About The Song
At the age of 32, Bill Withers, originally hailing from rural Slab Fork, West Virginia, entered a domain primarily dominated by performers in their twenties. Prior to this, he had spent nine years serving in the US Navy before transitioning to a job installing lavatories on Boeing 747s.
In 1970, he inked a deal with the Hollywood independent label Sussex Records and embarked on recording his debut album. On paper, he might have seemed an unlikely candidate for success. However, on vinyl, his approach of “simple yet sophisticated” proved to be foolproof. Withers believed in the mantra that simplicity is memorable, stating, “If something’s too complicated, you’re not going to walk around humming it to yourself because it’s too hard to remember. It’s very difficult to make things simple and understandable.”
His early demo circulated among various labels in the late Sixties until it caught the attention of Stax keyboard player and producer Booker T Jones. Recognizing its potential, Jones enlisted top-tier musicians, including Al Jackson and Donald Dunn from his band The MGs, along with guitarist Stephen Stills. Together, they recorded what would become Withers’s debut album, “Just As I Am.” The lead single, the energetic summer anthem “Harlem,” didn’t quite gain traction. DJs then flipped the record and promoted the more relaxed soul of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
Withers’s distinctive hook involved a repetitive ad-lib, “I know, I know, I know,” showcasing his breath control. Initially, he had contemplated writing something in that part but was advised by Jones to keep it. Withers felt compelled to comply, recognizing the experience and reputations of those involved compared to his background as a factory worker. The song became a Billboard hit for Withers and reached the UK charts through a rendition by a teenage Michael Jackson. It earned a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1971 and has endured over the years. In 1991, Paul McCartney released a live version, and in 2001, the rapper DMX sampled it in “No Sunshine.”
Video
Lyric
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 awayWonder 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 awayAnd 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 oughtta leave young thing alone
But ain’t no sunshine when she’s goneAin’t no sunshine when she’s gone
Only darkness every day
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
Guitar chord
Am7 Em G Am7 Ain't no sunshine when she's gone. Am7 Em G Am7 It's not warm when she's a - way. Em7 * Ain't no sunshine when she's gone Ebm7 Dm7 and she's always gone too long Am7 Em G Am7 anytime she goes a - way. Am7 Em G Am7 Wonder this time where she's gone. Am7 Em G Am7 Wonder if she's gone to stay. Em7 * Ain't no sunshine when she's gone Ebm7 Dm7 and this house just ain't no home Am7 Em G Am7 anytime she goes a - way! Am7 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. Hey, I oughta leave the young thing alone Am7 but ain't no sunshine when she's gone. Em7 * G Am7 A - ooh, a - ooh. Am7 Em G Am7 Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, Am7 Em G Am7 only darkness every - day. Em7 * Ain't no sunshine when she's gone Ebm7 Dm7 and this house just ain't no home Am7 Em G Am7 anytime she goes a - way. Am7 Em G Am7 Anytime she goes a - way. Am7 Em G Am7 Anytime she goes a - way. Am7 Em G Am9 Anytime she goes a - way.