Withers, the youngest of six children, was born in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, on July 4, 1938. He was the son of Mattie (Galloway), a maid, and William Withers, a miner. He was born with a stutter and later said he had a hard time fitting in. His parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised by his mother's family in nearby Beckley, West Virginia. He was 13 years old when his father died. Withers enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17, and served for nine years, during which time he became interested in singing and writing songs.
He left the Navy in 1965, relocating to Los Angeles in 1967 to start a music career. His debut release was "Three Nights and a Morning" in 1967. Arranged by Mort Garson, the song went unnoticed at the time but was later reworked by Withers as the track "Harlem".
Withers worked as an assembler for several different companies, including Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM and Ford, while recording demo tapes with his own money, shopping them around and performing in clubs at night. When he returned with the song "Ain't No Sunshine" in 1971, he refused to resign from his job because he believed the music business was a fickle industry. In early 1970, Withers's demonstration tape was auditioned favorably by Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned former Stax Records stalwart Booker T. Jones to produce Withers' first album. Four three-hour recording sessions were planned for the album, but funding caused the album to be recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. Just as I Am was released in 1971 with the tracks, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. The album features Stephen Stills playing lead guitar. On the cover of the album, Withers is pictured at his job at Weber Aircraft in Burbank, California, holding his lunch box.
Withers was known for his "smooth" baritone vocals and "sumptuous" soul arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs of the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine". The former entered the Hot 100 chart through multiple versions, including Club Nouveau's 1987 cover, which made the composition one of nine songs to have led the chart via different acts. With "Lovely Day", he set the record for the longest sustained note on a chart hit on American charts, holding a high E for 18 seconds. Editors from The Guardian considered that Withers' songs are "some of the most beloved in the American songbook," citing, "'Ain't No Sunshine' is regarded as one of the all-time great breakup tracks, while 'Lean on Me', an ode to the supportive power of friendship ..." For the same newspaper, Alex Petridis noticed "[he] laid pain and paranoia under his deceptively gentle songs, and retired early having conquered gospel, funk, blues, disco and more." In Rolling Stone, writer Andy Greene noted that several of his songs "are embedded in the culture and have been covered countless times."
Writing for The New York Times, Giovanni Russonello considered Withers "[a] soulful singer with a gift for writing understated classics", adding, "the ultimate homespun hitmaker, he had an innate sense of what might make a song memorable, and little interest in excess attitude or accoutrements. Ultimately Withers reminded us that it’s the everyday that is the most meaningful: work, family, love, loss." A Billboard article considered that Withers "stands as one of R&B/soul music's most revered singer-songwriters." In the same magazine, writer Gail Mitchell acknowledged "Withers' legacy has flourished in the decades since, thanks to a cross-section of artists who have covered/sampled his songs or cited him as a major influence." Musician and music journalist Questlove referred to Withers' post-breakup 1974 album +'Justments as "a diary [...] [it] was a pre-reality-show look at his life. Keep in mind this was years before Marvin Gaye did it with Here, My Dear." The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson deemed him "a songwriter's songwriter". Musicians Sade, D'Angelo, Justin Timberlake, John Legend and Ed Sheeran have credited Withers as a music inspiration.
Withers died from heart complications in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at age 81; his family announced his death four days later. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).
Another Day to Run
Bill Withers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
what you're running from
tomorrow might just be another day to run
If you just sit and waste your time you'll be
going where you're coming from (think about that)
tomorrow might be just another day to run
Someone must control your mind
you're the one
I don't want to waste your time but I'm talking
to you like a son
Tomorrow might be just another day to run
Walking down the road of life looking for direction sometimes
my mind gets so mixed up I can't tell lust from affection
Gonna stop in to a roadside church and get my mind a rest
and Lord Jesus, help me get my soul together in the process
Pretty ladies stand in line waiting for inspection
ragged old men drinking wine trying to drown rejection
I've been wasting too much time, I'm going to lose my
mind unless, Lord Jesus
You help me get my soul together in the process
I see Tony Jr. fill up his arm with dope and dream
about a valley but he lives in an alley
filled with papers thrown away -- Lord tell me
He's long on dreams and short on hope and sometimes
he goes to rallies and stops by to see Sally just
to pass the time away
Lord tell me Tony tell me why do you want to get high
enough to die.
The lyrics to Bill Withers's song "Another Day to Run" address the idea of running away from one's problems, both figuratively and literally. The first verse warns the listener that if they don't confront the things they are trying to escape, tomorrow will just be another day to run. The second verse tells us that someone must be in control of our minds and that running only leads to confusion. Finally, the third verse offers some hope, as the singer describes stopping at a church to find rest and guidance from Jesus.
The song speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost or uncertain and turning to vices like alcohol and drugs to cope. The narrative includes a character named Tony Jr. who is struggling with addiction and seems to have given up hope. The tone of the song is empathetic and compassionate, as the singer recognizes his own struggles and offers hope for those who are also struggling.
Overall, "Another Day to Run" is a powerful and resonant meditation on the human experience of running away from problems and the importance of confronting them to find peace and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
If you don't look into your mind and find out what you're running from
Without introspection, you will continue to run away from your problems.
tomorrow might just be another day to run
If you do not address your issues today, you will continue to suffer tomorrow.
If you just sit and waste your time you'll be going where you're coming from (think about that)
If you do not take action and make progress, you will remain stagnant and unchanged.
tomorrow might be just another day to run
Failing to take action will lead to a recurring cycle of running away from your problems.
Someone must control your mind
It is important to have self-control and not let external influences dictate your actions.
you're the one
You have the power to control your thoughts and actions.
dark confusion's what you find when you run.
Avoiding your problems only leads to more confusion and chaos.
I don't want to waste your time but I'm talking to you like a son
This advice is given with the intention of helping, not wasting time.
Tomorrow might be just another day to run
The importance of taking action today to avoid repeating the same patterns tomorrow is emphasized once again.
Walking down the road of life looking for direction sometimes my mind gets so mixed up I can't tell lust from affection
Life can be confusing and it can be difficult to differentiate between the things we want versus what we need.
Gonna stop in to a roadside church and get my mind a rest and Lord Jesus, help me get my soul together in the process
Taking a moment to rest and reflect can be helpful in gaining clarity and perspective, and turning to a higher power for guidance can be comforting.
Pretty ladies stand in line waiting for inspection ragged old men drinking wine trying to drown rejection
Society often places unrealistic expectations on individuals based on their appearance and age, leading to feelings of rejection and shame.
I've been wasting too much time, I'm going to lose my mind unless, Lord Jesus
The consequences of not taking action are emphasized once again, and the singer turns to a higher power for strength and guidance.
You help me get my soul together in the process
The focus is on spiritual growth and healing.
I see Tony Jr. fill up his arm with dope and dream about a valley but he lives in an alley filled with papers thrown away -- Lord tell me
The singer observes someone who uses drugs to escape their reality and seeks understanding from a higher power.
He's long on dreams and short on hope and sometimes he goes to rallies and stops by to see Sally just to pass the time away
Tony Jr. has dreams but lacks the hope and resources to achieve them, leading to a cycle of aimlessness.
Lord tell me Tony tell me why do you want to get high enough to die.
The artist questions the reasons behind Tony Jr.'s destructive behavior and seeks understanding and a solution to his struggles.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENORCE BLACKMON, BILL WITHERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind