Live at Carnegie Hall

great album, same songs but performed with such gusto and soul that they seemed brand new, never tire of listening to it

What? you don't have this album already??? well, what are you doing, stop reading this and go NOW!! or press purchase, whatever you need to do to enrich your life with this essential recording. Worth it just for harlem/cold balcony but the rest is just as good. Thanks Bill Withers.

"This strange man over here in Vietnam I don't ever now, ain't never done nothing to, God bless his heart, He done shot me in my shoulder!!.....and I can't write left-handed."
Good God, I love this album.

I love this CD....soulful, personal, and the storytelling is intriguing. Bill Withers has always been one of the most underrated artists ever.

I'm surprised that this isn't mentioned in the same breath as B.B. King's "Live At The Regal" and James Brown's "Live At The Appolo" as one of the best live albums ever. The energy of this performance is amazing and the crowd is so into the music that the whole disc is just ELECTRIC. The live version of "Use Me" is SO good, with the whole crowd clapping on the off beat. Best of all, after the band jams on the song for seven minutes, you can hear the shouts of "One more time!!" from what sounds like the back row of Carnegie Hall. Bill Withers asks the crowd, "One more time?" and the place goes nuts, at which point the band launches back into the song without missing a beat. This is just one of the moments captured here that can only be described as magical. The appreciative round of applause that Withers gets from the crowd after delivering an amazing vocal on "Hope She'll Be Happier" is also noteworthy. Bill Withers really possessed a natural talent for songwriting; his lyrics are simple and direct but say so much. The middle verse of "World Keeps Going Around" where he describes the dating chain of the narrator with a few different women is amazing. Songs like "Grandma's Hands" and "I Can't Write Left Handed" are incredible lyrically also. This was a great performance where everything just clicked: great songs, great band, and an enthusiastic crowd. This should be essential listening for everyone. The finale of Harlem/Cold Baloney is so awesome. Bill Withers gets the whole place to chant "shake em on down" as he leaves the stage. What an ending! This is really an unsung masterpiece.

It's very possible. The band is tight. The crowd is really into the performance. The artist gets very personal with background info on the songs. You haven't heard Bill Withers till you listen to this CD. Another reviewer wondered why there was no DVD of this. I second that emotion.

PS-I give this CD 5 Stars. I hit the wrong button!