Bill Withers "Lovely Day" C/D

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opinions?

startrekman02, Monday, 13 June 2005 19:21 (nineteen years ago) link

What, you're not going to ask us what keyboards were used on it?

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:25 (nineteen years ago) link

Classic. Longest held single vocal note that I can think of.

I still prefer "Use me", though.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:26 (nineteen years ago) link

So classic, and excellent use of the Fender rhodes keyboard.

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Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:26 (nineteen years ago) link

how could this be anything but classic?

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Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:27 (nineteen years ago) link

Seriously, who could possibly say 'dud' here? I'm sure even Charles Manson gets up out of his seat and does a little dance when he hears it.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:33 (nineteen years ago) link

how could this be anything but classic?
Seriously, who could possibly say 'dud' here?
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PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:35 (nineteen years ago) link

New Year's Morning, possibly 1996(?), me and these dudes had stayed up all night in varying forms of intoxication, and come 8:30 am, we're sitting in Burger King eating some breakfast. "Lovely Day" comes on. It is just perfect. That one note ringing out, we start miming activities that sound similar - one guy mimes vacuuming the floor, another mimes shaving with an electric razor. We are ejected from said Burger King for the laughter that ensued. The seven of us have "Lovely Day" stuck in our heads until five out of our ranks graduate high school some 5-6 months later.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:43 (nineteen years ago) link

anyone know who recently sampled this? we heard it on the local hip hop station and all sorta thought, guh, that was dumb. ruin a great song.

[that bastard] jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Was it Twista w/Anthony Hamilton? I love that version.

Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:53 (nineteen years ago) link

i actually had the volume down low enough so i couldn't hear who was on it, but could make out the chorus. i'll give it a listen. it might not be that bad, but it's one of those "if it ain't broke"

[that bastard] jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:54 (nineteen years ago) link

i fuckin' love it so much. i hear it almost every day on the oldies station. for the longest time i never knew who sang it. the oldies station also plays i just want to celebrate by rare earth all the time and the other day they played lovely day and i just want to celebrate back to back! it almost made driving a car worthwhile.

scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:50 (nineteen years ago) link

it always kinda reminds me of one of those brazilian dudes like jorge ben or someone.

scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Don't particularly like this song, but then again I don't like anything Bill did after 1974. His best stuff was the earlier things on the Sussex label - "Ain't No Sunshine," "Grandma's Hands," "Use Me," "Lean On Me," "You," "Kissing My Love," "Who Is He & What Is He To You." He had more of an edge then. After he went to Columbia (where he recorded "Lovely Day"), he got just a shade too "quiet storm" for me...

Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:55 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh, I'm into the "quiet storm" stuff too, especially "Just the two of us", "Hello like before", and "Lovely Day", an unaldulterated Classic.

Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:59 (nineteen years ago) link

for some reason on my hits collection they thought it would be a good idea to include the ben liebrand remix instead of the earlier version.

mullygrubbr (bulbs), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 00:03 (nineteen years ago) link

everyone on this thread please go out and buy probably the best live album of all time - Bill Withers "live at the Carnegie hall".

if you already have it buy another copy.

it does not have "Lovely Day" on it.

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 00:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Longest held single vocal note that I can think of.

there's one on "hope she'll be happier" on that live CD that may well be longer and even more stunning.

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 00:34 (nineteen years ago) link

There's a cover by an obscure early '90s En Vogue-type sista act, found on "The Bodyguard" soundtrack. First time I ever heard it.

Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 00:35 (nineteen years ago) link

'Lovely Day' is classic, and Jed way OTM re: the Carnegie Hall live album.

Jeff Wright (JeffW1858), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 00:47 (nineteen years ago) link

What, you're not going to ask us what keyboards were used on it?
-- Ned Raggett (ne...), June 13th, 2005.


THEY DIDN'T HAVE KEYBOARDSD ON THERE. It was Horns, strings and pianos.

startrekman, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 01:55 (nineteen years ago) link

NO IT WAS ACTUALLY ALL DONE WITH A PPG REALIZER, HOW ELSE COULD THAT NOTE LAST SO LONG?!?!?

Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:26 (nineteen years ago) link

There's a cover by an obscure early '90s En Vogue-type sista act, found on "The Bodyguard" soundtrack. First time I ever heard it.

The S.O.U.L. System, a Clivilles & Cole side project that was supposed to keep their hold in the pop market while they worked on a second C & C Music Factory album. It did not achieve said goal.

Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:43 (nineteen years ago) link

well it didn't cure spinal meningitis if that's what you mean

j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:47 (nineteen years ago) link

"Lovely Day" is NOT "Quiet Storm". Don't get me wrong, i love the QS genre.

scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:50 (nineteen years ago) link

well it didn't cure spinal meningitis if that's what you mean


Easy now!

Let me see you move!
(Left & right!)

Groove!
(With your might!)

'CAUSE MUSIC IS MY LIFE!


I'm going to hell now, aren't I? But seriously, poor David Cole. Bill Withers can cure a broken heart (true!), but some ills cannot be fixed by music alone.

Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:52 (nineteen years ago) link

wait, did he have meningitis? that is sad. do it properly is one of my favorite songs of all time.

scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 02:57 (nineteen years ago) link

wait, did he have meningitis? that is sad. do it properly is one of my favorite songs of all time.

That is indeed what killed him. Definitely sad. C & C get a lot of revisionist drubbing, but there was a time when they owned house music.

Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 03:01 (nineteen years ago) link

do it properly II, which isn't as good (what could be!), has one of my favorite latin freestyle remixes of all time on the twelve inch.like the original, which i first heard on the first house music comp i ever bought in 1988, the remix is so utterly amazing and life-affirming that it actually gives me hope for the human race. and C&C are responsible for that, and that is why i will defend them until the day i die.

scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 03:19 (nineteen years ago) link

lovely day and i just want to celebrate make me feel the same way. like anything is possible. and that people don't suck.

scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 03:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Well THIS thread sure took an unexpected turn.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 03:22 (nineteen years ago) link

alright, i fucking love the song but for devil's advocacy i'll say dud because of its sale to the Gap's ad people.

p.s. i still fucking love the song

ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 04:58 (nineteen years ago) link

TS: Bill Wither's "Lovely Day" vs. Lou Reed's "Perfect Day"

[that bastard] jaxon (jaxon), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 05:13 (nineteen years ago) link

No competitions. Lovely Day is effort lessly melodic, where is Perfect Day is just outpour of degenerate junkie.

Comstock Carabinieri (nostudium), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 05:26 (nineteen years ago) link

haha - comstock carabinieri otm

j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 05:52 (nineteen years ago) link

> The S.O.U.L. System, a Clivilles & Cole side project

With featured vocals from Michelle Visage, who later became RuPaul's co-host on VH1. I have to admit, I like their version even better than Bill's. (Luther's cover on Dance With My Father is pretty dud, though.)

Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 06:32 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
everyone on this thread please go out and buy probably the best live album of all time - Bill Withers "live at the Carnegie hall".

I just got this a few weeks back, am listening to it, and am willing to agree (well, ONE of the best, cause, y'know, James Brown). Amazing stuff so far and by god this one comment from him, introducing "Grandma's Hands" and talking about his grandma's church:

"It wasn’t one of them sad churches where they sing them songs that make you wish you could just hurry up and die and get it over with...at the funeral, they used to have to tie the caskets down!"

Kills the audience, just brilliant.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:59 (seventeen years ago) link

withers is like one of the top 5 motherfuckers ever

PappaWheelie MMCMXL (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:05 (seventeen years ago) link

nice one, Ned!

jed_ (jed), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:09 (seventeen years ago) link

This song = perfection.

The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:11 (seventeen years ago) link

"Lovely Day" was sampled on the late Clinton Administration classic "Playa's Holiday" ("The president did what!? Let's all do it!"). I spent several months last year intermittently being crazy trying to make that connection.

S F P (sfp), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Still love it.

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:45 (seventeen years ago) link

Pretty fine.

