The Essential Bill Withers

~ Release by Bill Withers (see all versions of this release, 3 available)

Tracklist

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1▼CD: Disc One
#TitleRatingLength
1Better Days (Theme From Man and Boy)
engineer:
Phil Schier
vocals:
Bill Withers
recorded at:
The Record Plant (aka “Record Plant” Los Angeles) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
recording of:
Theme From “Man and Boy”: Better Days
writer:
J.J. Johnson (jazz/bop trombonist/session leader) and Bill Withers
3:28
2Ain't No Sunshine
recording engineer:
Bill Halverson (in 1971) and Bill Lazarus (in 1971)
producer:
Booker T. Jones
mixer:
John Golden (mastering engineer)
acoustic guitar:
Stephen Stills (in 1971)
drums (drum set):
Al Jackson, Jr. (Booker T & The MGs drummer) (in 1971)
electric bass guitar:
Donald “Duck” Dunn (US bass guitarist, session musician, record producer & songwriter) (in 1971)
lead vocals:
Bill Withers (in 1971)
strings arranger:
Booker T. Jones
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1971) and Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1972)
part of:
BILLIONS CLUB, Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 179), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 280) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 309)
recording of:
Ain’t No Sunshine (in 1971)
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
EMI Music (do not use as release label! this is a music publisher), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated) and EMI Songs Ltd.
4.52:06
3Harlem
recording engineer:
Bill Halverson and Bill Lazarus
producer:
Booker T. Jones
mixer:
John Golden (mastering engineer)
vocals:
Bill Withers
arranger:
Booker T. Jones
recording of:
Harlem
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
43:24
4Grandma's Hands
recording engineer:
Bill Halverson and Bill Lazarus
producer:
Booker T. Jones
mixer:
John Golden (mastering engineer)
electric guitar:
Stephen Stills
lead vocals:
Bill Withers
arranger:
Booker T. Jones
recording of:
Grandma’s Hands (in 1971)
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
42:02
5Hope She'll Be Happier
recording engineer:
Bill Halverson and Bill Lazarus
producer:
Booker T. Jones
mixer:
John Golden (mastering engineer)
vocals:
Bill Withers
arranger:
Booker T. Jones
recording of:
Hope She'll Be Happier
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI)
43:50
6Better Off Dead
recording engineer:
Bill Halverson and Bill Lazarus
producer:
Booker T. Jones
mixer:
John Golden (mastering engineer)
vocals:
Bill Withers
arranger:
Booker T. Jones
recording of:
Better Off Dead
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
42:16
7Lonely Town, Lonely Street
recording of:
Lonely Town, Lonely Street
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
3:42
8Let Me in Your Life
recording of:
Let Me in Your Life
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
2:42
9Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?
producer:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer), Melvin Dunlap, James Gadson (American drummer), Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger) and Bill Withers
clavinet:
Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger)
drums (drum set) and percussion:
James Gadson (American drummer)
electric bass guitar:
Melvin Dunlap
electric guitar:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer)
lead vocals:
Bill Withers
strings arranger:
Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1972)
recording of:
Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?
writer:
Stanley McKenny and Bill Withers
3:14
10Use Me
engineer:
Bob Hughes (engineer) and Phil Sheer
producer:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer), Melvin Dunlap, James Gadson (American drummer), Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger) and Bill Withers
acoustic guitar:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer)
clavinet and Wurlitzer electric piano:
Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger)
drums (drum set) and percussion:
James Gadson (American drummer)
electric bass guitar:
Melvin Dunlap
lead vocals:
Bill Withers
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1972)
recorded at:
Record Plant (aka “Record Plant” Los Angeles) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
recording of:
Use Me
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp. (in 1972)
4.353:43
11Friend of Mine (live)
recorded at:
Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 1972-10-06)
live recording of:
Friend of Mine
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
4:30
12I Can't Write Left-Handed (live)
recorded at:
Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 1972-10-06)
live recording of:
I Can’t Write Left Handed
writer:
Raymond Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger) and Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
