Use Me - Bill Withers (1972) 5/24/21

Before Bill Withers was a recording artist, he was a mechanic at a factory that made airplane parts. He was making $3 an hour and he felt his boss was just using him. And that became the inspiration for "Use Me:" today's "Great Song of 1972." Bill turned it into a story about a man who was being mistreated by a woman, but couldn't bring himself to break it off. "Use Me" was released as a single from Bill's second album, "Still Bill," which also featured another "Great Song:" "Lean on Me," which we highlighted back in April of 2020 after Bill passed away at the age of 81: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/164792028327586 "Use Me" was a solid hit on its own, reaching #2 on Billboard's Soul Chart and the Hot 100. Unfortunately, It was kept from reaching #1 on the 100 by Chuck Berry's ridiculous "My Ding-a-Ling." Of course that had more to do with how many 12-year-olds used their allowance to buy Chuck's single, and nothing to do with Bill's excellent "groove." Was that too snarky? :-) Another measure of how great "Use Me" turned out to be is the number of cover versions recorded over the years: nearly 50 at last count, by artists such as Grace Jones, Isaac Hayes, Ike & Tina Turner, Mick Jagger, Al Jarreau, Aaron Neville...and even Liza Minelli!

"Use Me:" A "Great Song of 1972" by Bill Withers!