A Radio Picture (Rrrickey), Saturday, 6 January 2007 10:47 (seventeen years ago) link

This song is supernaturally euphoric. Psychiatrists should use it as part of their therapy.

brettino's bounce (Da ve Segal), Saturday, 6 January 2007 21:27 (seventeen years ago) link

"Lovely Day" is wonderful, I'll admit the blush has come off it a bit from overuse in commercials and such. Not saying it's been cheapened, just that I'm a little sick of it.

Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Sunday, 7 January 2007 19:24 (seventeen years ago) link

they used it for a spot in the post-9/11 concert for america thing they showed on tv. even though i am automatically skeptical of pretty much anything like that, i have to say they used the song very very well. just shots of new yorkers going about their day, with the music in the background. i think it was martin scorsese that might have directed it? i could be wrong. anyway, yeah, can't fuck with this song.

Emily Bjurnhjam (Emily Bjurnhjam), Sunday, 7 January 2007 21:50 (seventeen years ago) link

one year passes...

a lovely daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

Lingbert, Thursday, 8 May 2008 06:08 (sixteen years ago) link

One of the greatest songs of one of the greatest songwriters.

moley, Thursday, 8 May 2008 06:14 (sixteen years ago) link

a loveley daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

-- Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, April 18, 2003 3:45 PM (Friday, April 18, 2003 3:45 PM) Bookmark Link

rev, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:13 (sixteen years ago) link

^^^ out of character lulz

rev, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:14 (sixteen years ago) link

the K2 Edits White Label version of "Lovely Day" is also quite sublime. too bad not many have heard it-- may upload soon if there's a clamor?

the table is the table, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:17 (sixteen years ago) link

rev otm

ttitt, please upload

Lingbert, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:21 (sixteen years ago) link

please upload

jaxon, Thursday, 8 May 2008 18:57 (sixteen years ago) link

clamoring

Oilyrags, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:05 (sixteen years ago) link

as close as many of us will touch the divine in this life. oh bill. old grey whistle test or some such show where he played 'ain't no sunshine' has ruined me for life.

dell, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:07 (sixteen years ago) link

oddly, Paul Morley admires the bassline.

the pinefox, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:07 (sixteen years ago) link

last wedding i was at Lovely Day played during dinner, and my entire table (well, all the ladies) got up for an impromptu dance session.

jaxon, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:12 (sixteen years ago) link

yeah, it's that kinda song. if you don't get up and dance, then you are communist, etc... bill withers is sacred. i dunno, kevin rowland namechecks him in the same breath w/Otis, Jackie Wilson

dell, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:20 (sixteen years ago) link

whenever a MN sports team does well, my favorite local sports talk show does their bumper music/audio highlight reel to this song. makes me happy : )

M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:24 (sixteen years ago) link

"the K2 Edits White Label version of "Lovely Day" is also quite sublime. too bad not many have heard it-- may upload soon if there's a clamor?

-- the table is the table"

noooooooooooo. i am not feeling it. just play the original if you want to play it. it doesnt need edited, it doesnt need a house beat behind it, it doesnt need remixed. it just needs to be played and everything is good. what a track, i love bill withers.

pipecock, Friday, 9 May 2008 07:24 (sixteen years ago) link

alright, i fucking love the song but for devil's advocacy i'll say dud because of its sale to the Gap's ad people.
-- ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Tuesday, June 14, 2005 4:58 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark Link

Alright, but the Gap ad version also interpolates the bassline from "I Hear Music in the Streets," which is the coolest thing ever.

Eric H., Friday, 9 May 2008 07:47 (sixteen years ago) link

Heard this in a cholesterol medication ad last night.

Oilyrags, Friday, 9 May 2008 12:38 (sixteen years ago) link

pipecock otm

The Reverend, Friday, 9 May 2008 15:34 (sixteen years ago) link

this song came on the TV for that cholesterol medication ad AT THE EXACT MOMENT i noticed the thread title on ILM

iiiijjjj, Saturday, 10 May 2008 00:54 (sixteen years ago) link

sorry, pipecock, i disagree. you sound like the guy who told me i shouldn't have posted octave one's remix 'jaguar' simply because the original will always be better-- that isn't the fucking point. it's just another take on a track. your purity clauses are startling to me sometimes.

the table is the table, Sunday, 11 May 2008 18:49 (sixteen years ago) link

and come 8:30 am, we're sitting in Burger King eating some breakfast.

