The Best of Bill Withers: Lean on Me

~ Release by Bill Withers (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Lovely 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 Withers4.64:12
2I 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 Withers3:40
3Let 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 Withers4:41
4Hello 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 Withers5:26
5Tender 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 Withers24:56
6I Wish You Well
recording of:
I Wish You Well
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
Bill Withers3:58
7Ain’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.
Bill Withers4.52:03
8Grandma’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.
Bill Withers42:00
9The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
recording of:
The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
publisher:
Interior Music Corp.
Bill Withers3:22
10Lean 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)
Bill Withers4.34:17
11Harlem
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.
Bill Withers43:22
12Use 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)
Bill Withers4.353:42
13Who 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
Bill Withers3:12
14You Just Can’t Smile It Away
engineer:
Ed Cherney and Keith Seppanen (Engineer)
producer:
Bill Withers
solo saxophone:
Ernie Watts (Ernest James Watts, jazz and blues saxophonist)
synthesizer [synthesizer strings]:
Robbie Buchanan (Canadian producer)
synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7]:
Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad)
background vocals:
Edie Lehman and Kate Markowitz
vocals:
Bill Withers
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
CBS, Inc. (US broadcasting company; file no releases here!) (in 1985)
recorded at:
Sunset Sound in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States and Yamaha R&D Recording Studios
recording of:
You Just Can’t Smile It Away
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 1985 to present)
Bill Withers4:41
15Just 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. & Bill Withers3.53:57
16Steppin’ Right Along
engineer:
Keith Seppanen (Engineer)
producer:
Bill Withers
clavinet and synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7]:
Bill Withers
drums (drum set):
John Robinson (session drummer)
electronic drum set [Simmons], hi-hat, tambourine and tom-tom [toms]:
M.B. Gordy
guitar:
Joe Kelly (obscure disco artist)
percussion:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist)
synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7, pizzicato, horns]:
Paul Smith (keyboardist/producer, worked with Bill Withers and Idris Muhammad)
synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7, strings, voices] and vibraphone [vibes]:
Don Freeman
other vocals [Hots!]:
Denise Routt
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:
Steppin’ Right Along
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 1983 to present)
Bill Withers5:42
17You Try to Find a Love
recording of:
You Try To Find a Love
lyricist:
Bill Withers
writer:
Michel Colombier (French score composer) and Bill Withers
composer:
Michel Colombier (French score composer)
publisher:
Michel Colombier Music, Victor Music Arts, フジパシフィックミュージック (Fujipacific Music, Inc.), Bleunig Music (from 1985 to present) and Coldeye Music (from 1985 to present)
Bill Withers5:42
18My Imagination
recording of:
My Imagination
lyricist and composer:
Bill Withers
Bill Withers4:54

Credits

Release

art direction:Howard Fritzson
liner notes:David Ritz (American author)
producer:Leo Sacks
Bill Withers
mastering:Joseph M. Palmaccio
mastered at:Sony Music Studios (NYC, closed 2007) in Hell's Kitchen, New York, New York, United States
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/441659 [info]
ASIN:US: B00004THKR [info]

Release group

artist & repertoire support:Steve Berkowitz (A&R executive at Sony, also credited as reissue producer)