Album: Still Bill (1972)

Charted: 18 1

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• Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
  We all have sorrow
  But if we are wise
  We know that there's always tomorrow
  
  Lean on me, when you're not strong
  And I'll be your friend
  I'll help you carry on
  For it won't be long
  'Til I'm gonna need
  Somebody to lean on
  
  Please swallow your pride
  If I have things you need to borrow
  For no one can fill those of your needs
  That you won't let show
  
  Sing, you just call on me brother, when you need a hand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  I just might have a problem that you'll understand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  
  Lean on me, when you're not strong
  And I'll be your friend
  I'll help you carry on
  For it won't be long
  'Til I'm gonna need
  Somebody to lean on
  
  Sing, you just call on me brother, when you need a hand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  I just might have a problem that you'll understand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  
  If there is a load you have to bear
  That you can't carry
  I'm right up the road
  I'll share your load
  If you just call me
  
  Sing, call me
  If you ever need a friend (call me)
  If you need a helping hand (call me)
  Call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me)
  Call me (call me) on me
  
  Ha, you just call on me brother, when you need a hand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  I just might have a problem that you'll understand
  We all need somebody to lean on
  
  If there is a load you have to bear
  That you can't carry
  I'm right up the road
  I'll share your load
  If you just call me
  
  Sing, call me
  If you ever need a friend (call me)
  If you need a helping hand (call me)
  Call me, call me (call me)
  Thank you Writer/s: Bill Withers
  Publisher: Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 32

• Kathy from PennsylvaniaSuz, We sang this today in worship - thought of our Eternal Friend, and the many friends who love you!!
• Adubistephenakindele. from Eruwa,oyo State,nigeria.This is an evergreen song with soft lyrics and simple words to understand and carry on. Love this.
• Wc from TexasI intend to ask a couple to sing the song at a wedding for an old friend
• Seventhmist from 7th Heaven8 years later, when "Just the Two of Us" came out, all the radio DJs ever said was "That was Grover Washington" and I said, "Washington sure sings a lot like Bill Withers."
• Emmanuelyellaclergyanthony from Nigerian. Abujaa soulful hearted carin song 4 d whole world. encouragin every1 to show lov 2 the next close 2 u. may his soul rip. his words and rythme lives on. tanx 2 this page.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyBill Withers passed away on March 30th, 2020 at the age 81 {heart failure}...
  Between 1971 and 1985 the Slab Fork, West Virginia native had twenty three records on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart, seven made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Lean On Me", for one week in June of 1972...
  Three of his twenty three charted records were duets, one each with Bobby Womack {"It's All Over Now", #68 in 1975}, Grover Washington, Jr., {"Just The Two of Us", #3 in 1981} and Ralph McDonald {"In The Name of Love", #13 in 1984}...
  Besides "Lean On Me", his six other Top 10 records were "Ain't No Sunshine" {#6 in 1971}, "Use Me" {#2 in 1972}, "Make Love Your Thing" {#10 in 1975}, "Lovely Day" {#6 in 1977}, the above "Just The Two of Us", and the above "In The Name of Love"...
  May he R.I.P.
• Kat from VirginiaGreat song! Words say it all. Song and lyrics we need for these times!!!!
• Jbg from New York AreaThe song resonates for me in a lot of ways. In my area it charted in late summer 1972. That was literally the first time in years that I had friends in summer camp and school, after a very rough patch during academic 1971-2 and the first half of the summer.
• Carolyn from Knoville, TnLove it!
• Darren from Loves Park, IlThe song was also covered by Christian rap group DC TALK in 1994 on their "Free At Last" album. I was working in Christian radio at the time and DC TALK had so many remixes of the song that it took up the space on an entire CD. -- Darren Marlar (www.DarrenMarlar.com)
• Larry from Coral Springs, FlHe did this song and it was very meaningful as if told by a friend..when you are in trouble or need a friend i am there for you.
  I did not like the way Club Novaeau did it with their beat..really ruined a beautiful song..they trashed it with the nonsense sound gonging and rapping bit.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyBill's career certainly started with a bang; three of the 1st four records he released made the Top Three. "AIN'T NO SUNSHINE" peaked at #3, then "GRANDMA'S HANDS" made it to #42, followed by "LEAN ON ME", it stayed at #1 for 3 weeks, and finally "USE ME" peaked at #2 & stayed there for two weeks...
• Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaIt is one of the chart phenomena where the original and the remake by Club Nouveau both hit number one.
• Kylie-marie Chavez from Whetstone, AzI love this song big time. it makes me think of my girlfriend and how i can cry on her shoulder and how much i love her.....
  we as a choir sang it too. well some of us did when we were doing group projects.
• Alannah from Townsville, AustraliaThis song is awesome i have to do an assignment on it and its a literal & metphorical interpretation. This was also played at my mothers funeral. I love this song Bill
  
