Just The Two Of Us

Album

Winelight

Label

Elektra Records

Genre

Smooth jazz

Composer(s)

Ralph MacDonald;William Salter;Bill Withers

Entered Chart

Feb 14, 1981

Peak Date

May 2, 1981

Released

February 1981

Recorded

1980

Catalog #

Elektra 47103

B-Side

Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba) ( Washington Jr.)

This smooth, soulful favorite expresses a deep connection between a couple: whatever happens, they can get through it together. It was a huge hit when it was released in 1980, but has endured as a timeless classic, played at many weddings and other events to indicate a lasting bond. This song is a collaboration between the renowned jazz saxophone player Grover Washington, Jr. and the mighty soul singer Bill Withers. Washington crossed over in the '70s with a cover of "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" and an original song called "Mister Magic," both instrumentals. For "Just The Two Of Us," he brought in Withers to sing and to add lyrics - Withers was known for his hits "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine." In a Songfacts interview with Withers, he explained: "I'm a little snobbish about words, so they sent me this song and said, 'We want to do this with Grover, would you consider singing it?' I said, 'Yeah, if you'll let me go in and try to dress these words up a little bit.' Everybody that knows me is kind of used to me that way. I probably threw in the stuff like the crystal raindrops. The 'Just The Two Of Us' thing was already written. It was trying to put a tuxedo on it. I didn't like what was said leading up to 'Just The Two Of Us.'" Grover Washington, Jr. wrote this with his musical partner Bill Salter before Withers added lyrics. It was produced by Ralph MacDonald, a percussionist who played on many of Washington's tracks. MacDonald was friends with Withers and made the connection. When Withers went in to record his vocals, it was the first time he met Washington. They were rarely together when they recorded the song, and they never got to know each other very well (Washington died of a heart attack in 1999 at 56). Withers admired Washington because Grover did the first cover version of any song he'd written - an instrumental version of "Ain't No Sunshine" that appeared on his first album. Since then, hundreds of artists have covered Withers' songs. This appeared on Grover Washington, Jr.'s album and was initially credited just to him. Later pressings of the single made it clear that Withers was the vocalist. Will Smith did a rap version on his 1997 album Big Willie Style, turning it into a song about a father and son. At the time his first son Trey, who appears in the video, was five years old. By the time the song peaked at #20 in October 1998, Smith had a second son, Jaden. This reworking was the basis for the "Dr. Evil Mix" in the 1999 movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, where Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) sings it with lyrics about his love for Mini-Me (Verne Troyer). A memorable media use of this song is in the 2019 episode of The Neighborhood, "Welcome to the Vow Renewal," where Calvin (Cedric the Entertainer) and his wife Tina (Tichina Arnold) sing it to each other. The song was also used in the 2001 movie Bandits, in the 1981 WKRP in Cincinnati episode "Nothing to Fear But...," and on The Simpsons in the 2013 episode "Changing of the Guardian." It was also featured on The Office in the 2006 episode "Booze Cruise." Robert Greenidge played the steel drums on this one. He also played the instrument on John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)," also released in 1980.

I see the crystal raindrops fall
And see the beauty of it all
Is when the sun comes shining through
To make those rainbows in my mind
When I think of you some time
And I want to spend some time with you

Just the two of us
We can make it if we try
Just the two of us
Just the two of us
Building castles in the sky
Just the two of us
You and I

We look for love, no time for tears
Wasted waters's all that is
And it don't make no flowers grow
Good things might come to those who wait
Not to those who wait too late
We got to go for all we know

I hear the crystal raindrops fall
On the window down the hall
And it becomes the morning dew
Darling, when the morning comes
And I see the morning sun
I want to be the one with you