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).
Whatever Happens
Bill Withers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll have some love along the way
But it ain't easy
We'll look for some words of love to say
And smile..mmmmm
It may happen anyway
And we'll kiss before we say 'goodnight'
They're'll be some time along the way
When it ain't easy
It just can't be sunshine everyday
We'll smile…mmmmm
And be happy, anyway
And we'll kiss before we say 'goodnight'
I've got you in my life
Together we can reach the higher ground
We'll be alright
Just as long as you're around
Girl, I won't let you down
Whatever happens
There'll be some good times, and some bad
But it ain't easy
Let's just remember the good times that we had
And just smile…mmmm
And be happy, anyway
And we'll kiss before we say 'goodnight' (x2)
In the song “Whatever Happens”, Bill Withers sings about a couple struggling through ups and downs in their relationship. The song is centered around the idea that regardless of what happens, love is always present along the way as long as they find words of love to say and smile through the tough times. The lyrics imply that the struggles that the couple go through may not be easy, but they will overcome them and will be happy as long as they remain committed to each other. Bill Withers acknowledges that relationships have their fair share of both good and bad times, but instead of dwelling on the bad, it is important to remember the good times and keep smiling.
One possible interpretation of the song is that it may be a reflection of Bill Withers’ own relationship or past experiences. He was married three times and divorced twice, so he may have been writing from his own experiences. In many ways, it could be seen as a perseverance anthem for those in a relationship, encouraging those struggling to hold on and remain committed to their partner even in the face of difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatever happens
No matter what challenges or obstacles we face
We'll have some love along the way
Love will always be present in our relationship, even during hard times
But it ain't easy
Our relationship will face struggles
We'll look for some words of love to say
We'll actively seek ways to express our love for each other
And smile..mmmmm
We'll find joy in each other despite the challenges
It may happen anyway
We can't control everything, but we can choose how we respond to it
And we'll kiss before we say 'goodnight'
We'll end our day with affection and love
They're'll be some time along the way
There will be moments in our relationship
When it ain't easy
When things get tough
It just can't be sunshine everyday
We can't expect everything to always be perfect
And be happy, anyway
We can choose to find happiness despite the challenges
I've got you in my life
My life is better because you're a part of it
Together we can reach the higher ground
We can achieve more together than alone
We'll be alright
We can get through anything together
Just as long as you're around
As long as we're together, we'll be okay
Girl, I won't let you down
I promise to always be here for you, to support and love you
There'll be some good times, and some bad
We'll experience both joy and hardship
Let's just remember the good times that we had
We'll focus on the happy memories we've created together
And just smile…mmmm
We'll find joy in each other and be grateful for what we have
And we'll kiss before we say 'goodnight' (x2)
We'll end each day with love and affection for each other
Lyrics © BLEUNIG MUSIC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL WITHERS, N UNKNOWN WRITER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind