The Simple Genius of Bill Withers
Summary
TLDRThis video celebrates the timeless song 'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers, a masterpiece of simplicity and raw emotion. Written in 1971, Withers' songwriting reflects his humble beginnings and the blues tradition. Despite his late start with music, his unique voice and relatable lyrics resonated deeply. The video explores Withers' journey from a factory worker to a celebrated artist, highlighting the song's creation and its enduring impact, showcasing Withers' humility and the universal appeal of his music.
Takeaways
- ๐ต Bill Withers' song 'Ain't No Sunshine' is a timeless piece that feels primal and simple, reminiscent of the Delta blues tradition.
- ๐ 'Ain't No Sunshine' was written by Bill Withers in 1971, despite its ageless sound, showcasing his unique songwriting talent.
- ๐ถ Bill Withers' early life was marked by poverty and a stutter, and he was raised by a single mother in a coal mining town.
- ๐ธ Withers taught himself to play guitar in his late 20s while working as a mechanic in an aircraft parts factory.
- ๐ก He was inspired to pursue music after seeing a club manager anxious about a musician's tardiness, which led him to buy a guitar.
- ๐ถ The song's raw emotion comes from Withers' own experiences and his observation of codependency and heartbreak, influenced by the movie 'Days of Wine and Roses'.
- ๐ฅ His break in the music industry came when music executive Clarence Avant recognized his talent and gave him a record deal.
- ๐ The recording of 'Ain't No Sunshine' featured legendary musicians like Booker T. Jones and even Steven Stills and Graham Nash.
- ๐ญ Despite his musical success, Withers continued to work at the factory until he was laid off two months before his album's release.
- ๐ 'Ain't No Sunshine' became a hit, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and Withers received a golden toilet seat as a commemorative gift from his record company.
- ๐ Bill Withers' humble and authentic songwriting style resonated across genres, making him an enduring icon in music history.
Q & A
What is the significance of 'Ain't No Sunshine' in Bill Withers' career?
-'Ain't No Sunshine' is significant as it is Bill Withers' breakthrough hit that expresses a universal feeling with a timeless sound, and it helped establish him as a unique artist.
What musical tradition does 'Ain't No Sunshine' harken back to?
-The song has a structural simplicity that harkens back to the Delta blues tradition.
What was Bill Withers' occupation before becoming a musician?
-Before becoming a musician, Bill Withers worked as a mechanic in an aircraft parts factory making bathroom parts for 747 airplanes.
How did Bill Withers learn to play the guitar?
-Bill Withers taught himself to play the guitar in his late 20s, inspired by seeing a club manager anxious about Lou Rawls not showing up on time for a gig.
What were the basic chords Bill Withers used in 'Ain't No Sunshine'?
-The chords used in 'Ain't No Sunshine' are some of the most basic chords to play on the guitar.
How does Bill Withers' singing style contribute to the emotional depth of 'Ain't No Sunshine'?
-Bill Withers' raw, from-the-heart singing style conveys a depth of pain that few complex pieces could match.
What movie inspired Bill Withers to write 'Ain't No Sunshine'?
-Bill Withers wrote 'Ain't No Sunshine' after watching the 1962 movie 'Days of Wine and Roses', which is a story about a couple whose lives spiral out of control due to alcoholism.
How did Bill Withers get his break in the music industry?
-Bill Withers got his break when music executive Clarence Avant recognized his potential and gave him a deal to record on his indie label.
Who produced Bill Withers' record that included 'Ain't No Sunshine'?
-The record that included 'Ain't No Sunshine' was produced by the legendary Booker T. Jones.
What was the iconic moment in the recording of 'Ain't No Sunshine' that Withers hadn't initially written?
-The repetition of 'I know, I know' in the song was an iconic moment that Withers hadn't written words for initially; he just repeated 'I know', and it was kept in the final recording.
What did Bill Withers do after recording one of the greatest songs ever?
-After recording 'Ain't No Sunshine', Bill Withers returned to his factory job until he got laid off two months before his album was scheduled to be released.
How did 'Ain't No Sunshine' perform on the Billboard Hot 100?
-'Ain't No Sunshine' climbed up the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number three, eventually going gold.
Outlines
๐ต Origins of 'Ain't No Sunshine'
This paragraph discusses the background and inspiration behind Bill Withers' timeless song 'Ain't No Sunshine.' It highlights Withers' humble beginnings in a coal mining town, his service in the American Navy, and his late start in music. The narrative emphasizes Withers' unique songwriting approach and the simplicity of his guitar playing, which paradoxically conveyed profound emotion. The song was written after watching the movie 'Days of Wine and Roses,' reflecting themes of codependency and heartbreak. Despite its rawness, 'Ain't No Sunshine' resonated with audiences and marked Withers as a distinctive artist.
๐ญ From Factory Floor to Music Icon
Paragraph 2 details Bill Withers' transition from a factory worker to a celebrated musician. It describes his recording session filled with renowned musicians, including Booker T and members of MGs, and how Steven Stills and Graham Nash influenced the iconic 'I know' repetition in 'Ain't No Sunshine.' The paragraph also covers the album's cover photo, taken during Withers' lunch break at the factory, symbolizing his blue-collar roots. It concludes with the success of 'Ain't No Sunshine,' Withers' subsequent departure from factory work, and his humble reflection on his career and the universal appeal of his music.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กPatreon
๐กNebula
๐กAin't No Sunshine
๐กDelta Blues
๐กBill Withers
๐กSongwriting
๐กCodependency
๐กBooker T. Jones
๐กHeartbreak
๐กIndie Label
๐กRock and Roll Hall of Fame
Highlights
The song 'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers is a timeless piece that feels primal and simple, reminiscent of delta blues tradition.
Bill Withers wrote 'Ain't No Sunshine' in 1971, despite its sound suggesting it could be a traditional blues piece.
Withers' early life in a coal mining town and his service in the navy influenced his music.
He taught himself guitar in his late 20s while working as a mechanic in an aircraft parts factory.
Withers was inspired to pursue music after seeing a club manager anxious about a late musician.
He bought a guitar and learned simple 12-bar blues patterns despite never having played before.
Withers' raw singing style conveys deep pain, making 'Ain't No Sunshine' emotionally powerful.
The song was written after watching the movie 'Days of Wine and Roses', which is about a couple's life spiraling due to alcoholism.
Withers' simple songwriting approach led to several hits in the early 70s.
Music executive Clarence Avant recognized Withers' potential and gave him a record deal.
The record was produced by Booker T. Jones and featured appearances by Steven Stills and Graham Nash.
Graham Nash encouraged Withers to record, telling him he didn't know how good he was.
The iconic 'I know' repetition in 'Ain't No Sunshine' was unplanned but kept due to its raw emotion.
Withers was so dedicated to his factory job that he recorded the album while still working there.
His debut album 'Just As I Am' was named after his work ethic and humble beginnings.
Withers continued working at the factory until he was laid off two months before his album release.
He received two letters on the same day: one asking him to return to work, the other inviting him on to Johnny Carson's show.
'Ain't No Sunshine' was initially a B-side but climbed the Billboard Hot 100 with help from Johnny Carson.
Withers' record company commemorated his song going gold with a golden toilet seat, a nod to his factory job.
Bill Withers became an icon with his simple, relatable songwriting style that influenced many genres.
Withers remained humble, summing up his career by saying he wrote songs people could identify with.
