Just the Two of Us (Grover Washington Jr. song) explained

Just the Two of Us
Cover:Just the Two of Us single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers
Album:Winelight
B-Side:Make Me a Memory (Sad Samba)
Released:February 1981
Recorded:1980
Genre:
Length:
  • 7:23 (album version)
  • 3:58 (7-inch edit)
Label:Elektra
Producer:Jonathan Johnson
  • Grover Washington Jr.
  • Ralph MacDonald
Chronology:Grover Washington Jr.
Prev Title:Winelight
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:Be Mine (Tonight)
Next Year:1982

"Just the Two of Us" is a 1980 song written by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, and recorded by Grover Washington Jr. with Withers on vocals. Elektra Records released it in Washington's 1980 album Winelight and as a February 1981 single.

Background

"Just the Two of Us" was written by Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter.[4] Originally an instrumental track written by MacDonald and Salter, MacDonald contacted Withers and he wrote the lyrics.

Composition

Harmony

"Just the Two of Us" is in the key of F minor. The chord progression D – C – F – EA of its intro and verse can be thought of as a double-time modified reordering of the first four bars of the "Sunny" chord progression.[5] "Just the Two of Us" restarts this progression but settles on the minor tonic: D – C – F – %. Its chorus inserts an additional E chord to chromatically descend from the first F to E chord.

Instrumentation

The Rhodes piano, played in the introduction and throughout, was performed by Richard Tee.

Chart performance

The song reached number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying there for three weeks, behind "Morning Train (9 to 5)" by Sheena Easton and "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes. It was Washington's only Top 40 hit.

The song won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.[6] Withers included the edited version on the 1981 compilation Bill Withers' Greatest Hits and many subsequent greatest hits collections.

The song propelled Winelight's success, often credited for leading to the 1980s smooth jazz explosion.[7]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
Australia (KMR)[8] 31
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 10
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[10] 5
US Cash Box Top 100[11] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 78
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 81
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 18
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 18

Toshinobu Kubota version

Just the Two of Us
Type:single
Artist:Toshi Kubota featuring Caron Wheeler
Album: Sunshine, Moonlight
Released:June 25, 1996
Recorded:
  • 1991
  • 1995 (re-recorded)
Genre:
Length:
  • 4:28 (album version)
  • 3:33 (single version)
Label:Sony Japan
Producer:
  • Toshinobu Kubota
  • Ralph MacDonald
  • William Salter
  • Bill Withers

"Just the Two of Us" was covered by Japanese singer Toshinobu Kubota as a duet with Caron Wheeler in 1991, for his album . The song was listed as "Just the 2 of Us", featuring a reggae-style beat. In 1995, Kubota re-recorded the song with a more R&B-style beat for his album Sunshine, Moonlight. In 1996, he released the song as the second single from the album. The song charted at number 30 on the Oricon Weekly Singles chart and remained on the charts for five weeks.[17] It was included in the setlist during the Oyeees! Tour. During the tour, Joi Cardwell, who sang backing vocals during the tour, performed the song as a duet with Kubota. In 2007, Double performed the song on the MTV Japan Icons Special; during the performance, Kubota walked onto the stage to complete the song with her. In 2012, Kubota performed the song with Japanese singer Yuri, who was also a background vocalist during his "Party Ain't A Party Tour". The performance was included on his concert DVD "Party Ain't A Party", which was released in May 2012.

Music video

In 1996, Toshi Kubota and Caron Wheeler shot a music video for the song. The video is set at night, at a party in Kubota's apartment. Wheeler watches the party from the fire escape of the next apartment building. The single version was used for the audio format of the video. There are also shots of other musicians playing their instruments during the party, a group of elderly men playing cards outside the apartment on the sidewalk, and a couple dancing in another room of the apartment.

Formats and track listing

  1. "Just the Two of Us" (Butcher Bros. LP remix) (duet with Caron Wheeler)
  1. "Just the Two of Us" (Butcher Bros. LP remix)
  2. "Just the Two of Us" (Smooth R&B mix)
  3. "Just the Two of Us" (So So Def remix)
  4. "Just the Two of Us" (club mix radio edit)
  5. "Just the Two of Us" (Street mix) (featuring Fat Man Scoop and E. Bros.)

Other cover versions

Appearances in media

Movies and series

The song appeared in the opening sequence of the 2022 film .[28] It was also featured in the Futurama season 7 episode, "Fry and Leela's Big Fling" and The Simpsons season 15 episode, "My Big Fat Geek Wedding" and season 34 episode, "One Angry Lisa".

