The Essential Bill Withers

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

Tracklist

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

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]