Bill Withers did things his own way during his career, which is why so many songs of his seemed to stand out from the soul/R&B norm. Case in point: His fantastic 1972 hit single “Use Me,” a frank and funky look at the power dynamics in a romantic relationship.
What is “Use Me” about? What were some of Withers’ inspirations for writing the song? And how did his unique approach to making his 1972 album Still Bill contribute to the song’s success? Let’s find out all the answers and more, as we look back at an iconic classic of rhythm and blues.
A New Approach
Nothing about Bill Withers’ ascent to musical stardom was conventional. His career really didn’t get rolling till he was in his 30s. By that time he had already served in the Navy, and was making a living as a mechanic. But all along the way, he had shown an interest in songwriting, and once other people heard his stuff, they could immediately discern the talent he had to offer.
When he signed to Sussex Records to make his debut album, he was assigned producer Booker T. Jones. And it’s hard to argue with the results. The album, Just As I Am, produced the massive hit “Ain’t No Sunshine.” It also propelled Withers into his first ever tour, on which he was accompanied by a tight outfit known as the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.
Withers developed such chemistry with the band he decided he didn’t need an outside producer for his sophomore album. On a break from touring, the band, which included Ray Jackson, Benorce Blackmon, Melvin Dunlap, and James Gadson, began rehearsing Withers’ next album. All four members of the band, along with Withers, were listed as producers for the record, which would be called Still Bill upon its release in 1972.
During one session, Jackson hit upon a riff on the clavinet that immediately struck the band as something usable. He kept playing it over and over while Withers started to work up some lyrics. That’s how “Use Me” came to life.
In terms of the lyrics, Withers explained in an interview with Rock Cellar he was trying to flip the script a bit from what his former relationships had been:
“That’s just a song about being a little playful, a little arrogant and a little cool. Unless you were one of those people that were born popular, I was a chronic stutterer until I was 28. I avoided the phone. So I wasn’t this popular guy. I remember being young and I would have girls tell me, ‘You’re too nice.’ I didn’t understand that.”
Hence, “Use Me” comes from the perspective of a guy who’s not exactly being “nice” in the relationship (neither party is, for that matter). Withers was also touching somewhat on his experience as a low-paid worker before he got his break in music. In other words, employers were using him without properly paying him his due.
What is the Meaning of “Use Me”?
The narrator of “Use Me” has earned the concern of his family and friends due to the nature of his current romantic relationship: They keep tryin’ to tell me / All you want to do is use me. But the guy isn’t too worried about the situation, because of the benefits that he gets in return.
Withers’ implication is this guy is OK with the abuse because he’s getting what he wants: That if it feels this good gettin’ used / Oh, you just keep on usin’ me / Until you use me up. He doesn’t deny that she’s mean to him, talking about how her high class friends act real rude to him. But by the end of the song, he acknowledges the using in this relationship is reciprocal.
“Use Me” sheds any sentimentality and cuts to the core of a relationship that’s built more on physical chemistry than love and affection. Few artists could have sold that as well as Bill Withers, who rode the song, which still rings true today, all the way to No. 2 on the pop charts.
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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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