46:47
13Lean on Me
producer:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer), Melvin Dunlap, James Gadson (American drummer), Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger) and Bill Withers
drums (drum set) and percussion:
James Gadson (American drummer) (in 1972)
electric bass guitar:
Melvin Dunlap (in 1972)
electric guitar:
Benorce Blackmon (guitarist, producer, writer) (in 1972)
piano and lead vocals:
Bill Withers (in 1972)
Wurlitzer electric piano:
Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger) (in 1972)
strings arranger:
Ray Jackson (trombonist, pianist and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1972), CBS Records Ltd. (UK record company, subsidiary of CBS United Kingdom Ltd.) (in 1972), Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1972) and Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Aug 5, 2004 – Oct 1, 2008) (in 1972)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 205) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 236)
recording of:
Lean on Me (in 1972)
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships), EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty. Limited (not for release label use!), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI Songs Ltd., Interior Music (Les Disques du Crépuscule sub‐label), Interior Music Corp., Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI), Universal/MCA Music Ltd. (not for release label use!), Universal/MCA Music Publishing Pty Ltd, シンコーミュージック・エンタテイメント (Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.) and ユニバーサル・ミュージック・パブリッシング Synch事業部 (Universal Music Publishing, Synch Division)
4.34:19
14Make a Smile for Me
23:17
15The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
recording of:
The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
33:26
16Heartbreak Road
recording of:
Heartbreak Road
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
23:10
17Railroad Man
recording of:
Railroad Man
writer:
Melvin Dunlap and Bill Withers
16:28
2▼CD: Disc Two
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Family Table
Bill Withers3:14
2The Best You Can
Bill Withers2:25
3Hello Like Before
producer:
Larry Nash (piano) and Bill Withers
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1975)
recording of:
Hello Like Before
writer:
John Collins (songwriter) and Bill Withers
publisher:
Golden Withers Music
Bill Withers5:30
4I Wish You Well
recording of:
I Wish You Well
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
Bill Withers3:59
5Don't You Want to Stay?
Bill Withers4:05
6I'll Be With You
Bill Withers3:12
7My Imagination
recording of:
My Imagination
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
Bill Withers4:53
8Lovely Day
producer:
Clarence McDonald and Bill Withers
bass guitar:
Jerry Knight (in 1977)
drums (drum set) and shakers:
Russell Kunkel (session drummer) (in 1977)
guitar:
Ray Parker (in 1977)
keyboard:
Clarence McDonald (in 1977)
percussion:
Ralph MacDonald (in 1977)
lead vocals:
Bill Withers (in 1977)
arranger:
Clarence McDonald
concertmaster:
Charles Veal (violinist, conductor and arranger) (in 1977)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS Records Ltd. (UK record company, subsidiary of CBS United Kingdom Ltd.) (in 1977), CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1977) and Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding) (in 1977)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 402)
recording of:
Lovely Day (in 1977)
writer:
Skip Scarborough and Bill Withers
publisher:
Chappell Music Ltd., Chelsea Music Publishing Co., Ltd., Golden Withers Music, Plaid Flowers Music, Sweet Cookie Music, Unichappell Music, Inc., Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label), フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.), ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Bill Withers4.64:16
9I Want to Spend the Night
producer:
Keni Burke and Bill Withers
bass guitar:
Keni Burke
drums (drum set):
Russell Kunkel (session drummer)
guitar:
Bill Withers
keyboard:
Dean Gant
percussion:
Ralph MacDonald
vocals:
Bill Withers
brass [horns] and strings arranger:
Paul Riser
concertmaster:
Charles Veal (violinist, conductor and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1977)
recording of:
I Want to Spend the Night
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Golden Withers Music and フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.)
Bill Withers3:42
10Tender Things
producer:
Clarence McDonald and Bill Withers
bass guitar:
Keni Burke
drums (drum set):
Russell Kunkel (session drummer)
guitar:
Ray Parker
keyboard:
Clarence McDonald
percussion:
Ralph MacDonald
vocals:
Bill Withers
arranger:
Clarence McDonald
concertmaster:
Charles Veal (violinist, conductor and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1977)
recording of:
