William Bell: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2016
- September 6, 2016 by RACHEL HORN • When we invited William Bell to the Tiny Desk, we looked forward to witnessing part of a veteran soul hitmaker's journey back to the spotlight. Bell is known for writing and performing several of the R&B classics that emerged from Memphis' Stax Records in the 1960s, "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "Everybody Loves A Winner" among them. After decades away from Stax - and away from sizable record labels entirely - he returned to his old label home earlier this year to release This Is Where I Live. So we were ready to be won over by Bell's rich, expressive voice and bandleader's charm; we were prepared for emotionally dense songs that say a lot in only a few words. We just didn't expect so much yellow.
Bell, who's 77 and now makes his home in Atlanta, worked suavely through two new songs from This Is Where I Live. The title track follows an autobiographical structure common among soul singers of a certain age (see: Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Aaron Neville). It narrates the story of Bell's life in specific detail, from the first time he heard Sam Cooke to the memorable hotel stay when he wrote "You Don't Miss Your Water," the song that "took [him] all around the world." And "The Three Of Me" is a love song of measured regret, typical of earlier Bell ballads but for its patina of time-worn wisdom.
To close his performance, Bell led the Total Package Band through one of the most enduring songs he's written: the blues standard "Born Under A Bad Sign," which has been covered by folks like Cream and Koko Taylor since Albert King first recorded it in 1967. When Bell's co-writer on the song, Booker T. Jones, played it at the Tiny Desk in 2011, his solo organ work lent the tune an appropriately eerie cast. For Bell and company, though, "Bad Sign" became a joyous, communal celebration. Nearly every member of the 12-piece band took a chorus before settling into an energetic vamp, their leader's grin as bright as his band's T-shirts.
This Is Where I Live is available now:
iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/thi...
Amazon: www.amazon.com/This-Where-Liv...
SET LIST:
"This Is Where I Live"
"The Three Of Me"
"Born Under A Bad Sign"
CREDITS:
Producers: Rachel Horn, Niki Walker; Audio Engineers: Suraya Mohamed, Josh Rogosin, Andrew Huether; Videographers: Niki Walker, Colin Marshall, Kara Frame, Maia Stern; Production Assistant: CJ Riculan; Photo: Claire Harbage/NPR.
For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast: www.npr.org/podcasts/510292/ti...
To hell with "he's still got it" ... William Bell never lost it! Writing great songs and singing them with all of his heart and soul.
Those are synonims 😝
Brian, I couldn't agree with you more...
Still is synonymous with never stopped...
Whoever is doing the sound for these concerts is doing a great job.
For real !!!
Professor, agreed. Clean sound.
This man and his music takes me back to the sixties. A young highschool girl from Louisville Ga. He sounds as good today as he did back then. What a gifted singer and showman. Many blessings and wishes are sent to your way Mr Bell.
Still listening Jan 2023. This is one of my favorite Tiny Desk concert.
Now, more than ever, this world needs real music!!!
William Bell is a Stax Record icon!!
Anyone who loves this should come on over to Memphis! We'd be happy to have y'all!!
Proof age does not matter when you’ve got SOUL!
Wow real old soul music
And let me add this the best concert performer on Tiny Desk. What a performer what a band.. I got to play it again
for a third time. LB Dec 13, 2022
So fine! Amazing that Bell was 77 when that vid was shot in 2016.
Great musicians, great songwriting. That's all you need :)
So awesome to hear everyone burn it down at the end!
Great job as always William Bell. Always the professional
The Three of Me is a piece of art and a concept every man can relate to
That band is huge! But bringing it back to that classic style, love it.
Wow, what a fantastic concert, William Bell, what a voice and a great performer too. Much Kudos to the band and also the sound engineer. The best place by far to listen too to live music on the web. A thousand thank you's for giving such a great location where the very best of music across so many genres can be heard. William Bell you are a treasure too...
Always loved eloise hang on in there by Mr bell
The sound quality is Amazing!
Beautiful just beautiful. Loved all of the eye contact and hand signals. groovey.
I knew the name William Bell sounded familiar. He sang the original "I forgot to be your lover" that Jaheim remade.
that song is so silky smooth, damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that is my favourite tune of all time. Gutted he didn't play it
One that will be revisited often!!!