Transcripts
this video is made possible thanks to my
amazing supporters on patreon and thanks
to everyone who has signed up to watch
my stuff early and ad-free on nebula
thank you all so much for your support
and don't forget to subscribe to the
channel if you like the video there's
some songs that are difficult to imagine
somebody writing songs that express some
human experience so pure so raw that
they feel like they've always been
around in some form or another
for me one such song has always been
ain't no sunshine bill withers
breakthrough hit is an expression of a
universal feeling and structurally it's
got this almost primal simplicity to it
hearkening back to the delta blues
tradition
honestly growing up hearing this song as
a kid i think a part of me always
assumed it was some sort of blues
traditional piece
but of course
it wasn't
despite its timeless sound a no sunshine
was in fact written by bill withers in
1971
and the story of that writing can help
us understand what makes aino sunshine
such a timeless song and what makes bill
withers such a unique artist
let's take a closer look
bill withers early life looks a lot like
that of the blue singers that clearly
influenced his music
he was born with a stutter in a small
coal mining town and spent most of his
childhood raised by a single mother
at 17 years old he enlisted in the
american navy where he served for nine
years it wasn't until withers was well
into his late 20s that he even decided
to teach himself guitar at the time
withers was working as a mechanic in an
aircraft parts factory where he made
three bucks an hour making bathroom
parts for 747 airplanes
in a 2015 piece with the rolling stone
withers said that he was inspired to
take up music after seeing a club
manager get anxious about lou rawls not
showing up on time for a gig
withers said i remember him saying i'm
paying this guy two thousand dollars a
week and he can't show up on time i was
making three dollars an hour looking for
friendly women but nobody found me
interesting then rawls walked in and all
these women are talking to him so
withers took a stroll down to the pawn
shop and bought himself a guitar despite
never having played before in his life
he told the rolling stone i figured out
that you don't need to be a virtuoso to
accompany yourself chords in a simple 12
bar blues pattern
and the chords in question are some of
the most basic chords to play on the
guitar
ain't no sunshine when she's gone
she's always gone
[Music]
but as rudimentary as his guitar playing
is bill withers is able to convey a
depth of pain that few complex pieces
could really match
a big reason for this is his raw from
the heart singing
ain't no sunshine when she's gone
and this house just ain't no home
anytime
she goes away
voice is not the polished instrument of
a career musician
it's the whale of a true working class
man born to poverty and resigned to the
realities of a tough world and the words
he sings are just as powerful as his
voice for all their simplicity
in an interview with song facts withers
explained that he wrote the song after
watching the 1962 movie days of wine and
roses a story about a successful couple
whose lives spiral out of control due to
alcoholism
withers explained they were both
alcoholics who were alternately weak and
strong
it's like going back on seconds for rat
poison
sometimes you miss things that weren't
particularly good for you
it's just something that crossed my mind
from watching that movie and probably
something else that happened in my life
that i'm not aware of
through simple metaphor withers expands
the story into a tale of codependency
and heartbreak
in the early 70s withers penned a number
of songs with his simple songwriting
approach and saved up enough money to
record a demo tape while still working
on the factory floor he spent his off
time shopping his demo to major labels
but he found no takers
his break came when the music executive
clarence avant realized his potential
and gave him a deal to record a record
on his indie label
the record would be produced by the
legendary booker t jones
a working man to the last withers came
to the studio directly from the factory
with a notebook full of songs in hand he
was bewildered to find himself in a room
full of some of the most talented people
in all of music in addition to booker t
and most of his mgs withers recording
session also featured appearances by
steven stills and graham nash
in fact it was nash who gave withers the
confidence to record telling him you
don't know how good you are
and that wasn't the only impact of these
career musicians they're partially
responsible for what might be the most
iconic moment of a no sunshine the
repetition
[Music]
i know i know
withers hadn't written words for that
section yet so he just repeated i know
the result is something tense and raw as
though the sheer emotion of heartbreak
is overcoming withers and transcending
language
his delivery of this was so strong that
everyone in the room told him to keep it
just like that
withers were called to song facts there
were all these people with all this
experience and all these reputations and
i was this factory worker in here just
sort of puttering around
so when their general feeling was leave
it like that
i left it like that
withers was so much the factory worker
that the cover photo for what would
become his debut album was taken at his
factory while he was on his lunch break
fittingly that album would be titled
just as i am and being who he was bill
withers didn't jump ship from his
factory job immediately he knew the
music industry was fickle so after
laying down one of the greatest songs
ever recorded he returned to the factory
floor he would continue to work there
until he got laid off two months before
his album was scheduled to be released
after a time being unemployed withers
fortune changed when he got two letters
in the mail on the same day
he told the rolling stone
one was asking me to come back to my job
the other was inviting me on to johnny
carson and that about spelled the end of
bill withers days as a factory worker
even though ain't no sunshine was
actually released as a b-side to the
song harlem radio djs saw it for what it
was and started to spin it over and over
with the help of johnny carson aino
sunshine climbed up the billboard hot
100 and peaked at number three
before long the song went gold and
withers record company commemorated the
occasion by presenting him with a golden
toilet seat an homage to his previous
job at the airplane parts factory
from there bill withers became an icon
his simple salt of the earth songwriting
style made his song some of the most
enduring influential pieces ever
recorded and withers himself stayed
humble to the very end he summed up his
career best in an interview with rolling
stone on the occasion of him getting
inducted into the rock and roll hall of
fame what few songs i wrote during my
brief career there ain't a genre that
somebody didn't record them in i'm not a
virtuoso but i was able to write songs
that people could identify with
i don't think i've done bad for a guy
from slab fork west virginia
you
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