Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands (live at Carnegie Hall) [audio]

Lotta folks of all different nationalities and thangs, come up to me and say, "I dug my Grandmother, too."

And I remember, the first responsibility I ever had was to take care of my Grandmother, make sure she got everywhere OK. And at that time I was maybe 5 or 6 years old. And the most I could ov done was let her fall on me if she decided to fall.

But it was a hip job, becos Grandma never went no where but the Church. And it wasn't one of them sad churches, where they sing them songs and make you wish you could just hurry up and die and get it over with. One a them kind of "Lead me on...", no, no.... Grandma them had one a them churches where they sung "If you wanna help me Jesus, it's alright. If you wanna help me Jesus, it's alright". And at the funeral they used to have to tie the caskets down! Yeah. Yeah.

And they had them fat sisters in there, used to get so glad, in the rhythm, had a little stove in the center of the church for heat, and invariably, one of them fat sisters would feel so good she would jump onto the stove and holler "AOW!" right in the rhythm.

Grandma was like Bobbye over here, Bobbye Hall, she had a tambourine and a triangle. When I saw Bobbye with that tambourine and triangle, I couldn't help but hug her. But Grandma couldn't play the triangle good like Bobbye can, but she could deal with the tambourine. So I used to sit on the triangle and hand her the tambourine.

And the Honorable Reverend back there had an old bass drum that somebody gave him. And when the groove got right, and the fat sister hit the stove, and holler at Grandma ship the tambourine off the hip, the Reverend would get the feeling so good he'd just hit himself all upside the head with the drumstick. Yeah.

I loved that old lady, loved that old lady....

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bill
• withers
• grandmas
• hands
• live
• carnegie
• hall
• soul
• god
• classic

[Joonyer1951]

The guy sitting next to BB King on the plane is a friend whom I have known since we were both 14 years old! His name is Rodney Vorhis. Those pics were taken when they traveled to Zaire in Africa for the big music fest for the Rumble in the Jungle: the big historical fight between Ali and Foreman. My friend Rodney was the bass player for the Spinners who were also on that show. Rodney and I both turned 60 this year.

[IvyEmancipated]

@Joonyer1951 @Joonyer1951 haha this is magnificant information! I love it how old school cats find themselves in YouTube videos us youngsters put up! Benorce Blackmon, the guitarist on "Kissing my love" also contacted me a while ago. I think it's amazing.

You can see more Rumble in the jungle footage in a documentary Soul Power. Thank you for commenting on my video, God bless you and Rodney with good health and another wonderful 60 years!

[ignatiusreily]

There is a great movie out called Still Bill a must watch. @ IvyEmancipated Is the name of the song he sings in the intro "If You Want to Help Me Jesus" I have looked for it before. Is it a real song or is he just feeling the spirit.

[IvyEmancipated]

@ignatiusreily I'm not sure about the song, and the title as well. I just subtitled it by ear. If someone has more information, I'd appreciate it :)

[jjjjjaaaaayyyyyha]

Thank you Soo Much for this, Ivy!

[IvyEmancipated]

Thanks for watching it! Sometimes I feel so lonely in my Bill-Withers appreciating world :)

[voiceindawild]

there's not a day where I don't sing this song and think about the most important person in my life!..........I miss you grandma..

[akela6567]

He's a true artist. It doesn't matter how many times I watch vids of him performing that song live, it's always somewhat different. You just don't get that feeling of relentless deja vu you usually get when you're checking out different versions of one and the same song. BTW, thanks for the vid.

[Tinkerlooful]

Tie the caskets down....I love it....I love this man. A country poet, with soul and sprinkles of blues and beautiful insight and honesty and a stunning natural voice. I call him uncle Billy.

[rebeltaby]

@Joonyer1951 excellent story, I remember the 'rumble in the jungle I was young teen and stayed up to watch it, and Bill Withers and all you guys are a roll models, beautiful music

[rebeltaby]

brilliant song and the soulfulness of his voice amazing, can't stop listening

[woehler00000]

Yes. A thousand times, yes.

[ohsokoolnyc]

@805jeffm you are blessed. mines would have been 93 in a few days. this song makes me smile when i think about her. no tears :)

[805jeffm]

Thank You for this wonderful tribute. I dig mine too...She just turned 97.

[mzdbnell]

So true, about black church!

[LADEEJAY123]

Lol i rlly love bein black. my brother mixed n his family n they church aint nun like mine when we get together lol. good food good music, old school dancin, watchin all the old ppl try to learn our dances n then remind us that our dances are knock offs and teach us the original, and the stories n i just love my fam fo real. cant wait for october...FAMILY REUNION!!!!!