Advertisement

The title was popularized in France to be the main music for advertising campaigns for Caprice des Dieux cheese since 2009.[29] It was later used on an ad for Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine which featured Heineken Silver.[30] [31]

TikTok

In late 2020, "Just the Two of Us" started trending on TikTok,[32] [33] which prompted Salters' granddaughter, Jada Salter, to upload a video to the platform commemorating his work.[34]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: Sheena Easton's "Morning Train (Nine to Five) . . May 4, 2020 . Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers’ elegant smooth-soul reverie ["Just the Two of Us"] peaked at #2.... July 19, 2023.
  2. Book: Bill Withers. Coleman. Mark. Evans. Ben. . 2004 . . 4th . Brackett . Nathan . Hoard . Christian . 0-7432-0169-8 . 884.
  3. What a Fool Believes Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. July 31, 2021. February 23, 2024.
  4. Web site: Selby . Abe . February 12, 2021 . 'Just The Two Of Us' Songwriter Found His Sound In Solitude . 2023-06-27 . NPR.
  5. Web site: Cleary . Tom . 2019-11-26 . A history of the chord progression from Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny', and an original tune based on it ('Eye On The Sky') . https://web.archive.org/web/20240115183946/https://blog.uvm.edu/tgcleary/2019/11/26/a-history-of-bobby-hebbs-sunny-and-its-chord-progression-and-an-original-tune-based-on-it-eye-on-the-sky/ . 2024-01-15 . 2024-01-15 . BirdFeed . en-US.
  6. Web site: Winelight – Grover Washington Jr. – Awards – AllMusic. AllMusic.
  7. Web site: Micucci . Matt . 2020-06-17 . Song of the Day: Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers, "Just the Two of Us" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230529085157/https://www.jazziz.com/song-of-the-day-grover-washington-jr-and-bill-withers-just-the-two-of-us/ . 2023-05-29 . 2024-01-17 . JAZZIZ Magazine . en-US.
  8. Web site: Australian Chart Books. https://archive.today/20160305064644/http://www.austchartbook.com.au/. dead. March 5, 2016. www.australianchartbooks.com.au.
  9. Web site: Top Singles . June 6, 1981 . 34 . 26 . . RPM Weekly . bac-lac.gc.ca . February 24, 2018 .
  10. Adult Contemporary. archived at Library and Archives Canada . RPM Weekly . 17 July 2013. bac-lac.gc.ca .
  11. Web site: Top 100 Singles. Cash Box. May 9, 1981. republished online at tropicalglen.com. April 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20150603140812/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19810509.html. June 3, 2015. dead.
  12. Web site: Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 48, 2020. sv. Sverigetopplistan. April 11, 2021.
  13. Web site: Top 100 Singles of 1981. December 26, 1981 . 35 . 22 . . RPM Weekly . bac-lac.gc.ca . April 3, 2019 .
  14. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981. Dutch Top 40. October 9, 2021.
  15. Web site: Top Songs 1981. musicoutfitters.com.
  16. Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1981. Billboard. October 9, 2021.
  17. Web site: 久保田利伸のシングル売り上げランキング. oricon.co.jp. Oricon Style. ja. November 4, 2012.
  18. Web site: Amazon.com: Toshi Kubota: Toshi Kubota / Just The Two Of Us: Music. amazon.com.
  19. Web site: Amazon.com: Kubota Toshinobu: Just the Two of Us Butcher Bro: Music. amazon.com.
  20. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A77A_Ot_Vw "Tha 2 Of Us" by DTTX as part of "Bulletproof" film soundtrack
  22. I Like It When You Die Liner Notes
  23. Web site: I Like It When You Die - Anal Cunt. .
  24. Web site: 2021-03-31 . Dans le Téléphone de Manu : Un peu de douceur avec Just The Two of Us de Grover Washington Jr . 2024-02-27 . Europe 2 . fr-FR.
  25. Web site: "Just two of us" une mélodie bien planante - France Bleu . 2024-02-27 . ici, par France Bleu et France 3 . fr.
  26. Web site: Team . Editorial . February 17, 2023 . THEORY OF A DEADMAN Stream New Single "Two Of Us (Stuck)" . October 11, 2023 . Sonic Perspectives . en-US.
  27. Web site: LOVE ALL SERVE ALL (CD). March 23, 2022. 2024-06-12.
  28. News: Luxford . James . January 15, 2022 . Hotel Transylvania 4: Let this tired franchise finally rest in peace . City A.M..
  29. Web site: Yann Savary . Olivier Maréchal . Just The Two Of Us dans 1 spot TV sur MusiqueDePub.TV . 2024-01-06 . www.musiquedepub.tv . fr.
  30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp4466Hx8I
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NebqFm0PoVw
  32. Web site: Zhang . Cat . A Year in Music on TikTok . Pitchfork . 21 December 2020 .
  33. Web site: Chung . Lori . December 5, 2020 . Harlem Native Who Wrote 'Just the Two of Us' Song Now a Viral Sensation . .
  34. Web site: Greenfield . Beth . December 24, 2020 . Yahoo! Life . 'Just the Two of Us' writer William Salter, 84, in 'awe' of newfound TikTok fame .

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