Now, it would not be in Bill's style to sit here and
tout him, and talk about how he's heavily involved with charity for
children with speach impetiments, as he was a stutterer for a good
portion of his life. He wouldn't want us to put him on a pedestal for
having always been an active and devoted parent and husband. Bill didn't
expect praise when he essentially dropped off the face of the music
scene in 1985 to spend his time with the family, and hasn't had an album
since. The other half of that exit was apparently his distaste with the
industry, and the essential slash&burn of the songs he created.
Hell he can still sing, but he's admittedly an old man now, and he's
absolutely fine with his "gray hair and narrowing shoulders." But his
mind is as active as ever, and he still plays and records his daughter
in the comfort of his own home.
The real gems in this film though, were catching
Bill alone when he was quietly reflecting. You see, he really does still
think about playing, and what it would be like to get back into that
life that he loved. It was then I realized, in bits and pieces, how
profound this man actually is. The film though short, does develop
rather nicely. You learn about Bill slowly but surely, so that by the
end, you leave with a very new insight into, and respect for, the man.
And he has these honest and frankly genius little phrases and analogies
he uses for things. He doesn't sound preachy or condescending. Much like
his music, these tidbits of life experience and knowledge flow out of
him effortlessly and perfectly crafted. He's got some of the best
one-liners (or short-liners) i've ever heard! At one point, he's giving
advice to his daughter about her musical career, and he says:
"It's
okay to head out for wonderful , but on your way to wonderful you are
going to have pass through alright and when you got alright, take a good
look around and get used to it, because that may be as far as you are
going to go."
Is
that not the truth? These days, everybody's so goddamn special it makes
me sick. Every child is AMAZING, and talented, and great at EVERYTHING
they do. It's as if stupid kids just ceased to exist one day in the
90's. Please. Listen, it's not wrong to praise your child, but it's also
not wrong to give it to them straight, especially if you can say it
like Bill.
He
speaks to his own frustrations at this point in his life as well, but
he might as well be a 20 something kid, working from the ground up.
Somehow, his words transcend time and age and even walks of life:
"Thoreau I think said the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." He pauses for a moment and thinks. "I would like to know what it feels like for my desperation to get louder!"
The
man is a thinker. That much is clear. But he knows how to be prolific.
Both in life, and in his musical endeavors. But its his honest
sensitivity that shines through in all this. He laughs at himself with
ease, and just as readily cries. Emotion is his greatest weapon and he
uses it to build most everything in his life, from relationships on the
whole, to an individual song. And even though he admits at one point he
wanted everyone out there to know who he was, he looks back and sees
that most people dont know who he is, or seem to care. People damn well
know his music, they just don't know him. And that's ok. Bill says,
"I think I'm kind of like pennies, you have them in your pocket but you don't remember they are there."
I
remember those pennies in my pockets, and Bill Withers certainly gained
a few cents in my book. I always respected his music, but now I respect
the man. Enjoy.
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