Track Listing

1. Use Me
2. Friend Of Mine
3. Ain't No Sunshine
4. Grandma's Hands
5. World Keeps Going Around
6. Let Me In Your Life
7. Better Off Dead
8. For My Friend
9. I Can't Write Left Handed
10. Lean On Me
11. Lonely Street
12. Hope She'll Be Happier
13. Let Us Love
14. Harlem
15. Cold Baloney

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9272 in Music
• Released on: 1997-11-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

CD Description
Recorded at the peak of Bill Withers's popularity, LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL also finds the 1970s R&B giant at the top of his game. The way Withers and his band dig into the angular, hypnotic groove of "Use Me" is emblematic of the combinationof funky intensity and laid-back soul that typifies both his music and this concert document.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, someone had the misbegotten notion of overdubbing unnecessary strings onto many of the songs here, keeping the listener one step removed from fully experiencing the event as it occurred. However, that still doesn't obscurethe world-beating power of both the band's supple groove and Withers's singular soulfulness. Obviously a man who lives his songs, Withers is just as entertaining when delivering amonologue about his late grandmother as he is in performingthe nostalgic "Grandma's Hands". And on "World Keeps Going Around" and the medley of "Harlem/Cold Baloney", his gang ofstellar musicians gets an extended workout, laying into themusic for all its worth, and expanding on the big footprintWithers had already made with his studio work.

Customer Reviews

THE MOST SOULFUL 70 MINUTES EVER RECORDED.
This live album is a staggering work of genius. A document of the often overlooked Bill Withers at the very height of his powers.The 9 minute version of 'Use Me' is amongst the funkiest things you'll hear, a 7-minute 'I can't write left-handed' puts the hairs up on you're neck, and I am not ashamed to say this live version of 'Lean on Me' has put tears of joy in my eyes. In my opinion all the versions of Bills classics here are the definitive versions. The energy on this record is wild, and the humour and warmth of the man himself comes right through the grooves. I my opinion there is more soul on this record than in the last 25 years of recorded music put together. I challenege you not to place this amongdt you're favourite albums of all time. A MUST OWN ALBUM. CHERISH IT, WORSHIP IT, IT'S AS GOOD AS IT'S GOING TO GET.

It doesn't get any better than this
I own a lot of cd's and in particular, I own a lot of soul-cd's. But none of the other albums have the same feel and raw soul as this marvellous album. First of all, the songs are all earcatchers, but more importantly; on this album you can actually feel how Carnegie Hall must have been like that night in 1972. You can sense the audience and how they are completely in the hands of Withers and his band. Yes, he starts out of key on "Lean on me", but this album is so profound, heartfelt and really, really honest that it just adds to the illusion of "being there". Listening to Withers' talking humourosly and heartfelt of his grandmother in "Grandma's Hands" is the best part of the album, but most importantly - every minute of this album is pure raw soul as it was meant to be: A small band, the simple music and the wit and genius of an extremely gifted poet. Buy this album without hesitating!

WOW!!
this is the best live album EVER. the warmth and the genius of the man shines through from the begining to the end and its like a non-stop 70 minute orgasm!!