Bill withers - lean on me - Lyrics Meaning

Another classic hit that Withers released on his second album, Withers said in an interview, "I could afford to buy myself a little Wurlitzer electric piano now" and said that one day he was running his fingers up and down the piano. In the course of doing the music, that phrase "lean on me" crossed my mind, and that he liked that phrase to base it on his actual feelings and morals.

Even though the song may seem quite self-explanatory, when some people are in trouble and need help sometimes they won't ask, he's letting the person knows that he has a friend. The person doesn't have to go it alone e.g. "Lean on me". Although there are more deeper aspects to it, there are moments in the song that are directed to the listener "Please swallow your pride" mean much more coming from an African-American male feeling disconnected from his community in 1972.

The song has been used at charity telethons, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, which was held on January 22, 2010. Musicians such as Sheryl Crow and kid rock preformed an emotional cover of the song.