Hello Like Before

In this song, a man unexpectedly encounters a woman he knew intimately, and old feelings come rushing back.

Withers puts great attention into the detail of his lyrics, and appreciates songs that can take a complex idea and simplify the concept. Says Withers: "That's why the simpler forms of music, which are my favorites, like Country music and The Blues and stuff that states something in a way that everybody can understand and you remember it. There are lines that are so profound, like 'The first time ever I saw your face' or Billy Joel's 'I love you just the way you are.' For somebody to state that in that simple a form - I heard this Country song the other day that really stuck to my ribs, and it was just a simple phrase - "And when the time comes for you to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance." Come on man, you can't say that any better. One thing that I said once, that I've never heard anybody say before or since - 'Hello like before.' That's one of my favorite things that ever crossed my mind. Try saying that in any shorter form, you can't do it." (Read the full interview with Bill Withers.)