Let's talk about Bill Withers.

highlights, as vahid noted above, "I can't write left handed" - more relevant than ever now. the long held note on "she's go-o-o-o-o-o-one" in the track "hope she'll be happier" is probably even more astonishing than the one on "Lovely Day".

if you don't have this album you must buy it.

also seek out the soundtrack to SAVE THE CHILDREN (a 1973 concert movie of a Jesse Jackson/Operation PUSH rally from the year before)...bill starts out his portion of the album by saying something like: "ten years ago, if we saw THIS many black people in one place...even WE woulda been scared!" kinda makes up for the fact that he starts out "lean on me" wildly offkey

(you should also check out the DVD that comes with the recent reissue of JUST AS I AM...my man Bill is just going OFF in the modern-day interview segments!)

JUST AS I AM was actually reissued on Columbia in the eighties featuring an updated photo of a bearded Bill in a suit (my, how far we've come), but the new CD version (again on Columbia) restores the original day-job cover from '71!

http://img.hmv.co.jp/image/jacket/190/14/5/8/355.jpg http://www.comicgenius.com/DiscoFever/disco_profiles/george_mccrae/images/rock.gif

Then he changed labels and got more and more "quiet storm" as the years went on, and that's where I get off the train re: Withers. But damn if JUST AS I AM, STILL BILL, the live LP and JUSTMENTS weren't an incredible four-album run.

It's a disco edit/extended mix that sounds like Bill Withers and Quincy Jones being chopped and blunted by Madlib and then fed through the Akufen machine for a futuristic cleaning.

Italo-disco/Cosmic DJs love this track - I have no idea who did this remix - but if it were 3600 minutes long it would still be too short.

OMG just bought Carnegie Hall, and it really is beautiful. And as a rule I hate live albums... It's just so charming, and the band are so understated yet wildly funky. Grandma's Hands is genuinely affecting.

I just felt I wanted to share this.

his drummer is teh shit! so subtle and funky. unbelievable. must get the carnegie hall.

much much love for horace andy's "ain't no sunshine."

Live At Carnegie Hall is the greatest soul record there is. James Brown invented more, Otis Redding is the greater singer, Aretha Franklin could do a wider variety of things, Al Green was more magical. None came close to summing up a cultural moment the way Live At Carnegie Hall did. Bill Withers' world is the one we would all want to live in, and the fact that we don't is why soul died and was replaced by funk and then hip hop (which, of course, have their own virtues).

I just picked up a two-fer of his first couple, but I need to listen. Which is the story with a lot of music I own. : (

Live At Carnegie Hall is the greatest soul record there is

^^^^^^

hmmmmmm. I just have a studio effort.

No, you need that Carnegie Hall album. Seriously.

^

^

more love for Menagerie! it's as good as Still Bill.

Search 'It ain't because of me baby'

Live At Carnegie Hall is the greatest soul record there is

^^^^^^

-- El Tomboto, Friday, October 12, 2007 11:43 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Link

^^^^^^

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:CK8DlNIOUwuJPM:http://www.80stees.com/images/products/Peanuts_Charlie_Brown_Yellow_Shirt-T.jpg

this is true

got the Live at Carnegie Hall record at the behest of this thread - good shit! thx for the rec everybody

I Can't Write Lefthanded kills - weird version of Ain't No Sunshine tho (I like it but the drummer has an odd take on the rhythm)

I saw a dvd at a friend's house, can't remember now if it was an "Old Grey Whistle Test" or some American thing, but anyhow, Bill Withers doing "Ain't No Sunshine" moved me to tears. Soooo beautiful. I also love the story about how he couldn't come up w/lyrics for a bridge, so he just kept the "I know, I know, I know..." part.

I can feel my heart just athumpinanaskippin

In a room with soft satin pillows
Crackling fireplace keeps us warm
Whispering wind through weeping willows
Sweet Wanomi resting in my arms

In a soft light her eyes are gleaming
Pretty little hand covers up her mouth when she yawns
Wake me up, I must be dreaming that
Sweet Wanomi resting in my arms

Sleepy kisses warm me softly
Get much warmer later on
I reach for the light and turn it off
Sweet Wanomi resting in my arms

so in <3 with that song today

I'm convinced he's one of our greatest songwriters

as am I

That's so great. On the B side of the "Grandma's Hands" single.

Nice riffette at the beginning.

Wanomi, not the Reverend.

thanks for clearing that up

Glad to.

Somehow I scored Live a t Carnegie Hall for $.50. Holy shit!

Girl (I guess) I just broke up with was not a fan of "Grandma's Hands". FUCK YOU, CLARA...YOU'RE BOTH WRONG AND GONE FOREVER, APPARENTLY.

yeah, that is a dealbreaker

hahaha wtf how could anyone not like that song

no one could not like that song

does she like blackstreet?

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I
know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, hey I'll leave the young thing alone.

nickalicious, is your ex not a fan of grandmas?