  its AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Oldpink from New Castle, InJust reading some of Bill Withers' comments, I know I would immediately like him if I met him.
  Of course, this song is fabulous.
• John from Saugus, CaActually Bill Withers did not do the arrangement on "Lean on Me". It was arranged by Ray Jackson, a guy I ues to work with back in 1988 in So. Cali.
  
  Look on the label, his name is there.
  
  Doc
• N.i. from Baltimore, MdInteresting structure: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Outro. The Club Nouveau version uses a more conventional structure.
• Michaela from Brooklyn, NyJust like James Taylor's song,'You got A Friend",this is a nice friedly song.
• Aja from Amityville, Nyi really do like this song and I am going to sing this for an school play
• Henry from Kingston, NyMe and my friends sing this all the time.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThe phrase he was refering to was actually "When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hop you dance." It's from the song "I hope You Dance" by LeeAnn Womac. The songfact I'm refering to is in the last paragraph.
• Andy from Tualatin, OrOne of the first songs i remember singing to (this and bohemian rhapsody were my favorites when i was 5) its number 205 on Rolling Stones List of the 500 greatest songs ever.
• Shlomo from Brooklyn, NyIt's my favorite song! Every time I put on the record, it reminds me of how important friendship is.
• Gabriella from New York City, NyI love this song. I play it when reading, when driving, when lonely, (makes me un-lonely, to know my angel, Danny is there for me to lean on him.)when i am not feeling up to beat, when i have a bad case of the blues, and just whenever i get a chance to put it on.This song is by far the best song i've ever heard.I dont hear it much on the radio, so just a thought for all te radio stations, please play this often, I mean seriously, if you really listen to the words, you'll see how much this song really means. I am a music teacher, and one day, i played this song to my students, and since then, they've been begging me to play it everyday! This song brings much joy to me, my heart and my soul. It rocks!
• Gabriella from New York City, NyThis song always reminds me of my cousin, Danny. They played this when he died in 1994. I cry when I hear it, remembering what it means, and the special message that hits you everytime. I love this song. It is one of my favorites!
• Marty from Chicago, IlIts crazy im a white boy from chicago and im getting into soul. Im starting to love. I think the message in this song is great. There is always somone there to help you with you problems.
• Kathy from Jasper, Al I agree with both Kelly of Burlington, Vermont and Alischa of Lewistown, Pennsylvania above. This is a great song! I used to sing this song a lot. This was one of my daddy's favorites. He died in 1985 of a heart attack. It was also great to get Bill Withers's comments about this song!
  
• Jonathan from Natchitoches, LaAppeared in Season 1 Episode 5 of Cold Case on CBS. The name of the episode is "The Runner."
• Lane from Boca Raton, FlThis is a fantastic service! I am a music teacher, specializing in vocals, and I strongly believe in knowing the history of a song--its author, its author's purpose, how it was made, how it evolved, any collaborations. It enriches the way people sing a song and eventually how a song is received by an audience if that information is shared.
  
  Thank you again
  Munacura
  Boca Raton, Florida
• Kelly from Burlington, VtThis song has touched me because it showed me something. If you show kindness they will show you kindness back. Every time I hear this on a cd or something it just brings me so much joy!
  -Burlington, Vermont
• Alischa from Lewistown, PaThis song is awsome, i never knew this song until i sung it in our choir. I like it, we use it for our warm up song. I think that this somg means alot to a friend.

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