I don't post on UA-cam much, but damn! This moved me! Huge Stax fan. I Nice to see William Bell out there with a new, fantastic album!
He gave his band solos,COOL !
Thanks NPR for presenting such an R&B master! Truly hope he and Booker Jones got their proper royalties for Born under a Bad Sign.
A real treat. Great band. and the recording is superb thank you npr and the band.
Beautiful song I love that man he is a true gem !
Wow, what a set - this is the real thing - Soul Music at its finest!
Greatness. And wonderful sounding recording, thank you NPR
Great music - so great!
Loved every minute of this one!
once in a while I can't sleep, so I throw on my headphones, listen to some music and fold laundry...this has me groovin' not foldin'...the dog thinks im nuts haha I have officially decided my new dream job is to be this man's back up singer
LOL! I feel you!
Off the Chain !!!!!
I Love These People and their Music ! Tears in My eyes ! So beautiful !!!!!!!!!!
Great ! Thanks for posting, NPR Music .
So real it ain't funny...one of the best things I've ever heard.
Perfection
So damn beautiful!!
This is mint.. William Bell one of the last true originals.. we love you x
This is one of my favorite things right now.
Legend, still got the Magic. 💫💫💫💫💥💥💥💥💫💫💫now thats a group of talented folk it'd be a great blessing to tour with.
Excellent performance... Thumbs up !!!!!
NPR STOP RECORDING SUCH GOOD SOUND. Almost every artist I find on here, their actual studio albums sound worse. How you do that?
check their youtube channel! there is a video where they actually show their audio set-up @revenant3138
Alright Nah...Can we Give it up fa da Band💯💯❤️🎶🎷
really amazing
This is so much better than the studio version. Man, he sounds great.
It makes my day every time I watch this :) Thank you!
This is an artistic Master
Double-dipped in secret soul sauce.
Man what a soulful singer. The songs I grew upon. Memphis Stax had some great singers. And just think a White Brother and Sister turned an old movie theater into one of the greatest studios of all time with people like William Bell, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, the great Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, The Staple Singers, Johnie Taylor, Wilson Picket, Booker T and the MGs, Arthur Conley, Eddie Floyd, Sam and Dave (soul man) , Rufus Thomas, and many more. Just think those folks didn’t see color they saw talent.. The greatest singers of all time.. C’mon now. Give it up for William Bell look all them folks he brought in the Tiny Desk. Lawd Hamercy. LB Tuesday 12-13-2022 10:05pm
Fabulous !
There should be more funk and soul in this world today
Such a sweet, tight, harmonious band. Every note counts.
thank you so much
bring Vulfpeck, please!
Three of me is one of the greatest songs ever.
I likes this!!!
This is GREAT !!
Amazing vibe!!! :)
Perfect!
Wow this is so underrated only 78, and sent 100,000+ views.
People just don’t get it but thank you
Awesome!
Boy that Sure is a Pretty song 🎶 THE THREE OF ME 🎶
The bassist at the beginning's little smile made it for me
Brilliant Band!!
True music
IM enjoyin it
His new album is fantastic.
the brother got soul
muy bueno! 🎵
This channels is so awesome! Good Job!!
the Man !!!
I only needed 30 seconds to hit 'like'
10 :)
Hell yeah ...
Yesssirrr!!!
This music is food , ain’t need nothing to eat
How did they fit on the tiny desk?
"We're gonna need a bigger desk..."
lindooooooooooooooooooooo
My 5 yr old grandson's favourite youtube clip. Mine too.
He's actually really good
It would be fantastic if he could link up with Tower of Power!
This has 100k views? You Tube is crazy !
4:09 Three of Me
a bit late to the party but dam real music as f*k!!!
Kinda disappointed he didn’t do I forgot to be your lover
You can hear where van morrison gets a lot of inspiration from
And whoever gives a thumbs down to this got to be an android
I wonder if 'The Three of Me' was inspired by a certain recent Oscars Acceptance Speech...
First.
Sounds like Van Morrison, but better. Did the Irishman steal his sound from Mr Bell?
must have been influenced
s1ck