Ain't No Sunshine

Reel To Reel: Chuck Berry: Brown Eyed Handsome Man : News Photo
Ain't No Sunshine launched the career of Bill Withers, who passed away recently aged 81.

Overhearing a frustrated promoter in a club saying how much a late arrival was getting paid, a toilet making Bill Withers put together a demo which included this song, one which very quickly became a modern standard, covered by an amazing number of wide ranging recording artists including Paul McCartney, José Feliciano, Isaac Hayes, Sivuca, Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones, Ladysmith Black Mamboza, and perhaps most famously Michael Jackson, who released it as his first track on his first solo album Got To Be There, a mere 6 months after Bill Withers initial release, such was its hit potential.

The song was written and first released on Bill Wither's debut Just As I Am in July 1971 and originally a B-side to "Harlem" before DJs disagreed and flipped it over, promoting it to the A-side. It very quickly went Gold hitting Number 3 in the US Billboard Top and winning a Grammy for Best R&B song the following year. Since then it has been ranked the 20th and 285th best song ever by Mojo Magazine and Rolling Stone respectively.

It is effortlessly simple, a classic 'i don't have a woman, life is not the same', with its chorus catching listener's attentions from the off, before finishing in little over 2 minutes. The record featured a stellar cast including such illustrious musicians as Stephen Stills (of Crosby Stills & Nash fame) on guitar and was produced by Booker T. Jones (of Booker T & The MGs fame).

Soon other songs of his became modern standards too including "Lovely Day", "Lean On Me" and "Just The Two Of Us" but none appeared quite as many times across the world and sold as much as this gem.

Ain't No Sunshine on Spotify
Ain't No Sunshine on Youtube

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