Lean On Me (1972) 4/3/20

Today, we say “goodbye” to singer Bill Withers, who passed away on Monday, 3/30/20, at the age of 81. This link will take you to his comprehensive obituary from Variety Magazine. https://variety.com/2020/music/news/bill-withers-dead-dies-singer-aint-no-sunshine-1234570209/

Coincidentally, I had already written up the following post for a future “Great Songs of the '70s” blog entry, so I'm skipping ahead to it. It's rather lighthearted in tone, but I'm posting it anyway. (Note: We highlighted “Ain't No Sunshine” back on December 23rd. You can check it out by scrolling back.)

Back when I was working at WOHO in Toledo, one of my favorite “Good Guys” was Buddy Carr. He was fun—and funny—both on and off the air. (I have stories!)

He never treated me like the rookie I was, and he had a knack for clever song intros, many of which I stole and used at other radio stations later in my career. :-) I still remember a lot of them 45 years later, and today, that plays (just a little bit) into our “Great Song of the '70s.”

In 1972, Bill Withers had moved from his tiny hometown in West Virginia to Los Angeles and was homesick. He bought a piano, and while practicing one day, he came up with a chord progression he liked, and the title “Lean On Me” popped into his head. He then wrote a song about the “strong community ethic” he was missing from back home.

The song resonated with radio listeners all over the US, and the charts reflected it: #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and Soul Charts and #4 on the Easy Listening Chart.It currently sits at #208 on Rolling Stone Magazine's “Top 500 Songs of All Time.”

So how does this tie into Buddy Carr?

One day, I was in the studio with him when he started the song, and after a brief mention of the time, temperature and call letters, he said, “..and here's some advice: Don't Lean On THIS guy, because...Bill Withers.”

I laughed out loud, filed it away...and probably used it a half dozen times myself in the ensuing years. Thanks, Buddy, wherever you are! And Mr. Withers, Rest in Peace.

TRIVIA: In 1987, the group Club Nouveau released a cover that was even more successful, reaching the Top 15 in 11 countries, including #1 in the US, Canada and New Zealand. It's one of only 9 songs to Hit #1 on the Hot 100 by two different groups!

Bill Withers,1972:

Club Nouveau, 1987: