Zealand's #1 single of 1988, 6 weeks at the top, etc, was a cover of an album cut from his '85 album Watching You Watching Me.

― etc, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 10:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

oh yes ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Sussex-Columbia-Album-Masters/dp/B008S80PCE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1352975059&sr=8-5

― mark e, Thursday, 15 November 2012 10:31 (6 months ago) Permalink

wow

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 15 November 2012 15:28 (6 months ago) Permalink

its ace.
picked it up from fopp today for £21.
they've even replicated the foldout sleeve that 'still bill' had.
of course the love for the 1st two is well known, but damn, '+justments' is fantastic ..
looking forward to digging through the pretty thorough booklet, seems to have a lot of detail.
well chuffed.

― mark e, Thursday, 15 November 2012 15:32 (6 months ago) Permalink

Wow, that's tempting.

Was anyone else surprised that the doc's hung so much weight on "Grandma's Hands?" That's the one apparently iconic Withers track that I didn't know was so highly rated, esp. compared to "Ain't No Sunshine," "Use Me," "Lean On Me," et al.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:16 (6 months ago) Permalink

Well, Blackstreet sampling it should have told ya something's up.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:21 (6 months ago) Permalink

I was a little surprised by that too, but I was glad they spent so much time on it relative to "Lean On Me" (which is great and all, but no "Grandma's Hands").

― 5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:22 (6 months ago) Permalink

I love me some "No Diggity." I guess I just never knew the sample.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:57 (6 months ago) Permalink

i never picked up re the sample.

just hope it helped him out $$ a la david axelrod and 'the edge'.

also, now i see why the live album gets so much love.

its f*cking brilliant.

the only real duffer is the 1985 album, 'watching you .. ' that's full of nasty mid 80s production. just dreadful.

the rest however, hits so many of my sweet spots.

i have bought a few boxsets this year (the byrds, simple minds, neil young, tom moulton, cabaret voltaire, roxy music), but i have to say, this is the one i will be revisiting the most.

― mark e, Friday, 16 November 2012 17:56 (6 months ago) Permalink

letz talk abt withers mane

― thraeds of life (The Reverend), Friday, 16 November 2012 19:23 (6 months ago) Permalink

discovered yesterday that naked & warm is a really good record

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 16 November 2012 19:56 (6 months ago) Permalink

when "city of the angels" gets all mercurial... man. nothing else like it in his catalog as far as i know?

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 16 November 2012 19:57 (6 months ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

"I don't care whether you own a furniture store. The best sign you can put up is, 'Sold out.'"

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 17 March 2013 23:28 (2 months ago) Permalink

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