The West Virginia-born songwriter and performer Bill Withers had a voice like satin. Like tea on Sunday morning. Like honey-glazed sunshine. Indeed, not only did the smooth-singing artist, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 81, sound good but he also wrote some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century.
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But many fans may assume that Withers wrote the songs with help from others—music that good can’t come from one man’s hands, can it? Well, Withers did write many of his famous songs on his own, but a couple more he penned with the help of other artists.
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So, here below, we collected a list of a handful of tracks—three songs you likely didn’t know Withers wrote solo and two more with which he had assistance. Let’s dive in.
“Ain’t No Sunshine”
Written by Bill Withers
Released on Withers’ 1971 album, Just As I Am, this song is one of those timeless tracks where it surprises that it was even written at all. Didn’t it just fall from the heavens into our record players and radios? Well, no. Withers wrote it and the recording included Stephen Stills on guitar and Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the M.G.’s as its producer. The track, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, is all about loneliness. When your love is gone, it feels like there is no light at all in the world. He sings,
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
It’s not warm when she’s away
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And she’s always gone too long
Anytime she’s goes away
Wonder this time where she’s gone
Wonder if she’s gone to stay
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away
“Grandma’s Hands”
Written by Bill Withers
This two-minute ballad, which Withers wrote about his grandmother, is also from his 1971 LP, Just As I Am. Hitting No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100, this is a song (and new children’s book) about warmth and reverence—the kind for some selfless person who raised you with unconditional love. His grandmother would take Withers to church and there he would see spontaneous singing with a whole communion of people joining in, which, he said, was his favorite kind of performance. On this offering, Withers sings,
Grandma’s hands used to hand me piece of candy.
Grandma’s hands picked me up each time I fell.
Grandma’s hands, boy they really came in handy
She’d say, “Mattie don’t you whip that boy.
What you want to spank him for?
He didn’t drop no apple core,”
But I don’t have Grandma anymore,
If I get to heaven I’ll look for
Grandma’s hands.
“Lean on Me”
Written by Bill Withers
Released on Withers’ 1972 album Still Bill, this is another track that just seems like the gods of song wrote and handed down to humanity. The track, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, is about community and friendship, as the title might suggest. It’s about when a person needs help, there will be another there to assist, and vice versa. It’s the essence of neighbors, family, and kinship. The song is also highlighted in the excellent 1989 movie of the same name, starring Morgan Freeman. In the timeless classic, Withers sings,
Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs that you won’t let show
You just call on me brother when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand
We all need somebody to lean on
“Lovely Day”
Written by Bill Withers, Skip Scarborough
Released in 1977 on the Withers album, Menagerie, this song included a little help from Baton Rouge, Louisiana-born songwriter Skip Scarborough, who worked with acts like Patti LaBelle and Earth, Wind & Fire. The funky track, which hit No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100, is, as the title suggests, a celebration of a good day. In fact, the joy is felt so richly that Withers manages to hold a single note for a remarkable 18 seconds, which is the longest of any top-40 song in the U.S. (a strange record, but a notable one). On the song, Withers sings happily,
When I wake up in the morning, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
And something without warning, love
Bears heavy on my mind
Then I look at you
And the world’s alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it’s gonna be
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
“Just the Two of Us,” Grover Washington, Jr.
Written by Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
Younger readers may know this song from the Will Smith cover released in 1997 on his album Big Willie Style. But the original comes from Withers—well, actually, from Grover Washington Jr. and featuring Withers. Released on the 1980 Washington Jr. album, Winelight, the song was originally an instrumental before Salter and MacDonald recruited Withers to write lyrics. On the song, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, Withers sings effortlessly about companionship, crooning,
I see the crystal raindrops fall
And the beauty of it all
Is when the sun comes shining through
To make those rainbows in my mind
When I think of you sometime
And I wanna 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)
Just the two of us
Building castles in the sky
Just the two of us
You and I
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
