Greatest Hits

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bill Withers has written two bona fide classics ("Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me"), recorded a slew of memorable hits and had songs covered by everyone from Joe Cocker to Isaac Hayes to Kiss. Still, he's under-appreciated. His voice is smooth, his singing is subtle and his songs move along over sinuous, sexy grooves. It's all so effortless that it's easy to overlook how substantial Withers' work really is. Never flashy, his best songs burn with a heat that lingers long after the last note has been played. This slender 10-track collection brings together a few songs from his remarkable early-1970s Sussex albums, including such hits and near hits as "Grandma's Hands", "Who Is He? (And What Is He to You?)" and the seriously funky "Use Me", as well as some gems from the later 1970s (including "Lovely Day"). Greatest Hits is a nice, succinct introduction to Withers' work but fans would be better off with the more complete Lean on Me career overview. --Percy Keegan

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Customer reviews

review by: JEZ.KMLFA date: 2008-06-27 rating:
jez.kmlfa
Super mellow and chilled album. You will hum or sing your way through every track. Marvellous! Kick back and enjoy!!

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review by: dundeelaw date: 2002-05-03 rating:
The best thing since sliced bread. Buy it. Now.
It oozes class and Billy boy doesn't put a foot wrong throughout this greatest hits album. The opening track "Just The Two Of Us" will be familiar to Will Smith fans, but thankfully he declines to rap during the verses, opting for a more conventional method - singing. Give it a try sometime Will. Anyway, back to the review.
The absence of a large number of tracks on this album is more than compensated for by the quality of each and every track. This isn't an album that you skip. Don't even think about it.

"Use Me" makes excellent use of Bill's strong vocals, with a catchy rhythm to boot. And then it comes. Track 3 - "Ain't No Sunshine", the breathtaking song covered by Will Young on Pop Idol. To say it is the albums highlight would simply be to the detriment of the rest of the album, so I won't say such a crazy thing. This album has no good songs, no weak songs. You would certainly be forgiven to think that this was not a compilation of songs, as each one flows into the next as if it has only ever been that way.

"Lovely Day" will be familiar to many, although the exact source may be hard to come by. It took my girlfriend to tell me that Tetley Tea used it in one of their commercials. Great song though. Just try and keep up with his voice, if you like to sing along in the shower. It's not easy, believe me.

The next two songs may not be as familiar, but that does not detract from their instant appeal. "I Want To Spend The Night" and "Soul Shadows" go together as is they were both written in the same breath. Having thought this, I was a bit blown over to learn that the latter was not even written by the man himself. He pulls it off effortlessly as if it was his own though. Genius. They are both songs that make you want to dance the night away, as the Mavericks would say. However, the emergence of "Lean On Me" in the album, makes you find a comfy chair, put your feet up and just listen. Listen to the man do his thang, in total awe.

"Grandma's Hands" is another well-loved Bill Withers song. Slightly low-key compared to other songs on the album, but this does not matter. It is still a wee cracker of a song, only 2 mins in length.
Track 9, "Hello Like Before" has too long an intro for my liking, but once the vocals start you soon forger all about it. A wonderful song, which reminds me of a cross between "The Way we were" and Lionel Richie, but at the same time managing to sound fresh and unique. Not to mention much better. A corker of a song, which has a great orchestral backing.
The final track "Who Is He What Is He To You", has a slightly bluesy feel, with a reggae-like guitar wah-wah twanging throughout the song which would have made Mr Marley proud. It is a suitable closing track for an album which has made me hungry for more Bill Withers.
Don't read this review and dismiss the album as mere music. Don't do such a thing to yourself. Buy the album, sit back and let the songs go to work on your soul. You won't regret it.
Thank you for your time. Here endeth the lesson.


review by: date: 2000-04-22 rating:
Funkier and smoother than the newer releases... a great buy.
The first track on this CD, "Just The Two Of Us" was covered by Will Smith, and more recently, by Dr. Evil and Mini-me, for the "Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me" soundtrack. It was great to hear the original version of this song, and it's much funkier and smoother than the newer releases - I love the last verse and the latin percussion which accompanies it. "Lovely Day" is another song featured on this album; I had heard this on a tea-bag advert on TV, and yet again, the original sounds much better than the re-release (especially the funky slap-bass introduction). "Lean On Me" is another soul-classic, and sounds wonderful all the time. Bill Withers should be more widely recognised as a great songwriter and marvellous singer. The album was produced by some famous names too, including Grover Washington Jr. (who also plays sax in "Just The Two Of Us"), and Booker T. Jones - of Booker T. and the MG's and The Blues Brothers fame. A great buy, at a ridiculously low price. [I purchased using my Egg credit card and recieved a 5% discount too!]

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