The Friday song (on a Sunday): ‘Kissing My Love’ by Bill Withers

If I never hear Lean on Me or Ain’t No Sunshine again, it’s okay. Good as they are, we’ve heard them many thousands of times and for me, anyway, they’re played out. 

Fortunately, Bill Withers recorded other perennial, excellent songs in his career that I still love. The funk of Use Me, the lift of Lovely Day, the soul of Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? among them. However, the track I listen to over and over, and one that came up on a plane ride on Tuesday, from Withers’ career-defining Still Bill album, is Kissing My Love, today’s Friday song. 

I remember Withers being on the line-up for the Zaire concert, prior to the big Muhammad Ali/George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” and thinking: he must be pretty cool to be there!” And he was.

A widely sampled hit-maker with a wide range, Withers’ universally known melodies aren’t the ones that reel me in like the “in the pocket groove” of Kissing My Love does. The start is a crisp funk, hi-hat/snare/bass drum figure by James Gadson, before Benorce Blackmon’s wah wah electric guitar slices in to help the build for Ray Jackson’s clavinet and Bill’s heart “thumpin’”, “skippin’”, “pumpin’” and “poppin’” vocal as he’s kissing his love. It’s a straight blues structure over which is layered, a funky R&B, soul performance. There’s keyboard orchestration and a relaxed whistle to close. All such good time. A great song and I hope you enjoy it! 

Listen to Kissing My Love on Spotify here and Apple Music here.

I started a music WhatsApp group in 2023. I send one song a week on a Friday, with links to both Apple and Spotify, and an accompanying narrative/capsule piece. If you want to engage about a song, get a playlist or just get in touch, email me on markgrosin@gmail.com.

For more of Mark’s top tracks, go here.

ALSO READ:

• The Friday song (on a Sunday): ‘Angel From Montgomery’ by Susan Tedeschi
• The Friday song (on a Sunday): ‘Keeper’ by Courtney Marie Andrews
• The Friday song (on a Sunday): ‘Radar Love’ by Golden Earring

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