Bill Withers, 1941 - 2020

It is already more than a week that Bill Withers died. I had intended to write sooner, but things and other music got in the way. As far as I'm aware Withers' death was not Corona related, but from heart failure.

When I read about his death, I realised that I know nothing of the man and that I know only three of his songs, one of them covered by someone else, 'Lean On Me', although I can't for the life of me remember by home. Another song also covered by Michael Jackson, when he was an early teen. That version is of course totally eclipsed by Bill Withers' original. The third I know best because of the remix made around 1988, 'Lovely Day'. That is all.

Coincidence has it, that I heard 'Ain't No Sunshine' and the original 'Lovely Day' in the week before he died on the radio. Now we are all contained in our homes, my girlfriend is at home much more often, meaning that the radio is on a lot more. She is very content with what a program manager presents her with, while I'm always playing my own choices and new music for this blog. An enormous difference in passive music consumption. There is a third category: songs we play in the band we are both a member of, Sweetwood. Now that is upended as well, we play a front garden show each Saturday afternoon for our neighbours in their gardens, on their balconies, in the doors or social distancing by car lenght in the street. As we try out new things every week, a lot of songs come by on repeat to learn to sing and in my case, play them on acoustic guitar. 'Ain't No Sunshine' is one of the songs we our contemplating for the coming weeks as a tribute.

That brings me back to Bill Withers and coincidence. When I heard the songs, fairly close together, let's say one a day, I was reminded to the fact that I had never heard anything else by the man. My impulse is still not to go to Spotify but to buy a chance second hand album for a few Euro's and bring it home. As that may be a while and can't remember ever chancing upon a Bill Withers album second hand, I'm going to Spotify right now and turn on Withers' first album ... 'Just As I Am' from 1971.

Spotify ranks the first five most listened to songs from all artists. The three songs I mentioned at the top are his top three. Ranking in the 200 and 100 millions clicks. Bill Withers is one of the artists who have made a little money for his pension from Spotify. That's a nice thought.

A few days after I had this thought, and forgetting about it just as fast, I have to admit, the news reached me Bill Withers had died at the age of 79. Not old, certainly not young, but forever with us. Three songs millions upon millions of people know, old and young. Three songs that never cease to impress me. Although the sanity of a man whose total happiness depends on the presence of one woman needs to be feared for, not to mention the burden placed on her, with it Bill Withers wrote one of the most beautiful, if desperate love songs.

In the meantime I'm listening to a jazzy soul song 'Grandma's Hands'. It may well be that I will like more by Bill Withers soon. And, I had totally forgotten he was the singer of Grover Washington's hit single 'Just The Two Of Us'. A nice legacy to have.

Wo.


Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g