Grandma's Hands
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"Grandma's Hands" is a song written by
Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...
about his grandmother. It was included on his first album '' Just as I Am'' (1971), and was released as a single, reaching number 18 on the
Best Selling Soul Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 po ...
chart and 42 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In Canada, it reached No. 37 on the ''RPM'' magazine charts. The song was produced by Booker T. Jones and also featured drummer Al Jackson Jr. and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn from Booker T. & the M.G.'s, as well as
Stephen Stills Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Manassas (band ...
on electric guitar. "Grandma's Hands" was recently re-imagined in picture book form, published by Bill Withers' wife Marcia, daughter Kori, and Freedom Three Publishing.


Lyrics

Withers' maternal grandfather, Gracchus Monroe Galloway (1855–1937), had been born into
slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
. As a child, Withers attended church with his maternal grandmother, Lula (1868–1953). He later said: "It was spontaneous singing, there was nothing programmed. People got up and sang and everybody would join in. It was my favorite kind of singing." A theme of the song is the caring force of Grandma's hands, as expressed in the last verse:
:"Grandma's hands used to hand me piece of candy. :Grandma's hands picked me up each time I fell. :Grandma's hands, boy they really came in handy :She'd say, "Mattie don't you whip that boy. :What you want to spank him for? :He didn't drop no apple core," :But I don't have Grandma anymore, :If I get to heaven I'll look for :Grandma's hands. :Um, mm, mm."


Cover versions

The song has since been covered by many other artists, including
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, Kristy Lee,
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, Merry Clayton, Livingston Taylor,
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, Starsailor,
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, Jeff Lorber, Paddy Casey in
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's Even Better Than the Real Thing,
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. It is also sampled for the hook of Blackstreet's " No Diggity"., Ace Of Cups


References

1971 songs 1971 singles Bill Withers songs Songs written by Bill Withers Sussex Records singles Songs about grandparents Songs about old age {{1970s-single-stub