BILL WITHERS - AIN'T NO SUNSHINE

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE

BILL WITHERS

SONGWRITER: BILL WITHERS & SIMMONS EARL; WILLIAM HARRISON & BLACKMAN DAMON J

COUNTRY: U.S.A.

ALBUM: JUST US I AM

LABEL: SUSSEX

GENRE: SOUL

YEAR: 1971

Bill Withers was inspired to write this song by the film Days of Wine and Roses (1962). He said about its characters "They were both alcoholics who were alternately weak and strong. It's like going back for seconds on rat poison. Sometimes you miss things that weren't particularly good for you. It's just something that crossed my mind from watching that movie, and probably something else that happened in my life that I'm not aware of."

Just As I Am is the debut studio album of American soul musician Bill Withers, released in 1971 on Sussex Records. The album features the hit single "Ain't No Sunshine", which was ranked at number 280 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of Booker T. Jones produced, arranged, and played keyboards and guitar on Just As I Am, alongside bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and drummer Al Jackson Jr. of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, with Stephen Stills on lead guitar. The album was later reissued as a dual disc with a second disc featuring all the tracks in 5.1 Surround Sound.

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

It's not warm when she's away

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

And she's always gone too long

Anytime she goes away

Wonder this time where she's gone

Wonder if she's gone to stay

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

And this house just ain't no home

Anytime she goes away

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

I know, I know, I know

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone

But ain't no sunshine when she's gone

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

Only darkness everyday

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

And this house just ain't no home

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away.