Tender Things
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Golden Withers Music and フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.)
Bill Withers25:02
11Let Me Be the One You Need
producer:
Keni Burke, Clarence McDonald and Bill Withers
bass guitar:
Keni Burke
congas and drums (drum set):
Russell Kunkel (session drummer)
keyboard:
Clarence McDonald
percussion:
Ralph MacDonald
vocals:
Bill Withers
brass [horns] and strings arranger:
Paul Riser
concertmaster:
Charles Veal (violinist, conductor and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1977)
recording of:
Let Me Be the One You Need
writer:
Skip Scarborough and Bill Withers
publisher:
Golden Withers Music, Plaid Flowers Music, Sweet Cookie Music, Unichappell Music, Inc., Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label), フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.), ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Bill Withers4:45
12Memories Are That Way
Bill Withers15:04
13Soul Shadows
vocals:
Bill Withers
recording of:
Soul Shadows
writer:
Will Jennings and Joe Sample
The Crusaders with Bill Withers6:25
14Just the Two of Us
producer:
Ralph MacDonald and Grover Washington, Jr.
drums (drum set):
Steve Gadd (drummer) (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
electric bass guitar:
Marcus Miller (jazz musician) (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
electric guitar:
Eric Gale (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
percussion:
Ralph MacDonald (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
Rhodes piano:
Richard Tee (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
saxophone:
Grover Washington, Jr. (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
lead vocals:
Bill Withers (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Elektra Entertainment Group (not for release label use! a division of Warner Communications, Inc. for the United States, and WEA International Inc. for the world outside the United States) (in 1980), Elektra Records (not for release label use! please use its imprint “Elektra” instead) (in 1980) and Elektra/Asylum Records (not for release label use! copyrights holder, distributor within the US) (in 1980)
edit of:
Just the Two of Us (original studio mix) by Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr.
recording of:
Just the Two of Us (Bill Withers song) (from 1980-06 until 1980-07)
writer:
Ralph MacDonald, William Salter and Bill Withers
publisher:
Antisia Music Inc. and Bleunig Music
Grover Washington, Jr. with Bill Withers3.53:58
15In the Name of Love
Ralph MacDonald with Bill Withers5:02
16We Could Be Sweet Lovers
engineer:
Keith Seppanen (Engineer)
producer:
Bill Withers
drums (drum set):
John Robinson (session drummer)
flute [flutes]:
Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad) and Bill Withers
glockenspiel [bells] and steelpan [steel drums]:
Don Freeman
percussion:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist)
synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7]:
Don Freeman, Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad) and Bill Withers
background vocals:
Edie Lehman, Kate Markowitz and Phil Perry (US R&B/jazz singer, songwriter & musician)
other vocals [ad-lib]:
Alex Brown (US soul vocalist, member of Raelets)
vocals:
Bill Withers
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1985)
recorded at:
Yamaha R&D Recording Studios
recording of:
We Could Be Sweet Lovers
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.) and Bleunig Music (from 1982 to present)
Bill Withers3:29
17Something That Turns You On
engineer:
Keith Seppanen (Engineer)
producer:
Bill Withers
bass guitar, Rhodes piano and synthesizer [DX-7]:
Bill Withers
clavinet and synthesizer [synthesizer horns]:
Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad)
cymbal and electronic drum set [Simmons toms]:
M.B. Gordy
drum machine [Linn drum synthesizer]:
Keith Seppanen (Engineer)
strings:
Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad) and Bill Withers
background vocals:
Edie Lehman, Kate Markowitz and Phil Perry (US R&B/jazz singer, songwriter & musician)
other vocals [ad-lib]:
Phil Perry (US R&B/jazz singer, songwriter & musician)
vocals:
Bill Withers
background vocals arranger:
Alex Brown (US soul vocalist, member of Raelets), Phil Perry (US R&B/jazz singer, songwriter & musician) and Denise Routt
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1985)
recorded at:
Yamaha R&D Recording Studios
recording of:
Something That Turns You On
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.) and Bleunig Music (from 1982 to present)
Bill Withers4:27

Credits

Release group

part of:The Essential (Sony/Legacy compilations) (order: 167)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/1025566 [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0002558461 [info]
Wikidata:Q60787790 [info]