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).
Wintertime
Bill Withers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah, hah, but that don't mean little brother that you have to feel the same way
Look the sky is cryin' see the tear rollin' down on the ground, down on the ground
Ah, hah but that don't mean little brother that your life can't turn around
Cover up your body but the cold steady rubbin' on your skin, rubbin' on your skin
Ah, hah, you stay alive little brother from the warm fire within
This little brother is what the seasons are tryin' to say
The snow will surely be melted when the sun punches in for the day
See the cold steady rubbin', rubbin' on your skin rubbin' ‘round your skin
Ah hah you're stayin' alive, little brother from the warm fire within
This little brother is what the seasons are tryin' to say
The snow will surely be melted when the sun punches in for the day
See the cold steady rubbin', rubbin' on your skin rubbin' ‘round your skin
Ah hah you're stayin' alive, little brother from the warm fire within
In this song, Bill Withers talks about the wintertime when everything is brown and gray, a time when things may seem bleak and depressing. However, Withers advises his little brother not to let the outside world affect his mood or attitude. The sky may be gray and crying, but that doesn't mean that his brother needs to feel sad too. He urges his brother to find warmth and comfort within himself, emanating from a "warm fire within." Withers also shares an encouraging message about the seasons and how they are a natural part of life. Just as the snow will melt when the sun rises, hard times will eventually fade away.
The lyrics of "Wintertime" carry a powerful and universal message about resilience and perseverance. Withers is speaking to anyone who might be struggling to find hope during tough times. He reminds listeners that even in the midst of difficult circumstances, we still have the ability to find joy and strength from within.
Line by Line Meaning
In the wintertime the grass is brown and the sky is gray, the sky is gray
During winter, the trees and grass lose their greenery and the sky is dull and gray in color.
Ah, hah, but that don't mean little brother that you have to feel the same way
However, this should not affect one's emotions or thoughts in a negative way.
Look the sky is cryin' see the tear rollin' down on the ground, down on the ground
Observing the rain falling from the sky like tears and landing on the ground.
Ah, hah but that don't mean little brother that your life can't turn around
Nevertheless, these tough times should not discourage one from making positive changes in their life.
Cover up your body but the cold steady rubbin' on your skin, rubbin' on your skin
While attempting to shield one's body from the cold winter weather, the chill still persists, constantly brushing against the skin.
Ah, hah, you stay alive little brother from the warm fire within
Despite the coldness, one can stay alive by igniting the fire within them and finding warmth and courage from their inner self.
This little brother is what the seasons are tryin' to say
The changing of seasons is an external reminder to reflect and take note of the changes happening within ourselves.
The snow will surely be melted when the sun punches in for the day
Although the snow and freezing weather may seem permanent, the warmth of the sun will eventually melt and transform it.
See the cold steady rubbin', rubbin' on your skin rubbin' ‘round your skin
The sensation of the cold winter weather rubbing against our skin.
Ah hah you're stayin' alive, little brother from the warm fire within
Through persistence and utilizing the warmth inside ourselves, we are able to survive and overcome any challenges presented to us.
Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.