Complete List Of Bill Withers Songs From A to Z

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Bill Withers grew up in Slab Fork, West Virginia, a small coal mining town that shaped both his worldview and the grounded tone of his songwriting. Raised in a working class family, he was the youngest of six children. After graduating high school, he joined the United States Navy, where he served for nine years as an aircraft mechanic. That experience came well before his recording career and provided the discipline and life perspective that later informed the plainspoken authority of his music.

After leaving the Navy, Withers moved to Los Angeles and worked at a factory making airplane parts while writing songs on the side. He did not pursue music through the traditional industry pipeline, and he was already in his early thirties when his career began to take shape. His breakthrough came after signing with Sussex Records, where he recorded his debut album Just as I Am in 1970. The album was produced by Booker T. Jones and featured the song “Ain’t No Sunshine,” which became a major hit in 1971 and established him as a distinctive new voice in R&B and soul.

Across his career, Bill Withers released nine studio albums between 1970 and 1985. Following Just as I Am, he released Still Bill, Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall, +’Justments, Making Music, Menagerie, Bout Love, Watching You Watching Me, and Tender Things. His catalog included enduring songs such as “Lean on Me,” “Use Me,” “Lovely Day,” “Grandma’s Hands,” and “Just the Two of Us.” Many of these songs crossed genre lines and became standards, recorded and performed by artists in soul, pop, jazz, and R&B.

Withers achieved significant commercial success during the 1970s, with multiple singles reaching the top of the charts. “Lean on Me” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, and “Just the Two of Us,” recorded with Grover Washington Jr., reached number two in 1981. His music consistently performed well on both pop and R&B charts, reflecting its broad appeal and emotional accessibility without relying on studio excess or vocal theatrics.

His work earned widespread recognition from the recording industry. Bill Withers won three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Song for “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1972 and Best R&B Song again for “Lean on Me” in 1973. “Just the Two of Us” received the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 1982. In 2015, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognizing the lasting impact of his songwriting and recorded output.

What set Withers apart was not only his music but the decisions he made outside the industry. He walked away from recording and performing in the mid 1980s, choosing a private life over continued commercial visibility. After retiring from music, he focused on family life and remained largely absent from the public eye. His earlier Navy service remained an important part of his identity, and he often credited it with shaping his independence and resistance to industry pressure. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, reflecting his influence on generations of songwriters rather than ongoing commercial activity.

Complete List Of Bill Withers Songs From A to Z

1. Ain’t No Sunshine – Just as I Am – 1971
2. All Because of You – ‘Bout Love – 1978
3. Another Day to Run – Still Bill – 1972
4. Better Off Dead – Just as I Am – 1971
5. Can We Pretend – +’Justments – 1974
6. City of the Angels – Naked & Warm – 1976
7. Close to Me – Naked & Warm – 1976
8. Dedicated to You My Love – ‘Bout Love – 1978
9. Do It Good – Just as I Am – 1971
10. Don’t It Make It Better – ‘Bout Love – 1978
11. Don’t Make Me Wait – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
12. Don’t You Want to Stay? – Making Music – 1975
13. Dreams – Naked & Warm – 1976
14. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Just as I Am – 1971
15. Family Table – Making Music – 1975
16. Grandma’s Hands – Just as I Am – 1971
17. Green Grass – +’Justments – 1974
18. Harlem – Just as I Am – 1971
19. Heart in Your Life – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
20. Heartbreak Road – +’Justments – 1974
21. Hello Like Before – Making Music – 1975
22. Hope She’ll Be Happier – Just as I Am – 1971
23. I Don’t Know – Still Bill – 1972
24. I Don’t Want You on My Mind – Still Bill – 1972
25. I Love You Dawn – Making Music – 1975
26. I’ll Be with You – Naked & Warm – 1976
27. I Wish You Well – Making Music – 1975
28. I’m Her Daddy – Just as I Am – 1971
29. If I Didn’t Mean You Well – Naked & Warm – 1976
30. In My Heart – Just as I Am – 1971
31. Kissing My Love – Still Bill – 1972
32. Lean on Me – Still Bill – 1972
33. Let It Be – Just as I Am – 1971
34. Let Me in Your Life – Still Bill – 1972
35. Liza – +’Justments – 1974
36. Lonely Town, Lonely Street – Still Bill – 1972
37. Look to Each Other for Love – ‘Bout Love – 1978
38. Love – ‘Bout Love – 1978
39. Love Is – ‘Bout Love – 1978
40. Make a Smile for Me – +’Justments – 1974
41. Make Love to Your Mind – Making Music – 1975
42. Memories Are That Way – ‘Bout Love – 1978
43. Moanin’ and Groanin’ – Just as I Am – 1971
44. My Imagination – Naked & Warm – 1976
45. Naked & Warm (Heaven! Oh! Heaven!) – Naked & Warm – 1976
46. Oh Yeah! – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
47. Paint Your Pretty Picture – Making Music – 1975
48. Railroad Man – +’Justments – 1974
49. Ruby Lee – +’Justments – 1974
50. She’s Lonely – Making Music – 1975
51. Something That Turns You On – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
52. Sometimes a Song – Making Music – 1975
53. Steppin’ Right Along – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
54. Stories – +’Justments – 1974
55. Sweet Wanomi – Just as I Am – 1971
56. Take It All In and Check It All Out – Still Bill – 1972
57. The Best You Can – Making Music – 1975
58. The Same Love That Made Me Laugh – +’Justments – 1974
59. Use Me – Still Bill – 1972
60. Watching You Watching Me – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
61. We Could Be Sweet Lovers – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
62. Whatever Happens – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
63. Where You Are – Naked & Warm – 1976
64. Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? – Still Bill – 1972
65. You – +’Justments – 1974
66. You Got the Stuff – ‘Bout Love – 1978
67. You Just Can’t Smile It Away – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985
68. You Try to Find a Love – Watching You, Watching Me – 1985

Albums

Just as I Am (1971): 12 songs

Still Bill (1972): 10 songs

+’Justments (1974): 10 songs

Making Music (1975): 10 songs

Naked & Warm (1976): 8 songs

‘Bout Love (1978): 8 songs

Watching You, Watching Me (1985): 10 songs

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