Live At The Carnegie Hall At Burger King

Doctor Casino, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:07 (sixteen years ago) link

oddly, Paul Morley admires the bassline.

-- the pinefox, Thursday, 8 May 2008 20:07

Elderly popist OTM.

Bodrick III, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:10 (sixteen years ago) link

Can you do that long note?

I know I can.

Mark G, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:14 (sixteen years ago) link

this song came on the TV for that cholesterol medication ad AT THE EXACT MOMENT i noticed the thread title on ILM

-- iiiijjjj, Friday, May 9, 2008 7:54 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Link
Has there ever been a thread for these kinds of surgically precise coincidences?

RabiesAngentleman, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:25 (sixteen years ago) link

Yes.

Coincidences, Whoo.....

Mark G, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:27 (sixteen years ago) link

"sorry, pipecock, i disagree. you sound like the guy who told me i shouldn't have posted octave one's remix 'jaguar' simply because the original will always be better-- that isn't the fucking point. it's just another take on a track. your purity clauses are startling to me sometimes.

-- the table is the table"

speeding it up and sticking a house beat behind that track is kind of just a joke, really. the song loses its groove and its feeling, it totally ruins why you would want to play that shit in the first place. sometimes a piece of music gets it perfectly right the first time, it doesn't need anything else done to it to make it "more effective" or anything. that edit is for deejays who are too afraid to play something outside of a 120 BPM four on the floor beat in a "house" set. and it is too bad, i like Karizma's recent album a whole lot but that edit is pretty poopy.

pipecock, Monday, 12 May 2008 14:49 (sixteen years ago) link

I own a 'best of' cd and this song is not on it.

fantasimundo, Monday, 12 May 2008 15:33 (sixteen years ago) link

therefore i think my best of is slightly dud (not the good tracks on it though).

fantasimundo, Monday, 12 May 2008 15:34 (sixteen years ago) link

two years pass...

i totally fucking pulled this off at karaoke tonight. even the eeeeeeeeeeeeeexxxtrrraaaaaaaa long note

flaccid house (The Reverend), Monday, 20 September 2010 10:20 (fourteen years ago) link

Awesome.

Matt DC, Monday, 20 September 2010 10:23 (fourteen years ago) link

was so winded when i got done i couldn't sing anything after that

flaccid house (The Reverend), Monday, 20 September 2010 10:25 (fourteen years ago) link

eight months pass...

Seriously, who could possibly say 'dud' here? I'm sure even Charles Manson gets up out of his seat and does a little dance when he hears it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, June 13, 2005 3:33 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark

this is such a great mental image

some dude, Saturday, 28 May 2011 00:45 (thirteen years ago) link

six years pass...

This is quite possibly the best song ever. Beyond classic.

more Allegro-like (Turrican), Tuesday, 19 September 2017 16:41 (seven years ago) link

a lovely daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

― Lingbert, Thursday, May 8, 2008

the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 19 September 2017 16:47 (seven years ago) link

my kids favorite road trip song since we all see who can sustain the note the longest

Spottie, Tuesday, 19 September 2017 16:47 (seven years ago) link

Also, still the best Gap commercial ever and I still wish they had released a full version of this "I Hear Music in the Streets" mashup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYPWqy4XUMQ

Anne of the Thousand Gays (Eric H.), Tuesday, 19 September 2017 16:49 (seven years ago) link

i thought this was bumped b/c of the terrible feel-good insurance radio commercial that plays some dude ("a street musician, from atlanta") covering it

dyl, Wednesday, 20 September 2017 01:01 (seven years ago) link

I wouldn't know anything about that, but holy shit this song is flawless.

more Allegro-like (Turrican), Wednesday, 20 September 2017 15:50 (seven years ago) link


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